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Arise, England: Six Kings and the Making of the English State
Between 1199 and 1399, the story of politics in England was full of high drama. These two centuries witnessed: three civil wars; two depositions duly followed by royal murders; an unsuccessful plot to kill another king; three bouts of political blood-letting including battle, executions and murder; a pandemic in which somewhere between thirty and fifty percent of England's population perished; national economic crisis; and the first large-scale peasant rebellion in English history.
It is the dynamic story of these two centuries, and the emergent idea of statehood, that this book seeks to tell. It naturally draws on earlier work, but adds arresting research and perceptive analysis to draw contemporary links and resonance in government, international relations and the egos and ambitions of various political actors. These colourful and arresting individuals stride through the story of Arise, England. . . but arguably the greatest character is the emerging English state itself.
It is the dynamic story of these two centuries, and the emergent idea of statehood, that this book seeks to tell. It naturally draws on earlier work, but adds arresting research and perceptive analysis to draw contemporary links and resonance in government, international relations and the egos and ambitions of various political actors. These colourful and arresting individuals stride through the story of Arise, England. . . but arguably the greatest character is the emerging English state itself.
480 pages, Hardcover
First published April 4, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
September 3, 2024
Detailed look at legal system and general history of Kings John to Richard II
July 19, 2025
It’s been a while since I’ve read about this period, and this book did a great job at reminding me of the drama and detailed intrigues of high politics in this period.
It has such a good flow to the narrative, with emphasis on the 6 kings and their government that directly influenced state building. These characters are so well analysed, with the building of the state itself at the forefront.
Whilst I already had good knowledge of the military actions of this time, the process of law and the judicial system was hard at first to follow, to which its development it goes into quite heavily.
This book covers so much, but was definitely worth the investment. Though I’d suspect those without a decent appraisal of the period beforehand might struggle to get into it. 4 stars!
It has such a good flow to the narrative, with emphasis on the 6 kings and their government that directly influenced state building. These characters are so well analysed, with the building of the state itself at the forefront.
Whilst I already had good knowledge of the military actions of this time, the process of law and the judicial system was hard at first to follow, to which its development it goes into quite heavily.
This book covers so much, but was definitely worth the investment. Though I’d suspect those without a decent appraisal of the period beforehand might struggle to get into it. 4 stars!
November 30, 2025
I feel like I’ve returned to my roots. It was really nice to sink my teeth into a proper chunky medieval non-fiction, and on one of my favourite topics too.
The authors do a great job of proving their overall thesis that it is a combination of internal and external factors which see the English state transform unrecognisably in the 200 years covered by the reigns of these six kings. Their argument is well-sourced and critical, without compromising on readability or pace.
If I had one gripe, it’s that I expected to see more focus on the rise of an “English identity” and how this impacted the body politic, especially in relation to Edward I and Edward III’s conquests. Overall though, a great read.
The authors do a great job of proving their overall thesis that it is a combination of internal and external factors which see the English state transform unrecognisably in the 200 years covered by the reigns of these six kings. Their argument is well-sourced and critical, without compromising on readability or pace.
If I had one gripe, it’s that I expected to see more focus on the rise of an “English identity” and how this impacted the body politic, especially in relation to Edward I and Edward III’s conquests. Overall though, a great read.
February 19, 2025
For the presiding justice, the king’s friend Nicholas, Lord Cantilupe, this was the third time in as many years that he had found himself hearing this case, brought by the indefatigable countess. It is hard not to imagine him hunched over the bench and muttering, ‘Not the whale again,' as he unrolled the indictment.
On the one hand, this book is “better” than House of Lilies in that it provides detailed causation paths for monarchic decision making and understandable descriptions of effects on the society, particularly the most powerful. On the other hand, it should be. As the authors point out, England is replete with primary sources.
The focus is on the great and good and their political interactions, less so the social development of England. I am fine with this in terms of wanting a relatively coherent read, which seems easier when focusing on personalities.
