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The Plantagenets #4
Viimased Plantagenetid
The final volume in A History of the Plantagenets covers the century from 1377 to 1485 when civil war ravaged England, rebellious peasants marched on London and wandering preachers sowed dissent in the credulous poor.
The last Plantagenet monarchs governed in violence and confusion. Kings came and went, deposed or murdered. Princes and nobles slaughtered or were slaughtered in bloody battles or private feuds. It was an era of brilliant successes, tragic reverses and wild extravagance.
The last Plantagenet monarchs governed in violence and confusion. Kings came and went, deposed or murdered. Princes and nobles slaughtered or were slaughtered in bloody battles or private feuds. It was an era of brilliant successes, tragic reverses and wild extravagance.
392 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1962
380 people are currently reading
1807 people want to read
About the author
Thomas B. Costain
128 books185 followersCostain was born in Brantford, Ontario to John Herbert Costain and Mary Schultz. He attended high school there at the Brantford Collegiate Institute. Before graduating from high school he had written four novels, one of which was a 70,000 word romance about Maurice of Nassau, Prince of Orange. These early novels were rejected by publishers.
His first writing success came in 1902 when the Brantford Courier accepted a mystery story from him, and he became a reporter there (for five dollars a week). He was an editor at the Guelph Daily Mercury between 1908 and 1910. He married Ida Randolph Spragge (1888–1975) in York, Ontario on January 12, 1910. The couple had two children, Molly (Mrs. Howard Haycraft) and Dora (Mrs. Henry Darlington Steinmetz). Also in 1910, Costain joined the Maclean Publishing Group where he edited three trade journals. Beginning in 1914, he was a staff writer for and, from 1917, editor of Toronto-based Maclean's magazine. His success there brought him to the attention of The Saturday Evening Post in New York City where he was fiction editor for fourteen years.
In 1920 he became a naturalized U.S. citizen. He also worked for Doubleday Books as an editor 1939-1946. He was the head of 20th Century Fox’s bureau of literary development (story department) from 1934 to 1942.
In 1940, he wrote four short novels but was “enough of an editor not to send them out”. He next planned to write six books in a series he called “The Stepchildren of History”. He would write about six interesting but unknown historical figures. For his first, he wrote about the seventeenth-century pirate John Ward aka Jack Ward. In 1942, he realized his longtime dream when this first novel For My Great Folly was published, and it became a bestseller with over 132,000 copies sold. The New York Times reviewer stated at the end of the review "there will be no romantic-adventure lover left unsatisfied." In January 1946 he "retired" to spend the rest of his life writing, at a rate of about 3,000 words a day.
Raised as a Baptist, he was reported in the 1953 Current Biography to be an attendant of the Protestant Episcopal Church. He was described as a handsome, tall, broad-shouldered man with a pink and white complexion, clear blue eyes, and a slight Canadian accent. He was white-haired by the time he began to write novels. He loved animals and could not even kill a bug (but he also loved bridge, and he did not extend the same policy to his partners). He also loved movies and the theatre (he met his future wife when she was performing Ruth in the The Pirates of Penzance).
Costain's work is a mixture of commercial history (such as The White and The Gold, a history of New France to around 1720) and fiction that relies heavily on historic events (one review stated it was hard to tell where history leaves off and apocrypha begins). His most popular novel was The Black Rose (1945), centred in the time and actions of Bayan of the Baarin also known as Bayan of the Hundred Eyes. Costain noted in his foreword that he initially intended the book to be about Bayan and Edward I, but became caught up in the legend of Thomas a Becket's parents: an English knight married to an Eastern girl. The book was a selection of the Literary Guild with a first printing of 650,000 copies and sold over two million copies in its first year.
His research led him to believe that Richard III was a great monarch tarred by conspiracies, after his death, with the murder of the princes in the tower. Costain supported his theories with documentation, suggesting that the real murderer was Henry VII.
Costain died in 1965 at his New York City home of a heart attack at the age of 80. He is buried in the Farringdon Independent Church Cemetery in Brantford.
His first writing success came in 1902 when the Brantford Courier accepted a mystery story from him, and he became a reporter there (for five dollars a week). He was an editor at the Guelph Daily Mercury between 1908 and 1910. He married Ida Randolph Spragge (1888–1975) in York, Ontario on January 12, 1910. The couple had two children, Molly (Mrs. Howard Haycraft) and Dora (Mrs. Henry Darlington Steinmetz). Also in 1910, Costain joined the Maclean Publishing Group where he edited three trade journals. Beginning in 1914, he was a staff writer for and, from 1917, editor of Toronto-based Maclean's magazine. His success there brought him to the attention of The Saturday Evening Post in New York City where he was fiction editor for fourteen years.
In 1920 he became a naturalized U.S. citizen. He also worked for Doubleday Books as an editor 1939-1946. He was the head of 20th Century Fox’s bureau of literary development (story department) from 1934 to 1942.
In 1940, he wrote four short novels but was “enough of an editor not to send them out”. He next planned to write six books in a series he called “The Stepchildren of History”. He would write about six interesting but unknown historical figures. For his first, he wrote about the seventeenth-century pirate John Ward aka Jack Ward. In 1942, he realized his longtime dream when this first novel For My Great Folly was published, and it became a bestseller with over 132,000 copies sold. The New York Times reviewer stated at the end of the review "there will be no romantic-adventure lover left unsatisfied." In January 1946 he "retired" to spend the rest of his life writing, at a rate of about 3,000 words a day.
Raised as a Baptist, he was reported in the 1953 Current Biography to be an attendant of the Protestant Episcopal Church. He was described as a handsome, tall, broad-shouldered man with a pink and white complexion, clear blue eyes, and a slight Canadian accent. He was white-haired by the time he began to write novels. He loved animals and could not even kill a bug (but he also loved bridge, and he did not extend the same policy to his partners). He also loved movies and the theatre (he met his future wife when she was performing Ruth in the The Pirates of Penzance).
Costain's work is a mixture of commercial history (such as The White and The Gold, a history of New France to around 1720) and fiction that relies heavily on historic events (one review stated it was hard to tell where history leaves off and apocrypha begins). His most popular novel was The Black Rose (1945), centred in the time and actions of Bayan of the Baarin also known as Bayan of the Hundred Eyes. Costain noted in his foreword that he initially intended the book to be about Bayan and Edward I, but became caught up in the legend of Thomas a Becket's parents: an English knight married to an Eastern girl. The book was a selection of the Literary Guild with a first printing of 650,000 copies and sold over two million copies in its first year.
His research led him to believe that Richard III was a great monarch tarred by conspiracies, after his death, with the murder of the princes in the tower. Costain supported his theories with documentation, suggesting that the real murderer was Henry VII.
Costain died in 1965 at his New York City home of a heart attack at the age of 80. He is buried in the Farringdon Independent Church Cemetery in Brantford.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews
August 5, 2017
I was lucky enough to come across this treasure at a charity shop, and having a passionate interest in English history eagerly snapped it up.
And I am glad I did. With a novelists flair , Thomas Costain creates both a detailed history of England and its monarchs from the declining years of Edward III to the death of Richard III at the battle of Bosworth and the early early years of Henry VII.
Costain combines political history with social history, taking us through the overview while providing us with some lesser known but juicy titbit's
Part 1 details the life of Richard II from his birth to his murder at Pontefract.
