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Uncrowned: Royal Heirs Who Didn't Take the Throne
The fascinating hidden history of the British royal family's nearly men - those who had been destined for the throne, but never made it. Mantle explores the story behind these would-be-kings, showing how the question of succession has not always been a straightforward one.
Through the centuries, succession to the English throne has largely been dictated by blood. Children were born to the role; their destinies entwined with that of the nation. They would be raised with the expectation that they would eventually take their place on the throne and rule the land. But not all those expected to wear the crown completed this journey.
Ashley Mantle explores the lives of several heirs apparent and presumptive, from the Norman Conquest to the present day, who were destined to assume the throne of England but, for one reason or another, did not. You will meet such figures as Robert Curthose, eldest son of William the Conqueror, whose ineptitude saw him twice barred from the crown; Edward V, whose disappearance in 1483 still remains a mystery and Charles Edward Stuart, the Stuart heir who unsuccessfully attempted to win back the throne.
Along the way we will explore the nature of Kingship to determine what was expected of an heir and how an heir was groomed in preparation for their ascent, as well as how the rules surrounding the succession have changed over the centuries.
Through the centuries, succession to the English throne has largely been dictated by blood. Children were born to the role; their destinies entwined with that of the nation. They would be raised with the expectation that they would eventually take their place on the throne and rule the land. But not all those expected to wear the crown completed this journey.
Ashley Mantle explores the lives of several heirs apparent and presumptive, from the Norman Conquest to the present day, who were destined to assume the throne of England but, for one reason or another, did not. You will meet such figures as Robert Curthose, eldest son of William the Conqueror, whose ineptitude saw him twice barred from the crown; Edward V, whose disappearance in 1483 still remains a mystery and Charles Edward Stuart, the Stuart heir who unsuccessfully attempted to win back the throne.
Along the way we will explore the nature of Kingship to determine what was expected of an heir and how an heir was groomed in preparation for their ascent, as well as how the rules surrounding the succession have changed over the centuries.
- GenresHistory
320 pages, Hardcover
Published February 20, 2024
57 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
September 16, 2024
This was easily accessible to lay readers of history. This was reasonably paced and quite interesting.
The reader is expected to know the basic British monarchy or they might be a bit lost in this text.
The reader is expected to know the basic British monarchy or they might be a bit lost in this text.
November 20, 2023
Ashley Mantle takes twenty-five unlucky heirs to the throne and explores the reasons they were uncrowned. Some were in the wrong place at the wrong time, others victims of treachery and many simply fell ill before their chance to rule, but all have their day in this new account. I found the less well known the most interesting, but will highlight three I feel particular sympathy for.
I remember visiting Canterbury Cathedral as a boy and peering in fascination at the effigy of Edward of Woodstock, the 'Black Prince'. He had little coverage in my history lessons, and now I realise it's partly because he never had the chance to rule, and his story is not so well documented and he remains what Ashley Mantle describes as 'an elusive figure; as a consequence.
Sadly for Edward, he survived a lifetime of hand-to-hand fighting against the French, as well as the 'Black Death' which killed half the population, (including his sister) only to suffer a debilitating illness, and die a year before his father, King Edward III.
The tragic fate of Lady Jane Grey has had a lot more attention in recent years, but I found it interesting to be reminded of the known facts. The great-granddaughter of King Henry VII through his daughter, Princess Mary Tudor (Queen of France), Jane really was in the wrong place at the wrong time. it her reported words are true, it's hard not to be impressed by her stoicism.
Ashley Mantle hints that seventeen-year-old Jane might have escaped execution if she had converted to Catholicism - but she refused, so we will never know, although she would have been a threat to Queen Mary I while she lived.
Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales, was the eldest son and heir of King James VI and I, and I find it fascinating to wonder if we would have had the Civil Wars if he had lived to become King of England (and Scotland).
The grandson of Mary, Queen of Scots, young Henry lived his short life being prepared to become king, and was trained to shoot and fight and hunt, as well as studying law and the arts.
Described as tall and broad shouldered, Henry began to show a keen interest in foreign affairs and the development of naval ships. Created Prince of Wales, Duke of Cornwall and Earl of Chester at the age of sixteen, henry began recruiting his household, but began having sudden fits of fainting. He made light of it, hiding his illness and playing cards, but his condition worsened. Despite his well-meaning doctors shaving his head and 'applying pigeons' (droppings?), he succumbed to what was most likely a typhoid fever. He was buried in Westminster Abbey and his younger brother Charles became the new heir.