Only Edward I and III are portrayed as good Kings (and even then with fatigue setting in towards the end of their reigns) whereas Henry III was lacking and John, Edward II and Richard II were outright bad. Below them, other characters reinforced or counteracted each of their traits. I believe the intent is to show that while temperaments matter, it wasn’t just those of the monarchs that were critical (though they certainly set the tone) – how those below them acted also played a part, sometimes for good, sometimes not:
One hates to talk of historical inevitability, but if ever a regime was destined to fail, this was it.
Underlying all this was the development of the state, with limits. While Parliament grew stronger, it still relied on the monarch and his highest advisors:
Consequently, during the 1380s, Parliament came to flex its muscles more vigorously than at any time since its creation, and the peasantry was drawn into the payment of taxation and the wider political community as never before. But the Commons stopped short of demanding a say in determining strategy, still expressing a clear preference to be advised by the King and his Council.
Despite Magna Carta appearing during this period, the narrative indicates that there were limits to noble resistance to the King. On multiple occasions Kings that had otherwise stepped way over the line are allowed to come to a compromise and often could later backslide on their obligations. As the authors point out, the landed magnates in England were not as powerful as in much larger France, and London/Westminster became a focal point for governance.
There are a few other points covered in the book, like common law, trade and the impact of the Black Death on labour laws. There’s also an excellent summary of sources at the end. Worth picking up for an understanding of English governance of the period, tied mostly around the personalities.
On the one hand, this book is “better” than House of Lilies in that it provides detailed causation paths for monarchic decision making and understandable descriptions of effects on the society, particularly the most powerful. On the other hand, it should be. As the authors point out, England is replete with primary sources.
The focus is on the great and good and their political interactions, less so the social development of England. I am fine with this in terms of wanting a relatively coherent read, which seems easier when focusing on personalities.
Only Edward I and III are portrayed as good Kings (and even then with fatigue setting in towards the end of their reigns) whereas Henry III was lacking and John, Edward II and Richard II were outright bad. Below them, other characters reinforced or counteracted each of their traits. I believe the intent is to show that while temperaments matter, it wasn’t just those of the monarchs that were critical (though they certainly set the tone) – how those below them acted also played a part, sometimes for good, sometimes not:
One hates to talk of historical inevitability, but if ever a regime was destined to fail, this was it.
Underlying all this was the development of the state, with limits. While Parliament grew stronger, it still relied on the monarch and his highest advisors:
Consequently, during the 1380s, Parliament came to flex its muscles more vigorously than at any time since its creation, and the peasantry was drawn into the payment of taxation and the wider political community as never before. But the Commons stopped short of demanding a say in determining strategy, still expressing a clear preference to be advised by the King and his Council.
Despite Magna Carta appearing during this period, the narrative indicates that there were limits to noble resistance to the King. On multiple occasions Kings that had otherwise stepped way over the line are allowed to come to a compromise and often could later backslide on their obligations. As the authors point out, the landed magnates in England were not as powerful as in much larger France, and London/Westminster became a focal point for governance.
There are a few other points covered in the book, like common law, trade and the impact of the Black Death on labour laws. There’s also an excellent summary of sources at the end. Worth picking up for an understanding of English governance of the period, tied mostly around the personalities.
August 14, 2025
“Between 1199 and 1399, English politics was high drama. These two centuries witnessed savage political bloodletting, including civil war, deposition, the murder of kings and the ruthless execution of rebel lords. How these six Plantegenet Kings, colorful and complicated, managed the development of an English state that became one of the leading nations in the world." —History Happy Hour podcast 102724
September 28, 2025
I've come to realise that when I'm reading history books like this, I'm looking for three things: it must be well-written, historically accurate, and engaging. I felt that Arise, England did the first two pretty well, but unfortunately was just a little lacking in terms of being a compelling read.
Arise, England covers six medieval English Kings: John, Henry III, Edward I, Edward II, Edward III and finally, the despicable Richard II (spoilers?). They have been chosen as they are pivotal in shaping how the English state would come to be in the coming centuries. The book is presented essentially as six small biographies of each, which documents their early lives, reigns, and impact on the crown.