It touches on the last years of Edward III, his beguiling mistress Alice Perrers, the intrigues of his court, the interplay between his sons , indulging the popular and valiant, Edward the Black Prince, the proud and intriguing John of Gaunt and his magnificent palace The Savoy his mistress Katherine Swynford, and his ultimate failure. Social history abounds including the blond and plump Flemish prostitutes of the Savoy, to the clothes and food of the time the forerunners of Protestantism in England, the reformist (and terrible persecuted Lollards) Also featuring is the blustering bully, another son of Edward III. Thomas of Woodstock and his intrigues and violence
The Peasant Revolt is well covered, featuring the massacres of Flemish merchants crown officials and lawyers and the liberation of a key prison in which all the inmates were freed, a foreshadow of the seizure of the Bastille in France, some 400 years later.
The Peasants Revolt was a key point in English history, the foundations of the social order were shaken. Wat Tyler as we read was the virtual ruler of London for two days. It also provided the boy king Richard II with his finest hour when Wat Tyler was killed and
Richard calmed the mob , promising to be their leader and to fulfill their demands.
This proved to be deceitful as he rescinded (likely under pressure from his nobles) all his promises and sacked the countryside, crushing all dissent by the common people, telling the peasants 'Villeins you are and villeins you will remain' Richard was ultimately a weak and effete rulers.
The section ends with the decline of Richard's power, the connivance of those around him, leading to him being deposes and murdered at Pontefract by conspirators centered on Henry of Bolingbroke , the son of John of Gaunt and to be Henry IV
Henry IV was sickly and undistinguished in his reign and was succeeded by the mercurial and martial genius, Henry V, who crushed a Welsh revolt that had almost succeeded, and best known of course for his victory in France at Agincourt and his wooing and marriage of Katherine of Valois, younger sister to Isabella of France, the young queen who was married to Richard II and who the young Prince Hal was besotted with in his boyhood. It had ad been his plan as as a result of this to marry her younger sister Katherine. , in addition to the power in France it gave him.
Brilliant section of the Wars of the Roses, the half mad. pious Henry VI, Richard , the Duke of York, the conniving Richard Neville (Earl of Warwick and the king maker) and the passionate and merciless Margaret of Anjou , Henry VI's French queen.
As the war ended with the triumph of Edward IV, the intrigues of his brother George, Duke of Clarence who rebelled several times against Edward and was killed in the Tower of London on Edward's orders.according to popular legend drowned in a butt of his favourite malmsey wine.
Costain examines the figures he covers throughly He describes how Edward was beguiled into marriage by the beautiful Elizabeth Woodville and the dissolution of Edwards court. Edward had expended all his energy it seemed on getting the throne and once he got it fell into decadence.
His most well known mistress the lovely and light hearted promiscuous Jane Shore is mentioned here (and he describes both the penance she was forced to do by Richard III after he became king and his pardoning of her when petiotned to do so by solicitor and royal official Thomas Lynom after he fell in love with her (which was an act of compassion as pointed out by Costain)
One of the great achievements of Edward IV's reign was the printing press of William Caxton whose life Costain devotes a several pages to.,
Bu the key part of the book is a passionate defense by the the author of the character of Richard III who he carefully and methodically defends against the charges of killing his royal nephews in the tower, as well as other crimes he was accused of by Tudor historians such as Sir Thomas More, including killing Henry VI with his own hand, accusing his mother , the proud Duchess Cicely of adultery and his brother Edward IV of therefore being illegitimate. and also being the main hand behind getting his bother the duke of Clarence sentenced to die.
Coitain shows many of these charges are false, and as regards the murder of the Princes of the Tower provides a strong case of their being murdered by Henry Tudor. He made me lean to thinking King Richard innocent having previously leaned to believing him guilty after I read Princes in the Tower by Alison Weir.
Regardless of his guilt or innocence in the crime the author deals with this in consummate detail and expertise. I find just about anything written on Richard III most intriguing having read many historic novels centering on Richard III
Published in 1962, the book is so well written, so exciting and examines everything with such skill that this book is not at all dated, and I recommend any aficionado of medieval English history to get themselves a copy of this magisterial work.
Merged review:
I was lucky enough to come across this treasure at a charity shop, and having a passionate interest in English history eagerly snapped it up.
And I am glad I did. With a novelists flair , Thomas Costain creates both a detailed history of England and its monarchs from the declining years of Edward III to the death of Richard III at the battle of Bosworth and the early early years of Henry VII.
Costain combines political history with social history, taking us through the overview while providing us with some lesser known but juicy titbit's
Part 1 details the life of Richard II from his birth to his murder at Pontefract.
It touches on the last years of Edward III, his beguiling mistress Alice Perrers, the intrigues of his court, the interplay between his sons , indulging the popular and valiant, Edward the Black Prince, the proud and intriguing John of Gaunt and his magnificent palace The Savoy his mistress Katherine Swynford, and his ultimate failure. Social history abounds including the blond and plump Flemish prostitutes of the Savoy, to the clothes and food of the time the forerunners of Protestantism in England, the reformist (and terrible persecuted Lollards) Also featuring is the blustering bully, another son of Edward III. Thomas of Woodstock and his intrigues and violence
The Peasant Revolt is well covered, featuring the massacres of Flemish merchants crown officials and lawyers and the liberation of a key prison in which all the inmates were freed, a foreshadow of the seizure of the Bastille in France, some 400 years later.
The Peasants Revolt was a key point in English history, the foundations of the social order were shaken. Wat Tyler as we read was the virtual ruler of London for two days. It also provided the boy king Richard II with his finest hour when Wat Tyler was killed and
Richard calmed the mob , promising to be their leader and to fulfill their demands.
This proved to be deceitful as he rescinded (likely under pressure from his nobles) all his promises and sacked the countryside, crushing all dissent by the common people, telling the peasants 'Villeins you are and villeins you will remain' Richard was ultimately a weak and effete rulers.
The section ends with the decline of Richard's power, the connivance of those around him, leading to him being deposes and murdered at Pontefract by conspirators centered on Henry of Bolingbroke , the son of John of Gaunt and to be Henry IV
Henry IV was sickly and undistinguished in his reign and was succeeded by the mercurial and martial genius, Henry V, who crushed a Welsh revolt that had almost succeeded, and best known of course for his victory in France at Agincourt and his wooing and marriage of Katherine of Valois, younger sister to Isabella of France, the young queen who was married to Richard II and who the young Prince Hal was besotted with in his boyhood. It had ad been his plan as as a result of this to marry her younger sister Katherine. , in addition to the power in France it gave him.
Brilliant section of the Wars of the Roses, the half mad. pious Henry VI, Richard , the Duke of York, the conniving Richard Neville (Earl of Warwick and the king maker) and the passionate and merciless Margaret of Anjou , Henry VI's French queen.
As the war ended with the triumph of Edward IV, the intrigues of his brother George, Duke of Clarence who rebelled several times against Edward and was killed in the Tower of London on Edward's orders.according to popular legend drowned in a butt of his favourite malmsey wine.
Costain examines the figures he covers throughly He describes how Edward was beguiled into marriage by the beautiful Elizabeth Woodville and the dissolution of Edwards court. Edward had expended all his energy it seemed on getting the throne and once he got it fell into decadence.