I enjoyed reading 'Uncrowned' and recommend it to anyone who, like me, somehow missed most of this at school and have been trying to make sense of history ever since.
Tony Riches
I remember visiting Canterbury Cathedral as a boy and peering in fascination at the effigy of Edward of Woodstock, the 'Black Prince'. He had little coverage in my history lessons, and now I realise it's partly because he never had the chance to rule, and his story is not so well documented and he remains what Ashley Mantle describes as 'an elusive figure; as a consequence.
Sadly for Edward, he survived a lifetime of hand-to-hand fighting against the French, as well as the 'Black Death' which killed half the population, (including his sister) only to suffer a debilitating illness, and die a year before his father, King Edward III.
The tragic fate of Lady Jane Grey has had a lot more attention in recent years, but I found it interesting to be reminded of the known facts. The great-granddaughter of King Henry VII through his daughter, Princess Mary Tudor (Queen of France), Jane really was in the wrong place at the wrong time. it her reported words are true, it's hard not to be impressed by her stoicism.
Ashley Mantle hints that seventeen-year-old Jane might have escaped execution if she had converted to Catholicism - but she refused, so we will never know, although she would have been a threat to Queen Mary I while she lived.
Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales, was the eldest son and heir of King James VI and I, and I find it fascinating to wonder if we would have had the Civil Wars if he had lived to become King of England (and Scotland).
The grandson of Mary, Queen of Scots, young Henry lived his short life being prepared to become king, and was trained to shoot and fight and hunt, as well as studying law and the arts.
Described as tall and broad shouldered, Henry began to show a keen interest in foreign affairs and the development of naval ships. Created Prince of Wales, Duke of Cornwall and Earl of Chester at the age of sixteen, henry began recruiting his household, but began having sudden fits of fainting. He made light of it, hiding his illness and playing cards, but his condition worsened. Despite his well-meaning doctors shaving his head and 'applying pigeons' (droppings?), he succumbed to what was most likely a typhoid fever. He was buried in Westminster Abbey and his younger brother Charles became the new heir.
I enjoyed reading 'Uncrowned' and recommend it to anyone who, like me, somehow missed most of this at school and have been trying to make sense of history ever since.
Tony Riches
December 17, 2023
A life of luxury from birth, destined to be crowned King or Queen of England. This is what we often think life must have been like for royal heirs who reached the ultimate destination of a crown and a throne. However, the stories of those who failed to reach the throne are mired in tragedy and heartache. The question of royal succession in England is a complex issue, especially when the heir to the throne dies unexpectedly, leaving doubts on whether a dynasty will survive through blood or dissolve in conflict. How did the deaths of these potential rulers radically transform the fabric of English history as a whole and what can their lives tell us about what kind of rulers they might have been? Ashley Mantle hopes to answer all of these questions and more in his latest book, “Uncrowned: Royal Heirs Who Didn’t Take the Throne.”
I would like to thank Amberley Publishing for sending me a copy of this book. The description of this book caught my attention. I wanted to see what heirs Mantle would feature in this book and if he would stay with well-known tales or venture into the realm of the relatively unknown heirs.
To begin his book, Mantle explains that he will be going through over a thousand years of royal succession history for England, which is a lot of history to include in one book. He also explains the difference between heir apparent and heir presumptive, which is key to understanding the complex nature of royal succession. While many of the stories included in this book focus on the male heirs, Mantle does include heiress to the throne like Empress Matilda, the Grey sisters (Lady Jane, Catherine, and Mary), Mary Queen of Scots, and Sophia Electress of Hanover, just to name a few.
Mantle’s deep dive into royal succession begins with Robert II Duke of Normandy, also known as Robert “Curthose”, the son of William the Conqueror and Matilda of Flanders; it concludes with Frederick Duke of York and Albany, the son of King George III and Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. Each chapter focuses on one of the heirs, in chronological order, with miniature family trees at the beginning to help readers understand how close they were to the throne. This book is full of stories of betrayal, deaths, disappearances, family feuds, and heartache. Some of these heirs were relatively new stories for me, especially the ones more current than the Tudors, which was exciting to discover.