When it comes to hitting all three of the aforementioned criteria, I'm thinking of two recent books. Specifically, the brilliant Henry V by Dan Jones, and the superb Sceptred Isle by Helen Carr. I felt that these books forged a compelling narrative through the subject matter, brought the era to life and made me want to read on at all costs. Arise, England is very well written, you can tell each sentence is lovingly crafted. It is also very rich with detail on the time period in question. But the ingredient which determines the good books from the great books is missing. 3.5/5 stars.
Arise, England covers six medieval English Kings: John, Henry III, Edward I, Edward II, Edward III and finally, the despicable Richard II (spoilers?). They have been chosen as they are pivotal in shaping how the English state would come to be in the coming centuries. The book is presented essentially as six small biographies of each, which documents their early lives, reigns, and impact on the crown.
When it comes to hitting all three of the aforementioned criteria, I'm thinking of two recent books. Specifically, the brilliant Henry V by Dan Jones, and the superb Sceptred Isle by Helen Carr. I felt that these books forged a compelling narrative through the subject matter, brought the era to life and made me want to read on at all costs. Arise, England is very well written, you can tell each sentence is lovingly crafted. It is also very rich with detail on the time period in question. But the ingredient which determines the good books from the great books is missing. 3.5/5 stars.
August 28, 2025
It was good but definitely could have been at least 100 pages shorter.
March 20, 2025
It is not often that a new history book both challenges entrenched academic perspectives but at the same time gives insight into complex periods of history with great clarity and style. Caroline Burt and Richard Partington have delivered both qualities in a work which will surely attract many general readers new to the period as well as stimulating new debate among scholars. Highly recommended.
August 5, 2025
Arise: England certainly doesn't lack for ambition - to discuss the life and government of one King and their place in the history would be a challenge, and to do it with six (and arguably six of the most complex) is harder still. To her immense credit, Caroline Burt does a damn good job of it, albeit by the end of it, it's certainly straining at the limits of both the binding and indeed the reader's brain.
From first sight, this is evidently a piece of immense and considered scholarship, and Burt does an admirable job of mostly making this consumable by a sharp reader with even the vaguest grasp of the period. Her writing style is dense but never to the point of being impossible to get into, and she's careful not to overburden the reader with superfluous information to make her points.
Equally, there's no doubt that the comprehensiveness of the word in turn supports the argument of this as the key point in the foundation of the English state, and the slightly unorthodox grouping of monarchs (with most historians either finishing at John or starting with Edward I) helps make a strong argument for post Norman/Angevin development which I hadn't previously considered. Equally, the more obscure points of organisation and legal systems are well backed up with examples which give an insight into the reality of how the law was applied and shows how the law, the tax system, the representation of parliament and indeed the king's household were all interlinked.
If one were to be critical of the piece, I'd probably say that at times and despite Burt's best efforts, it can be quite dense, and while the argument of going from John to Richard II is clear, it's also arguably a king too many before the reader slightly eyes the remaining pages when we get to the end of Edward III's reign, especially given the narrative of the Appellant Lords doesn't necessarily involve too many significant reforms as opposed to abuses of the structures which already exist.
Equally, given it is ultimately a structural history of the country in the context of individual reigns, I do wonder whether some aspects which might be more fit for a traditional biography or narrative could be omitted for clarity and brevity - while the military aspects of the book are certainly useful, the battle narratives occasionally feel a bit redundant and could have easily been shortened to focus on the results of those conflicts, and occasionally the relationships between the kings and key vassals could be simplified where it's perhaps a little less directly relevant to the point being made.
That being said, it's hard to avoid the judgement that this is a majesterial work and one which will interest anyone wishing to understand how the English state began, and to better examine how the monarchs not only led armies but also reforms.
From first sight, this is evidently a piece of immense and considered scholarship, and Burt does an admirable job of mostly making this consumable by a sharp reader with even the vaguest grasp of the period. Her writing style is dense but never to the point of being impossible to get into, and she's careful not to overburden the reader with superfluous information to make her points.
Equally, there's no doubt that the comprehensiveness of the word in turn supports the argument of this as the key point in the foundation of the English state, and the slightly unorthodox grouping of monarchs (with most historians either finishing at John or starting with Edward I) helps make a strong argument for post Norman/Angevin development which I hadn't previously considered. Equally, the more obscure points of organisation and legal systems are well backed up with examples which give an insight into the reality of how the law was applied and shows how the law, the tax system, the representation of parliament and indeed the king's household were all interlinked.