His most well known mistress the lovely and light hearted promiscuous Jane Shore is mentioned here (and he describes both the penance she was forced to do by Richard III after he became king and his pardoning of her when petiotned to do so by solicitor and royal official Thomas Lynom after he fell in love with her (which was an act of compassion as pointed out by Costain)
One of the great achievements of Edward IV's reign was the printing press of William Caxton whose life Costain devotes a several pages to.,
Bu the key part of the book is a passionate defense by the the author of the character of Richard III who he carefully and methodically defends against the charges of killing his royal nephews in the tower, as well as other crimes he was accused of by Tudor historians such as Sir Thomas More, including killing Henry VI with his own hand, accusing his mother , the proud Duchess Cicely of adultery and his brother Edward IV of therefore being illegitimate. and also being the main hand behind getting his bother the duke of Clarence sentenced to die.
Coitain shows many of these charges are false, and as regards the murder of the Princes of the Tower provides a strong case of their being murdered by Henry Tudor. He made me lean to thinking King Richard innocent having previously leaned to believing him guilty after I read Princes in the Tower by Alison Weir.
Regardless of his guilt or innocence in the crime the author deals with this in consummate detail and expertise. I find just about anything written on Richard III most intriguing having read many historic novels centering on Richard III
Published in 1962, the book is so well written, so exciting and examines everything with such skill that this book is not at all dated, and I recommend any aficionado of medieval English history to get themselves a copy of this magisterial work.
And I am glad I did. With a novelists flair , Thomas Costain creates both a detailed history of England and its monarchs from the declining years of Edward III to the death of Richard III at the battle of Bosworth and the early early years of Henry VII.
Costain combines political history with social history, taking us through the overview while providing us with some lesser known but juicy titbit's
Part 1 details the life of Richard II from his birth to his murder at Pontefract.
It touches on the last years of Edward III, his beguiling mistress Alice Perrers, the intrigues of his court, the interplay between his sons , indulging the popular and valiant, Edward the Black Prince, the proud and intriguing John of Gaunt and his magnificent palace The Savoy his mistress Katherine Swynford, and his ultimate failure. Social history abounds including the blond and plump Flemish prostitutes of the Savoy, to the clothes and food of the time the forerunners of Protestantism in England, the reformist (and terrible persecuted Lollards) Also featuring is the blustering bully, another son of Edward III. Thomas of Woodstock and his intrigues and violence
The Peasant Revolt is well covered, featuring the massacres of Flemish merchants crown officials and lawyers and the liberation of a key prison in which all the inmates were freed, a foreshadow of the seizure of the Bastille in France, some 400 years later.
The Peasants Revolt was a key point in English history, the foundations of the social order were shaken. Wat Tyler as we read was the virtual ruler of London for two days. It also provided the boy king Richard II with his finest hour when Wat Tyler was killed and
Richard calmed the mob , promising to be their leader and to fulfill their demands.
This proved to be deceitful as he rescinded (likely under pressure from his nobles) all his promises and sacked the countryside, crushing all dissent by the common people, telling the peasants 'Villeins you are and villeins you will remain' Richard was ultimately a weak and effete rulers.
The section ends with the decline of Richard's power, the connivance of those around him, leading to him being deposes and murdered at Pontefract by conspirators centered on Henry of Bolingbroke , the son of John of Gaunt and to be Henry IV
Henry IV was sickly and undistinguished in his reign and was succeeded by the mercurial and martial genius, Henry V, who crushed a Welsh revolt that had almost succeeded, and best known of course for his victory in France at Agincourt and his wooing and marriage of Katherine of Valois, younger sister to Isabella of France, the young queen who was married to Richard II and who the young Prince Hal was besotted with in his boyhood. It had ad been his plan as as a result of this to marry her younger sister Katherine. , in addition to the power in France it gave him.
Brilliant section of the Wars of the Roses, the half mad. pious Henry VI, Richard , the Duke of York, the conniving Richard Neville (Earl of Warwick and the king maker) and the passionate and merciless Margaret of Anjou , Henry VI's French queen.
As the war ended with the triumph of Edward IV, the intrigues of his brother George, Duke of Clarence who rebelled several times against Edward and was killed in the Tower of London on Edward's orders.according to popular legend drowned in a butt of his favourite malmsey wine.
Costain examines the figures he covers throughly He describes how Edward was beguiled into marriage by the beautiful Elizabeth Woodville and the dissolution of Edwards court. Edward had expended all his energy it seemed on getting the throne and once he got it fell into decadence.
His most well known mistress the lovely and light hearted promiscuous Jane Shore is mentioned here (and he describes both the penance she was forced to do by Richard III after he became king and his pardoning of her when petiotned to do so by solicitor and royal official Thomas Lynom after he fell in love with her (which was an act of compassion as pointed out by Costain)
One of the great achievements of Edward IV's reign was the printing press of William Caxton whose life Costain devotes a several pages to.,
Bu the key part of the book is a passionate defense by the the author of the character of Richard III who he carefully and methodically defends against the charges of killing his royal nephews in the tower, as well as other crimes he was accused of by Tudor historians such as Sir Thomas More, including killing Henry VI with his own hand, accusing his mother , the proud Duchess Cicely of adultery and his brother Edward IV of therefore being illegitimate. and also being the main hand behind getting his bother the duke of Clarence sentenced to die.
Coitain shows many of these charges are false, and as regards the murder of the Princes of the Tower provides a strong case of their being murdered by Henry Tudor. He made me lean to thinking King Richard innocent having previously leaned to believing him guilty after I read Princes in the Tower by Alison Weir.
Regardless of his guilt or innocence in the crime the author deals with this in consummate detail and expertise. I find just about anything written on Richard III most intriguing having read many historic novels centering on Richard III
Published in 1962, the book is so well written, so exciting and examines everything with such skill that this book is not at all dated, and I recommend any aficionado of medieval English history to get themselves a copy of this magisterial work.
Merged review:
I was lucky enough to come across this treasure at a charity shop, and having a passionate interest in English history eagerly snapped it up.
And I am glad I did. With a novelists flair , Thomas Costain creates both a detailed history of England and its monarchs from the declining years of Edward III to the death of Richard III at the battle of Bosworth and the early early years of Henry VII.
Costain combines political history with social history, taking us through the overview while providing us with some lesser known but juicy titbit's
Part 1 details the life of Richard II from his birth to his murder at Pontefract.
It touches on the last years of Edward III, his beguiling mistress Alice Perrers, the intrigues of his court, the interplay between his sons , indulging the popular and valiant, Edward the Black Prince, the proud and intriguing John of Gaunt and his magnificent palace The Savoy his mistress Katherine Swynford, and his ultimate failure. Social history abounds including the blond and plump Flemish prostitutes of the Savoy, to the clothes and food of the time the forerunners of Protestantism in England, the reformist (and terrible persecuted Lollards) Also featuring is the blustering bully, another son of Edward III. Thomas of Woodstock and his intrigues and violence
The Peasant Revolt is well covered, featuring the massacres of Flemish merchants crown officials and lawyers and the liberation of a key prison in which all the inmates were freed, a foreshadow of the seizure of the Bastille in France, some 400 years later.
The Peasants Revolt was a key point in English history, the foundations of the social order were shaken. Wat Tyler as we read was the virtual ruler of London for two days. It also provided the boy king Richard II with his finest hour when Wat Tyler was killed and
Richard calmed the mob , promising to be their leader and to fulfill their demands.
This proved to be deceitful as he rescinded (likely under pressure from his nobles) all his promises and sacked the countryside, crushing all dissent by the common people, telling the peasants 'Villeins you are and villeins you will remain' Richard was ultimately a weak and effete rulers.
The section ends with the decline of Richard's power, the connivance of those around him, leading to him being deposes and murdered at Pontefract by conspirators centered on Henry of Bolingbroke , the son of John of Gaunt and to be Henry IV
Henry IV was sickly and undistinguished in his reign and was succeeded by the mercurial and martial genius, Henry V, who crushed a Welsh revolt that had almost succeeded, and best known of course for his victory in France at Agincourt and his wooing and marriage of Katherine of Valois, younger sister to Isabella of France, the young queen who was married to Richard II and who the young Prince Hal was besotted with in his boyhood. It had ad been his plan as as a result of this to marry her younger sister Katherine. , in addition to the power in France it gave him.
Brilliant section of the Wars of the Roses, the half mad. pious Henry VI, Richard , the Duke of York, the conniving Richard Neville (Earl of Warwick and the king maker) and the passionate and merciless Margaret of Anjou , Henry VI's French queen.
As the war ended with the triumph of Edward IV, the intrigues of his brother George, Duke of Clarence who rebelled several times against Edward and was killed in the Tower of London on Edward's orders.according to popular legend drowned in a butt of his favourite malmsey wine.
Costain examines the figures he covers throughly He describes how Edward was beguiled into marriage by the beautiful Elizabeth Woodville and the dissolution of Edwards court. Edward had expended all his energy it seemed on getting the throne and once he got it fell into decadence.
His most well known mistress the lovely and light hearted promiscuous Jane Shore is mentioned here (and he describes both the penance she was forced to do by Richard III after he became king and his pardoning of her when petiotned to do so by solicitor and royal official Thomas Lynom after he fell in love with her (which was an act of compassion as pointed out by Costain)
One of the great achievements of Edward IV's reign was the printing press of William Caxton whose life Costain devotes a several pages to.,
Bu the key part of the book is a passionate defense by the the author of the character of Richard III who he carefully and methodically defends against the charges of killing his royal nephews in the tower, as well as other crimes he was accused of by Tudor historians such as Sir Thomas More, including killing Henry VI with his own hand, accusing his mother , the proud Duchess Cicely of adultery and his brother Edward IV of therefore being illegitimate. and also being the main hand behind getting his bother the duke of Clarence sentenced to die.
Coitain shows many of these charges are false, and as regards the murder of the Princes of the Tower provides a strong case of their being murdered by Henry Tudor. He made me lean to thinking King Richard innocent having previously leaned to believing him guilty after I read Princes in the Tower by Alison Weir.
Regardless of his guilt or innocence in the crime the author deals with this in consummate detail and expertise. I find just about anything written on Richard III most intriguing having read many historic novels centering on Richard III
Published in 1962, the book is so well written, so exciting and examines everything with such skill that this book is not at all dated, and I recommend any aficionado of medieval English history to get themselves a copy of this magisterial work.
May 23, 2012
Very detailed history including that of Richard III. Part of a series by Thomas B. Costain which started in the first of the series with Geoffrey of Anjou with the feather in his cap, the "Planta Genesta" , going through King Stephen, Richard the Lion Hearted, King John, King Edward "Edward Longshanks" up to Richard III and then I recall ends with Henry VII and the beginning of the Tudor dynasty. It's been years since I read the series but I really enjoyed it. I would like to go back and again read at least the last one in view of different things & theories coming to light. They were written in the 1950s but even at that time he laid to rest a lot of misconceptions of their rule. There were four books all together in order they are:
The Conquering Family
The Magnificent Century
The Three Edwards
The Last Plantagenets
The Conquering Family
The Magnificent Century
The Three Edwards
The Last Plantagenets
February 29, 2008
Read these four books before we went to France the first time in 1974. With the planta genesta family history in my lizard brain, I noticed on the map that the route between Paris and Rouen provided, with a short detour, the opportunity to stop at the ruins of one of Richard (the Lionheart)'s castles above the Seine (contructed in 1195). So I stopped and wandered and had a couple of hours that fed all my Ivanhoe fantasies of my yout'. Would never have stopped had I not read the book.
November 24, 2019
The Last Plantagenets is an uneven read. The first 50% or so of the book--which is devoted to the reign of Richard II--is excellent. Costain's interpretation of events is also extremely interesting. For instance, he offers far more complimentary views of Richard II and Richard III than I have previously encountered. However, the last half of the work is not particularly satisfying as it provides only a scatter shot treatment of Henry IV's rule and the Wars of the Roses. It seems that, after 3 1/2 volumes, the author did not have the energy to provide a comprehensive overview of these turbulent times.
March 15, 2021
Must read for all things English. Extremely well written narrative of the lives and times of these Anglo Monarchs. Costain swallows you whole.
July 15, 2013
Costain employs his novelist's flair to the last (and, I think, best-known) work in his Plantagenet series. It picks up with the decline and death of both Edward III and his son the Black Prince, then moves on to a fairly lengthy but still eminently enjoyable section on Richard II. Then, of course, there are the Wars of the Roses. Costain isn't always detailed, and he doesn't talk much at all about aspects like the Battle of Agincourt; but he does highlight lesser known and perhaps more critical elements, such as Henry V's "Fair Kate" and her later union with Owen Tudor. I am especially fond of his habit of giving credit to the work of commoners like John Ball and William Caxton, who get much less press than the warring royals.
Costain is favorable to Richard III, and one of the most interesting bits of the book is the Author's Note at the back where he discusses his personal journey (doesn't that sound spiritual?) to such a position. He mentions The Daughter of Time, and I was able to see similarities of argument; however, Costain does much more in his arguments and tone for the defense than Tey did.
Also, he's a lot more humorous.
Costain is favorable to Richard III, and one of the most interesting bits of the book is the Author's Note at the back where he discusses his personal journey (doesn't that sound spiritual?) to such a position. He mentions The Daughter of Time, and I was able to see similarities of argument; however, Costain does much more in his arguments and tone for the defense than Tey did.
Also, he's a lot more humorous.
August 24, 2014
A good read and serviceable survey of the period. Nothing new for me here as a regular scholar of the period, but it is well presented and would make a great introductory book on the era. One interesting Ricardian note: Although written 50 years ago, Costain was willing to challenge the historical image of Richard III towards book's end, finding many historical sources to be biased and in some cases factually incorrect. As with many non-UK authors, Costain found when examining the actual evidence that the final king of the Plantagenet line was much maligned and just plain lied about by those who followed in the next line - the Tudors. While making no apologies, Costain does show that the evidence does not favor the Tudor's version of King Richard III.
March 23, 2007
Costain's able to keep the reader's interest for hours in subject matter that could easily become a little dry and dusty.
Very readable popular histories.
Very readable popular histories.