If one were to be critical of the piece, I'd probably say that at times and despite Burt's best efforts, it can be quite dense, and while the argument of going from John to Richard II is clear, it's also arguably a king too many before the reader slightly eyes the remaining pages when we get to the end of Edward III's reign, especially given the narrative of the Appellant Lords doesn't necessarily involve too many significant reforms as opposed to abuses of the structures which already exist.
Equally, given it is ultimately a structural history of the country in the context of individual reigns, I do wonder whether some aspects which might be more fit for a traditional biography or narrative could be omitted for clarity and brevity - while the military aspects of the book are certainly useful, the battle narratives occasionally feel a bit redundant and could have easily been shortened to focus on the results of those conflicts, and occasionally the relationships between the kings and key vassals could be simplified where it's perhaps a little less directly relevant to the point being made.
That being said, it's hard to avoid the judgement that this is a majesterial work and one which will interest anyone wishing to understand how the English state began, and to better examine how the monarchs not only led armies but also reforms.
April 10, 2024
Like many other countries, England has been through growing pains when it comes to reforming its political, military, and judicial systems. None more so than the pains of the medieval period, specifically from 1199 to 1399. In those two centuries, there were six Plantagenet kings, each with a different style of being king and a different way of changing England with each reign. We often think that the biggest change to England’s political history during this time was the Magna Carta, but in fact, that was only just the beginning. Caroline Burt and Richard Partington have combed the archives to do a deep dive into each reign of these Plantagenet kings, examining the political and judicial changes that happened in a short period. Their comprehensive book is entitled, “Arise, England: Six Kings and the Making of the English State.”
I want to thank Faber & Faber for sending me a copy of this book. I have seen this particular title circulating on social media and after the endorsement it received from Dan Jones, I decided to give it a shot. I am not a huge fan of political history as I find it a tad dry, but I wanted to give myself a challenge.
This book is broken into six different chapters, a chapter for each king and their reign, but the chapters are separated by sections focusing on distinct aspects of their reigns. The six kings that Burt and Partington have chosen to highlight in this book are King John, Henry III, Edward I, Edward II, Edward III, and Richard II. In these two centuries, England experienced so much change, starting with the Magna Carta, the Black Death, plenty of revolts, overthrowing kings, the establishment of what we now consider Parliament, and the relationship between the king and his nobles. That does not include external forces such as Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and France wanting to conquer England as their own. When you consider how much these kings had to face, it is no wonder that they had to change England’s political system gradually.
Personally, this book was a bit of a struggle for me with how dense and the amount of information that was presented. While it offered great insight and was meticulously researched, there were parts for me that were dry to read. If you do want to read this as a casual read, I would suggest taking it slow so that you can fully understand everything that is being presented. If you are someone who likes political history and how it changed over centuries in England, “Arise, England: Six Kings and the Making of the English State” by Caroline Burt and Richard Partington might be the book for you.
I want to thank Faber & Faber for sending me a copy of this book. I have seen this particular title circulating on social media and after the endorsement it received from Dan Jones, I decided to give it a shot. I am not a huge fan of political history as I find it a tad dry, but I wanted to give myself a challenge.
This book is broken into six different chapters, a chapter for each king and their reign, but the chapters are separated by sections focusing on distinct aspects of their reigns. The six kings that Burt and Partington have chosen to highlight in this book are King John, Henry III, Edward I, Edward II, Edward III, and Richard II. In these two centuries, England experienced so much change, starting with the Magna Carta, the Black Death, plenty of revolts, overthrowing kings, the establishment of what we now consider Parliament, and the relationship between the king and his nobles. That does not include external forces such as Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and France wanting to conquer England as their own. When you consider how much these kings had to face, it is no wonder that they had to change England’s political system gradually.