November 28, 2025
Popular history, so of course I am left with that “interesting…I’d have to investigate the primary sources for myself before I believe the author one way or the other” feeling, and it doesn’t even have footnotes to enable me to check certain things more easily; but since this isn’t an area of history I’m going to be doing research on any time soon that’s quite all right, really.
I like how the author writes, and I enjoyed brushing up on my English kings (haven’t thought much about the Plantagenets since childhood, honestly), and I was so here for the Richard III partisanship. I bought this book a long time ago at a thrift store for 10 cents, thinking it would be incredibly interesting; so glad I finally got around to proving myself right.
I like how the author writes, and I enjoyed brushing up on my English kings (haven’t thought much about the Plantagenets since childhood, honestly), and I was so here for the Richard III partisanship. I bought this book a long time ago at a thrift store for 10 cents, thinking it would be incredibly interesting; so glad I finally got around to proving myself right.
February 8, 2016
This final volume of Costain's Plantagenet saga confirms what I started to suspect somewhere in the middle of 'The Three Edwards' - the undeniable darkness and tragedy that permeates the final chapters of Plantagenets' history seems to steadily sap the energy out of the author, so that in the end he's barely able to finish his grand story. Once the story reaches to the pathetic end of Henry VI, the author pretty much admits openly that he doesn't even feel like going through all the tiresome and iterative details of the final power struggle, known to us as War of the Roses. From that point on, the spark pretty much disapears out of Costain's narrative, making final couple of hundreds of pages mostly into an obligation to reach the finish line after a very long journey.
It is however worth to persevere to the end, because that's where the author seems to marshall together whathever energy he has left and rushes to a surprisingly vigorous defence of Richard III. I don't know how controversial his grand stand was in early sixties, but it does seem bold. What's more Costain's lashout against Henry VII in particular and Tudors in general is surprisingly cold and analytical, especially when considering the romantic tone of the book series as a whole. This final hurrah seems to be a fitting end to this memorable tetralogy. I started it on a whim, not expecting much, ended up really enjoying most of it and felt quite sad as I reached its end!
It is however worth to persevere to the end, because that's where the author seems to marshall together whathever energy he has left and rushes to a surprisingly vigorous defence of Richard III. I don't know how controversial his grand stand was in early sixties, but it does seem bold. What's more Costain's lashout against Henry VII in particular and Tudors in general is surprisingly cold and analytical, especially when considering the romantic tone of the book series as a whole. This final hurrah seems to be a fitting end to this memorable tetralogy. I started it on a whim, not expecting much, ended up really enjoying most of it and felt quite sad as I reached its end!
December 25, 2023
Final volume in Costain's four-book popular history of the Plantagenets; I'm reading them in order, something I did a very long time ago.
This, in my rather informed opinion, is the best kind of "popular history": superbly written, chatty with a storyteller's verve, accurate and appropriately researched, with speculation well-identified as such and the author's perspective not presented as irrefutable.
The Plantagenets are endlessly interesting folks, and Costain is obviously entranced with them, too.
2023: I took ages to re-read this because I kept getting library books, which have due dates and which other people probably want to read. The older review still stands.
This, in my rather informed opinion, is the best kind of "popular history": superbly written, chatty with a storyteller's verve, accurate and appropriately researched, with speculation well-identified as such and the author's perspective not presented as irrefutable.
The Plantagenets are endlessly interesting folks, and Costain is obviously entranced with them, too.
2023: I took ages to re-read this because I kept getting library books, which have due dates and which other people probably want to read. The older review still stands.
February 8, 2015
I read this when I was 10 or 11. I found fascinating at the time and would enjoy rereading it again. It probably was one of the books that launched me on a trajectory to a history degree.
December 20, 2015
Fairly old book but still an entertaining read.
The author is even handed in his attitudes to each monarch. Well worth reading if you can get hold of a copy.
The author is even handed in his attitudes to each monarch. Well worth reading if you can get hold of a copy.
December 19, 2021
First published in 1961, this is a fascinating read for an anglophile like me. This starts with the birth of Richard II in 1367 and ends in the early 1500's during the reign of Henry VII. Henry VII was the first Tudor king and not a Plantagenet. Henry is covered because he may have encouraged the rewriting of history to make Richard III (the last Plantagenet King) the guilty party in murdering his royal nephews. What happened to the princes is a mystery still unsolved. My only criticism is that I would have liked to know more about Henry V, his triumph over France at the Batlle of Agincourt and what other successes he packed into is short 9-year reign. Though this is non-fiction, Constain writes like a novelist. I love the fact that he includes flashes of humor in this history of THE LAST PLANTANGENETS.
September 6, 2023
History with an axe to grind
Thomas Costain is a firm believer in the innocence of Richard III. His final book of four on the Plantagenet kings spends half it’s length on a remarkably ineffectual monarch to then speed through the Wars of the Roses and then spend a quarter of it’s length propounding the faults in the case against the last King Richard. He makes a persuasive case, but it is of course built on as much supposition as the case FOR Richard as a murderer. Eighty years later, these are still enjoyable reads, with the occasional gaffe that reminds the reader of the era when these were written. Not a serious history, but a fun read.
Thomas Costain is a firm believer in the innocence of Richard III. His final book of four on the Plantagenet kings spends half it’s length on a remarkably ineffectual monarch to then speed through the Wars of the Roses and then spend a quarter of it’s length propounding the faults in the case against the last King Richard. He makes a persuasive case, but it is of course built on as much supposition as the case FOR Richard as a murderer. Eighty years later, these are still enjoyable reads, with the occasional gaffe that reminds the reader of the era when these were written. Not a serious history, but a fun read.
July 9, 2024
Great page-turning history but he loses it a little bit when he tries so desperately to prove Richard III didnt kill his nephews; instead of making a strong case, he loses his historian cred. but still a great book.
update, August 2021: I should have noted that I was taught in high school that Richard III did not kill his nephews, so it's not like I'm disputing what Costain wrote, I just thought he got a little bit Fan Boy on that topic.
Meanwhile, I picked this book up again two years after my first read and read all the way through and didn't realize until I went to Goodreads that i had already read it ... two years ago. I still really enjoyed it (although this time, I read my Goodreads review just before getting to the third and final section, about Richard III, and put the book down at that point).
This is a good book.
July 9 2024
Wow good to see how consistent I am. I read this book AGAIN and did at least keep thinking that a lot of it was familiar... especially the final chapters with too much information on the murdered princes. It's still great. This time I was reading the entire series of four books on the Plantagenets. They're all so good, and really are like beach reads: they're hard to put down (if you love English history).
Let's hope I don't add in a new review in 2026...
update, August 2021: I should have noted that I was taught in high school that Richard III did not kill his nephews, so it's not like I'm disputing what Costain wrote, I just thought he got a little bit Fan Boy on that topic.
Meanwhile, I picked this book up again two years after my first read and read all the way through and didn't realize until I went to Goodreads that i had already read it ... two years ago. I still really enjoyed it (although this time, I read my Goodreads review just before getting to the third and final section, about Richard III, and put the book down at that point).
This is a good book.
July 9 2024
Wow good to see how consistent I am. I read this book AGAIN and did at least keep thinking that a lot of it was familiar... especially the final chapters with too much information on the murdered princes. It's still great. This time I was reading the entire series of four books on the Plantagenets. They're all so good, and really are like beach reads: they're hard to put down (if you love English history).
Let's hope I don't add in a new review in 2026...
January 25, 2010
What to say about this book? I'm an Anglophile and generally love reading about the British, particularly stuff about the monarchy. This book took me well over a year to read, because it is so incredibly boring. Make no mistake -- it contains tons of useful and interesting information. But any book that talks about alliances, betrayals, torture, beheadings, disease, love affairs, infanticide, etc, should NOT BE THIS BORING. I was never able to read more than three pages in a row without falling asleep.
It would be nice if the BBC or PBS would make this into a 6 part miniseries. All it really needs is a good screen adaptation, a zippy score, and some fairly average to good looking actors and then everyone could see what an interesting period of time it was in England between 1377 and 1485.
Until that happens though, I can’t recommend this book in good consciousness. Unless you consistently have trouble falling asleep, in which case, definitely read this book.
It would be nice if the BBC or PBS would make this into a 6 part miniseries. All it really needs is a good screen adaptation, a zippy score, and some fairly average to good looking actors and then everyone could see what an interesting period of time it was in England between 1377 and 1485.
Until that happens though, I can’t recommend this book in good consciousness. Unless you consistently have trouble falling asleep, in which case, definitely read this book.
June 22, 2012
I discovered Costain's books on English history many years ago, and made a point of getting every one of them that I could track down. Every one is entertaining and informative and provides just enough detail about the politics and personalities involved to give a reader a clear notion of not just what was going on but why it was going on. With 'The Last Plantagenets', he covers the Wars of the Roses and the ending of a dynasty superbly well. He also has a few things to say about the demonization of Richard The Third that took place in the Tudor dynasty. He makes his case well. I can recommend his books on English history to any Anglophile.
September 2, 2012
I've learned a LOT reading this series. Not the least of which they should make "hanged, drawn and quartered" a drinking game and also people in the middle ages REALLY knew how to hold a grudge.
July 15, 2013
Interesting read. Amusing, personal style. The author definitely gets carried away with reflections and opinions that seem not to be based in anything historical.
October 15, 2021
I liked it 5 stars
It is a book that recounts the historical facts related to the last Plantagenet beginning with Edward the black prince, the book adds the opinions of the author, which is not to my liking but he does so in a light way, providing plausible interpretations and explanations for the historical facts that I will not complain.
I knew the biography of the black prince because he is a character that caught my attention, but even so I corroborated and learned many things from other characters, especially Richard II, of whom I am sorry to say that I had no idea that his bones had been studied , and whom the author analyzes in an impeccable and intelligent way, when he got to the part of Richard III I found that the author lacked certain information, for example , today we knoe thta YES Richard did consider another woman to take Anne Neville's place, anyhow this should not be punished because the book was written in 1962, in the last part the author makes a positive but not ridiculous interpretation of Richard III and analyzes the case of the princes of the tower of london almost like a defense lawyer, I have read several biographies about him and still found interesting things here, the final explanation of the book is interesting and I think because of the reference that this author made to the book: "The daughter of the time" I will go to read that book soon.
Almost 500 sheets is not a short book, but if you consider that each character in it, could be analyzed with the same amount of sheets, it is understood that the book summarizes and attacks the facts in a decent way, it is a good way to understand this part of history, some points that I concluded were these:
* Edward the black prince was a ruthless man but not necessarily a bad person, he had honorable and positive attitudes, so if we do not judge him by modern standards he is not an evil figure in history.
* Richard II was different from childhood, the loss of his father and older brother left him in an unexpected position.
* His peculiarities increased and led him to have controversial behavior to say the least.
* The way he behave as husband challenges the idea that he was a cruel and horrible man or makes it clear that he was not one all the time
* Despite having a behavior usually described as "tyrannical" he seems to have lived a passionate or at least brotherly love for his wife Anne of Bohemia.
* He never paid attention to anyone or anything but him and the people he loved, in a sense if we think about it from his perspective, he did not have to do it, was he not a man chosen by God to be King? Was he not free Of any human weakness? Didn't he deserve the best of the best? Today we think no but he was educated to think yes.
* Richard III has been blamed for many actions that have not been verified as the death of his nephews and the actions that he undoubtedly did are seldom analyzed, so he is seen as a magical entity or a character from a novel rather than a medieval King.
* It is possible that his legitimate son was not sickly as is popularly pointed out because, if that were the case, he would not have been able to travel alone on horseback some distances that appear in historical records
* It is possible that marriage to Elizabeth of York was suggested in Richard III's inner circle.
* There is no evidence that Richard III had a passionate and peculiar interest in EOY, no records of visits to Sheriff Hutton, or gifts be sended to her.
* It is possible that Anne Neville was ill long before Christmas 1484, which for the author explains Richard III's wishes to travel with her more than usual as a form of farewell.
* The speech with which Richard III denies the marriage with his niece is more subtle and careful than viceral, so it must have been something that was decided with care and planned.
* The princes in the Tower of London, leads to the wrong conclusions if it is studied in the wrong way as it is almost always done.
* Commonly people assume things that contemporary evidence does not reveal such as that princes were dead in 1484, that they were not seen does not mean that they were murdered.
* If they were killed, no one can locate the exact date, it is possible that the order came from Richard but it is possible that not.
I really liked everything despite the limitations, the price was more than accessible and I will keep it as one for consultation.
It is a book that recounts the historical facts related to the last Plantagenet beginning with Edward the black prince, the book adds the opinions of the author, which is not to my liking but he does so in a light way, providing plausible interpretations and explanations for the historical facts that I will not complain.
I knew the biography of the black prince because he is a character that caught my attention, but even so I corroborated and learned many things from other characters, especially Richard II, of whom I am sorry to say that I had no idea that his bones had been studied , and whom the author analyzes in an impeccable and intelligent way, when he got to the part of Richard III I found that the author lacked certain information, for example , today we knoe thta YES Richard did consider another woman to take Anne Neville's place, anyhow this should not be punished because the book was written in 1962, in the last part the author makes a positive but not ridiculous interpretation of Richard III and analyzes the case of the princes of the tower of london almost like a defense lawyer, I have read several biographies about him and still found interesting things here, the final explanation of the book is interesting and I think because of the reference that this author made to the book: "The daughter of the time" I will go to read that book soon.
Almost 500 sheets is not a short book, but if you consider that each character in it, could be analyzed with the same amount of sheets, it is understood that the book summarizes and attacks the facts in a decent way, it is a good way to understand this part of history, some points that I concluded were these:
* Edward the black prince was a ruthless man but not necessarily a bad person, he had honorable and positive attitudes, so if we do not judge him by modern standards he is not an evil figure in history.
* Richard II was different from childhood, the loss of his father and older brother left him in an unexpected position.
* His peculiarities increased and led him to have controversial behavior to say the least.
* The way he behave as husband challenges the idea that he was a cruel and horrible man or makes it clear that he was not one all the time
* Despite having a behavior usually described as "tyrannical" he seems to have lived a passionate or at least brotherly love for his wife Anne of Bohemia.
* He never paid attention to anyone or anything but him and the people he loved, in a sense if we think about it from his perspective, he did not have to do it, was he not a man chosen by God to be King? Was he not free Of any human weakness? Didn't he deserve the best of the best? Today we think no but he was educated to think yes.