Personally, this book was a bit of a struggle for me with how dense and the amount of information that was presented. While it offered great insight and was meticulously researched, there were parts for me that were dry to read. If you do want to read this as a casual read, I would suggest taking it slow so that you can fully understand everything that is being presented. If you are someone who likes political history and how it changed over centuries in England, “Arise, England: Six Kings and the Making of the English State” by Caroline Burt and Richard Partington might be the book for you.
February 18, 2025
This is a fantastically written and well-researched book. Heavy on detail, it’s no easy read. The authors have done well and I learned so much! Who knew that there were so many Civil wars in our country at that time? And that Kings were pretty brutal. I learned a few facts about each of the six Kings that this book covers:
- King John: called John Lackland, or John “sans Terre” because he was the only one of the four sons of Henry 2 and Eleanor of Aquitaine to not be granted significant lands/duchy. The Magna Carta was written to bring him under control! He lost most of the French lands that he had inherited through his mother.
- Henry III: he was almost overcome by Simon de Montfort, and the Battle of Lewes occurred in his reign.
- Edward I: lost to the Scots at Stirling Bridge, which was the biggest loss prior to Bannockburn in 1314 (under KE2). He was known as Longshanks, due to his long legs!
- Edward II: was murdered by being smothered and then to make sure he was dead, he had a hot poker anally inserted into him. No marks were left!
- Edward III: my favourite of them all. Had to overcome his mother and his mother’s lover to become King. Set up the Order of the Garter, ruled for 50 years, and gained back the lands that King John had lost in France.
- Richard II: came to the throne when he was just 10 years old. He was also deposed and killed, by his cousin.
Richard was the last of the Norman Plantagenets and his death started the War of the Roses.
- King John: called John Lackland, or John “sans Terre” because he was the only one of the four sons of Henry 2 and Eleanor of Aquitaine to not be granted significant lands/duchy. The Magna Carta was written to bring him under control! He lost most of the French lands that he had inherited through his mother.
- Henry III: he was almost overcome by Simon de Montfort, and the Battle of Lewes occurred in his reign.
- Edward I: lost to the Scots at Stirling Bridge, which was the biggest loss prior to Bannockburn in 1314 (under KE2). He was known as Longshanks, due to his long legs!
- Edward II: was murdered by being smothered and then to make sure he was dead, he had a hot poker anally inserted into him. No marks were left!
- Edward III: my favourite of them all. Had to overcome his mother and his mother’s lover to become King. Set up the Order of the Garter, ruled for 50 years, and gained back the lands that King John had lost in France.
- Richard II: came to the throne when he was just 10 years old. He was also deposed and killed, by his cousin.
Richard was the last of the Norman Plantagenets and his death started the War of the Roses.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 5, 2024
A fascinating history of the early stages of state formation in Britain under the reign of 6 kings from King John to Richard II. Starting with drafting Magna Carta in 1215, English kings were forced to accede to and sometimes create the needed institutions to allow more effective governance. Prior to this period, many kings would see the realm as their own personal domain and expect to extract what they needed as they say fit. However after King John's terrible reign forced the aristocracy to basically unionize, English kings had to seek greater & broader consensus from various stakeholders in the kingdom. Magna Carta addressed the concerns of s subset of the landed lords, but within decades the emergence of Parliament would give the King a stronger and increasingly broad institution of consensus to contend with seeking tax funds.
I think historial Dan Jones had suggested this on his SubStack
I think historial Dan Jones had suggested this on his SubStack
June 2, 2025
England Arise follows the six Plantagenet kings from John to Richard II (1199–1399), but it’s way more than a royal roll call. It’s a proper study of how England turned into a recognisable state — covering Parliament, law, taxation, war, and all the messy politics in between.
What makes it stand out is the balance. Each king gets their due, even the disasters like Edward II, and it never slips into pure storytelling or pure theory. You get context, analysis, and enough personality to keep it moving.
The Richard II section is a highlight — one of the most fascinating and underrated figures in English history. Imagine a slightly bitter arts undergrad suddenly becoming an absolute monarch and you’re halfway there. It’s gripping and tragic.
Some of the denser bits on Parliament or legal reform might be a slog if you’re new to the period, but overall this is a serious history book that manages to stay readable.
Easily one of the best things I’ve read this year.