* Richard III has been blamed for many actions that have not been verified as the death of his nephews and the actions that he undoubtedly did are seldom analyzed, so he is seen as a magical entity or a character from a novel rather than a medieval King.
* It is possible that his legitimate son was not sickly as is popularly pointed out because, if that were the case, he would not have been able to travel alone on horseback some distances that appear in historical records
* It is possible that marriage to Elizabeth of York was suggested in Richard III's inner circle.
* There is no evidence that Richard III had a passionate and peculiar interest in EOY, no records of visits to Sheriff Hutton, or gifts be sended to her.
* It is possible that Anne Neville was ill long before Christmas 1484, which for the author explains Richard III's wishes to travel with her more than usual as a form of farewell.
* The speech with which Richard III denies the marriage with his niece is more subtle and careful than viceral, so it must have been something that was decided with care and planned.
* The princes in the Tower of London, leads to the wrong conclusions if it is studied in the wrong way as it is almost always done.
* Commonly people assume things that contemporary evidence does not reveal such as that princes were dead in 1484, that they were not seen does not mean that they were murdered.
* If they were killed, no one can locate the exact date, it is possible that the order came from Richard but it is possible that not.
I really liked everything despite the limitations, the price was more than accessible and I will keep it as one for consultation.
February 24, 2021
Two impeachments, a divided country, guarded speech, an increase of security around the leader,- sound familiar? It all occurred in the 14th century. And that was just Richard the II's rule, nearing the end of the long Plantagenet dynasty. History does tend to repeat itself, people being people.
Richard the II, a pretty disastrous leader whose reign was finally taken away by Henry, Duke of Lancaster, his cousin, (Henry IV), setting the stage for the War of the Roses, had temper tantrums and tried to kill or send all his enemies away-but at least one, Henry, came back. Richard's predecessor namesake Richard I of crusading fame (Henry the II's (think Peter O'Toole) son , was a better and more loved ruler, but had a short ten year reign before being followed by the infamous (and only in English history) John. John was a ruler so disliked that the Robin Hood stories were born of his elitist rule. John was followed by Henry the II, who suffered some dissension (Simon De Monfort) and then Edward of Caenafor (II), a total disaster by everyone's account. During Edward II's reign there was a great flood and famine, making matters worse (as the Pandemic has), and the 1322-1326 civil war. Edward III then reigned for 50 years and was a better ruler, more responsive to the people and to Parliament, but he and his son the Black Prince spent much of their time in war against the French .
I grew up reading the Thomas Costain books and developed a love for the chaos and the pageantry of this period in history. If it interests you, this is a great read. Don't be put off by the first 25 pages or so--it picks up as the bodies mount. The Epilogue is a great summary of the Plantagenets' contributions (in spite of the bloodshed) to England-unified rule, the rise of Parliament, adoption of the English language, the actual use of the Magna Carta (token at first), etc.
Richard the II, a pretty disastrous leader whose reign was finally taken away by Henry, Duke of Lancaster, his cousin, (Henry IV), setting the stage for the War of the Roses, had temper tantrums and tried to kill or send all his enemies away-but at least one, Henry, came back. Richard's predecessor namesake Richard I of crusading fame (Henry the II's (think Peter O'Toole) son , was a better and more loved ruler, but had a short ten year reign before being followed by the infamous (and only in English history) John. John was a ruler so disliked that the Robin Hood stories were born of his elitist rule. John was followed by Henry the II, who suffered some dissension (Simon De Monfort) and then Edward of Caenafor (II), a total disaster by everyone's account. During Edward II's reign there was a great flood and famine, making matters worse (as the Pandemic has), and the 1322-1326 civil war. Edward III then reigned for 50 years and was a better ruler, more responsive to the people and to Parliament, but he and his son the Black Prince spent much of their time in war against the French .
I grew up reading the Thomas Costain books and developed a love for the chaos and the pageantry of this period in history. If it interests you, this is a great read. Don't be put off by the first 25 pages or so--it picks up as the bodies mount. The Epilogue is a great summary of the Plantagenets' contributions (in spite of the bloodshed) to England-unified rule, the rise of Parliament, adoption of the English language, the actual use of the Magna Carta (token at first), etc.
October 26, 2019
Years ago, this was the book was broke my heart, introducing me to how maligned without evidence Richard III was. Years later, tears filled my eyes when I read about what might have been the man lying behind the mystery and scapegoating. How powerful is his last word of “Treason!” It rings in my head, drowning out all of the caricatures. Richard III isn’t the main focus of this book, nor is he the only tragic Richard. A lot more time and attention is given to Richard II, recording in detail the events of his reign, removal, and murder. He engaged my sympathy as well, for from a modern perspective, his dislike of war seems reasonable and not at all reprehensible. Once again, Costain’s writing provides a glimpse of the time and attitudes, why certain Plantageant kings were regarded as great and others weren’t. Once again, the individuals within the roles in history are fleshed out, giving them personality and colour. At the heart of everything were the three Richards; Richard II, Richard Neville (Duke of Warwick), and Richard III (earlier Duke of Gloucester). Engaging glimpses are offered of Henry Tudor (later Henry VII), Henry VI, Margaret of Anjou. Henry V, Henry IV, Elizabeth Woodville, Louis XI (the Spider King of France), Margaret of Burgundy, Lambert Seminal, Perkin Warbeck, and many other notable individuals who played a part in the life and times of what we saw for centuries as the last Plantageants. Many a startling revelation has come to light since this book was written, offering answers to questions which baffled Costain. In spite of the datedness of this account, this book remains an insightful look at England’s past, as well as a lively tale which engages the reader’s interest in the people and places described. For all of these qualities, I give this four stars.
February 27, 2018
And so the series comes to a close, and, methinks, or feels, in a hurry toward the finish line. Over half of the narrative’s 427 pages are devoted to the unfortunate King Richard II, then the rest of the story covers the last five Plantagenets (not counting the elder prince in the Tower) two of whom were great warriors. It’s as if Henrys IV and VI aren’t as colorful as their forebears and so don’t get the good press. We finish with Richard III and, as with several texts since, he can’t be convicted of murdering the princes in the tower. Who did? Costain allows that Henry VII had both opportunity and motive. The story becomes murky (or your reader sleepy). Who actually did remains unknown, and (with a glance at Richard’s proponents) so do Dickon’s actions to find killer or missing princes (of course, if they were still in the Tower before Henry won at Bosworth, there’d be no need to find them). Costain says Richard III had the potential to be the greatest Plantagenet but doesn’t substantiate this with many facts. Like the first three in the series, this book tells of the Plantagenets history like an engaging tale, fun to read and reflective of the author’s fondness for Olde England.
September 30, 2018
History and fiction
This book is a great read, full of amazing events and fascinating characters, but with a lot of supposition and too many factual errors to be true history. Maybe the closest to fact is the very interesting chapter on Caxton. Some of the errors are perhaps due to the fact it's an old book, for example, the ludicrous idea that the armour of the time was so heavy and constricting. There are some revealing you tube videos with Tobias Capwell, following the finding of Richard 3rd, to show us how it really was. However, I believe it deserves 4 stars because the author's enthusiasm sweeps you along and makes you want to find out more. After all, serious history books are rarely page-turner's like this is.