What makes it stand out is the balance. Each king gets their due, even the disasters like Edward II, and it never slips into pure storytelling or pure theory. You get context, analysis, and enough personality to keep it moving.
The Richard II section is a highlight — one of the most fascinating and underrated figures in English history. Imagine a slightly bitter arts undergrad suddenly becoming an absolute monarch and you’re halfway there. It’s gripping and tragic.
Some of the denser bits on Parliament or legal reform might be a slog if you’re new to the period, but overall this is a serious history book that manages to stay readable.
Easily one of the best things I’ve read this year.
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September 6, 2025It’s kind of tough to rate this one because so much happened in England in that 200 year period to forge the country into something recognizable to today, but it also just reads like highlights and lowlights of each of these six kings. I’m also not thrilled with how the bibliography was presented. The Plantagenets are my favorite dynasty in English history, yet they managed to be pretty boring here, which is almost impossible.
I guess I would say 2.75 stars but Goodreads doesn’t allow for half and quarter stars like StoryGraph does so I’ll round up to three. I do not typically round up because if a book didn’t earn that full amount, I’m not going to give them the extra star just because; I always round down. But I also typically rate in half stars, not quarter stars.
I guess I would say 2.75 stars but Goodreads doesn’t allow for half and quarter stars like StoryGraph does so I’ll round up to three. I do not typically round up because if a book didn’t earn that full amount, I’m not going to give them the extra star just because; I always round down. But I also typically rate in half stars, not quarter stars.
May 31, 2024
Detailed account of the doings of the kings during this interesting period. Much less on the economic, social and intellectual history - eg the black death has a walk-on part (even though it killed 1/3 to 1/2 of the population). So, if you want to know quite a lot about Edward III, this is the book for you. If you want really to understand these two centuries, the final part of the final chapter serves as a teaser for other books, which I now have to read. No one book that covers everything, then. Hey ho
October 26, 2024
A great, new popular account which ties the development of the English state to the reigns of its Plantagenet kings from 1199 to 1399. War, politics, justice, and disease, as does the ability or desire of each king to make his government function in line with the growing expectations of the emerging political community. A great introduction to this period and one with serious research to make many academics stop and rethink some of the key issues of the history of the period.
June 22, 2025
Meh. Promises to be about the making of the State, but mostly reads as a relatively shallow political history very much fixated on 6 personalities and 6 biographies, with relatively little deep attention to the theme of state-building, and little extrapolation of major themes over the 200 year period. So although the book purports not to ascribe to Great Man history, everything about it is very much King history.
June 20, 2025
3.5/5
a tough order due to the scale of the period being covered. each one of the monarchs in this book could and do have many standalone books about them. I think there were moments where certain aspects that I would have liked expanded upon were glossed over, then others were explained and extracted in tedious detail.
a tough order due to the scale of the period being covered. each one of the monarchs in this book could and do have many standalone books about them. I think there were moments where certain aspects that I would have liked expanded upon were glossed over, then others were explained and extracted in tedious detail.
December 15, 2025
Very well researched and written, lacked excitement, very bureaucratic and mundane in times.
I don’t think some of the kings in this book needed as much depth as opposed to Edward III who was by far the most interesting. Was about 150 pages too long.
Well worth a read if you want to understand this time in history, 3.5/5 imo.
I don’t think some of the kings in this book needed as much depth as opposed to Edward III who was by far the most interesting. Was about 150 pages too long.
Well worth a read if you want to understand this time in history, 3.5/5 imo.
June 9, 2024
Breathtaking clarity over a complex narrative. A penetrative analysis of the times which has relevance today.
February 16, 2025
Informative and detailed, but not for the faint of heart? The book is not the easiest of reads, although it does segment nicely.
May 16, 2024
This is a very clear overview of the reigns of the kings of England from John to Richard II inclusive. It is a study of politics and government and how the structure of the state developed through the monarchy, the nobility and parliament. The book is not a complete history of these reigns; social and economic factors, for example, are only briefly discussed. But the evolution of the state is very well described and the characters of the different monarchs are brought out very convincingly. This well written and well researched narrative is highly recommended as an introduction to the period.
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