This book is a great read, full of amazing events and fascinating characters, but with a lot of supposition and too many factual errors to be true history. Maybe the closest to fact is the very interesting chapter on Caxton. Some of the errors are perhaps due to the fact it's an old book, for example, the ludicrous idea that the armour of the time was so heavy and constricting. There are some revealing you tube videos with Tobias Capwell, following the finding of Richard 3rd, to show us how it really was. However, I believe it deserves 4 stars because the author's enthusiasm sweeps you along and makes you want to find out more. After all, serious history books are rarely page-turner's like this is.
May 26, 2019
A "must read" for any Richard the Third fans!!! Although the book was written quite a few years ago(1963!) it offers fresh perspective and alternative theory to Richard's life, decisions, and events surrounding his life, such as the gate of the boys in the tower. I often go back to this used, worn out book.....to re-aquaint myself with thoughts and ideas....to cross-reference....and to cite...when I'm writing my own stories of the period. My earliest interest in English History began with the Tudors, then the War of the Roses, then The Plantagenets, then specifically, Richard the Third. So, I began by seeing the history from one vantage point (Tudor) ending with the other(Richard).
November 17, 2012
First off – a detailed family tree would have [i]really[/i] helped.
Second, there is a bias that still, to this day, permeates the book world – a belief that only men “can” write historical non-fiction while only women “can” write historical-fiction. The bias is that women are so in tune to feelings and domesticity and babies and staying in the kitchen and falling in love and their teeny tiny widdle brains can only handle fluffy ideas and day to day matters while men have the strong, analytical minds needed to hold complex ideas and see the Big Picture and don’t care about love and can handle the serious work.
Urgh.
And the double standard of this belief shows strongly here with someone like Thomas Costain, who should have stuck to his historical fiction, but clearly felt he would only get respect with “manly” non-fiction, because that’s what the 20th century expected of him.
He does a fabulous job making the people of the Plantagenet era come to life, making wonderful guesses at motivation and emotion, describing actions and facial expressions and physical characteristics and thoughts and words and all without a single citation to back up his assertions of this-is-what-happened.
It reads like great historical fiction with a slightly bombastic and overly intrusive narrator – seriously, right up there with Sharon Kay Penman. Almost as good. He really digs into the history and pulls out some absolutely fabulous characters – snarling villains, golden princes, ice cold maidens, etc. – all the best of the usual medieval pageantry
However, he also does a lot of comparing and contrasting with later time periods, which I found annoying, because I don’t think it adds anything to the understanding of the era to talk about stuff that won’t happen for [i]centuries[/i].
If writing a biography about Catherine the Great, talking about Stalin’s secret police doesn’t help explain Catherine’s actions. If writing about the acquisition Alaska, adding in an aside about Sarah Palin’s mannerisms doesn’t help explain 19th century Russian-American relations. In an in-depth analysis of the Napoleonic wars, talking about Hitler’s invasion of Poland doesn’t add to an understanding of the 1810’s. Etc., etc. Think about it – if someone in the 22nd century wrote a biography of Anne Frank, would it help the book to talk about some event in 2060?
Costain also constantly jumps ahead of himself within the narrative, introducing a new historical personage and in the same sentence casually mentioning they are going to die a horrible death in about three chapters. I think this, more than anything, reflects the sea change in writing non-fiction these days.
Today, a non-fiction book is more likely to resemble a psychological thriller or murder mystery, keeping the reader in the dark until the end about who will live and who will die, who gets their just desserts and who slinks away into obscurity. A good biography of Lincoln written in the 20th century would constantly make mention of his assassination throughout, while a good biography of Lincoln written in the 21st century will keep you on the edge of your seat right up until Booth pulls the trigger.
A very good example of this is “The Last Duel” by Eric Jager. It examines a duel between two knights, fighting to prove or disprove a rape charge, with a lot of political clout, money, honor, and property on the metaphorical table, and the book does not reveal who wins the duel until the climatic end.
Costain, on the other hand, really seems to feel his audience already knows the history of Henry II (ummmmm…) and sees nothing wrong with “spoiling” us throughout about how things are going to end. He gets worse as he goes on, covering the Battle of Agincourt in half a page, with the airy words: “but all this is familiar ground to readers of the Plantagenet story.” So…. you’re just going to assume your book is the 5th or 6th book your reader has read about the French/English early 15th century history???
However, one area where he really shines is examinations of [i]logistics[/i]. He uses a sharp lens to figure out what would be physical when it comes to how many soldiers could march down a 15th century road, how long it would take to march from Point A to Point B, and how many soldiers any given part of the country could house and feed. It allows him to make some very accurate points about how many people were involved in different events.
Then, as he gets into the later 15th century where I do happen to know a thing or two about the era, I start playing spot-the-plot-hole, as he skips over some of the more important bits, and he decides to play merry havoc with the timeline, outright stating he has no desire to cover the reign of Edward IV in chronological order. (So what on Earth are you doing writing [i]history chronicle[/i]???) The fact that I can see, in the part I am well read in, has so many holes in it, calls into question the coverage of everything that came prior.
(Also, blaming the second half of the War of the Roses on Elizabeth Woodville? Low blow, you misogynistic git.)
Lastly, we get to the reign of Richard III and Costain outs himself as a fully pro-Richard, doing his absolute best to “fix” the record, doing his best to prove Richard was not guilty of the murder of the Princes in the Tower.
I have said it before and I will say it again. Pro-Richard / Anti-Richard historian cage match. It. Would. Be. EPIC. Squee!
October 15, 2017
This is a 500-page fragile 1963 paperback book with tiny print. I will go blind reading it. But so far, the book (which is not a novel, but reads like one) rattles off a litany of names and events very quickly since it has to cover so much history. I was forever going back to figure out which Edward or which Richard or which Edmund or which Henry or whomever the author was referring to at the time. So, I found online and printed out the lineage of Edward the III, and that has been very helpful because everyone seems to have the same name. I admit I am a little biased toward the Plantagenets because they were so much better looking than the Tudor line.
February 1, 2018
The reign of the Plantagenets winds down and I felt like the book suffered from the author's choice of how to end it, a 100 or so page telling of the Wars of the Roses... Clearly not enough! Perhaps it should have broken off at a different point, been longer or told in a different way. Whatever it was, it, quite simply, wasn't for me. The first 300 pages or so continued in the same tradition as the rest of the series and I have no complaints at all with that. In the end, a thoroughly enjoyable series of English history from 1100-1400.
May 25, 2018
"He remained in the saddle in a state of breathless wonder.
In most descriptions her hair is called “gilt” in color, which meant undoubtedly that it had tints of copper as well as gold. Her eyes were large and blue, her features delicately molded, her figure ravishing. She proceeded to demonstrate, moreover, that she was gifted in the arts of enticement and could stir any masculine heart by the flutter of an eyelash. Certainly she played havoc with the heart beating under the velvet riding jacket of royal Edward."
Really?
In most descriptions her hair is called “gilt” in color, which meant undoubtedly that it had tints of copper as well as gold. Her eyes were large and blue, her features delicately molded, her figure ravishing. She proceeded to demonstrate, moreover, that she was gifted in the arts of enticement and could stir any masculine heart by the flutter of an eyelash. Certainly she played havoc with the heart beating under the velvet riding jacket of royal Edward."
Really?
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