I must say that this task of combining over a thousand years of royal history into a comprehensive book is no easy task, but Mantle does a spectacular job. It was an informative and engaging read that would be perfect for any fan of royal history. If you want a fascinating book about those who were so close to the throne but never ruled, I highly suggest you read, “Uncrowned: Royal Heirs Who Didn’t Take the Throne” by Ashley Mantle.
I would like to thank Amberley Publishing for sending me a copy of this book. The description of this book caught my attention. I wanted to see what heirs Mantle would feature in this book and if he would stay with well-known tales or venture into the realm of the relatively unknown heirs.
To begin his book, Mantle explains that he will be going through over a thousand years of royal succession history for England, which is a lot of history to include in one book. He also explains the difference between heir apparent and heir presumptive, which is key to understanding the complex nature of royal succession. While many of the stories included in this book focus on the male heirs, Mantle does include heiress to the throne like Empress Matilda, the Grey sisters (Lady Jane, Catherine, and Mary), Mary Queen of Scots, and Sophia Electress of Hanover, just to name a few.
Mantle’s deep dive into royal succession begins with Robert II Duke of Normandy, also known as Robert “Curthose”, the son of William the Conqueror and Matilda of Flanders; it concludes with Frederick Duke of York and Albany, the son of King George III and Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. Each chapter focuses on one of the heirs, in chronological order, with miniature family trees at the beginning to help readers understand how close they were to the throne. This book is full of stories of betrayal, deaths, disappearances, family feuds, and heartache. Some of these heirs were relatively new stories for me, especially the ones more current than the Tudors, which was exciting to discover.
I must say that this task of combining over a thousand years of royal history into a comprehensive book is no easy task, but Mantle does a spectacular job. It was an informative and engaging read that would be perfect for any fan of royal history. If you want a fascinating book about those who were so close to the throne but never ruled, I highly suggest you read, “Uncrowned: Royal Heirs Who Didn’t Take the Throne” by Ashley Mantle.
January 21, 2024
To be heir to a kingdom such as England did not mean security, luxury or riches. As history has documented time and time again, it often proved to be the opposite.
The question of the royal succession has always been surrounded with complexity and debate. Whether following the standard laws of primogeniture, the bloody rules of conquest or the right by declaration, the importance of an heir has always been the centre of the monarch's priority.
Ashley Mantle discusses twenty-five of history's most unfortunate royal heirs. Canvassing a period over 1000 years from Robert II of Normandy, known as Robert "Curthose" to Empress Matilda, Edward of Woodstock the "Black Prince" alongside the tragic Mary Queen of Scots, and Sophia Electress of Hanover and finally Frederick Duke of York and Albany to name but just a few, Mantle intensively researches his subjects with equal measure.
Initially, Mantle examines the key differences between "heir apparent" and "heir presumptive" which prove to be of vital importance throughout the remainder of the book in order to understand the inner workings of the royal family tree.
In an accessible narrative, the author quashes the idea that these heirs lived lives of easy privilege by highlighting the betrayals, treason, death, and family feuds that overwhelmed their often short, tragic lives.
With many figures I was less aware of due to the lack of information on them (for example the fascinating life of Edward of Woodstock, the "Black Prince"), I found this essential reading to learn about those who had been demoted to the shadows. I am sure any reader interested in the "unknown" of history would feel the same way.
▪️▪️▪️
Thank you to @philipjdean1989 from @amberleypublishing for sending me a copy of this book to review.
The question of the royal succession has always been surrounded with complexity and debate. Whether following the standard laws of primogeniture, the bloody rules of conquest or the right by declaration, the importance of an heir has always been the centre of the monarch's priority.
Ashley Mantle discusses twenty-five of history's most unfortunate royal heirs. Canvassing a period over 1000 years from Robert II of Normandy, known as Robert "Curthose" to Empress Matilda, Edward of Woodstock the "Black Prince" alongside the tragic Mary Queen of Scots, and Sophia Electress of Hanover and finally Frederick Duke of York and Albany to name but just a few, Mantle intensively researches his subjects with equal measure.
Initially, Mantle examines the key differences between "heir apparent" and "heir presumptive" which prove to be of vital importance throughout the remainder of the book in order to understand the inner workings of the royal family tree.
In an accessible narrative, the author quashes the idea that these heirs lived lives of easy privilege by highlighting the betrayals, treason, death, and family feuds that overwhelmed their often short, tragic lives.
With many figures I was less aware of due to the lack of information on them (for example the fascinating life of Edward of Woodstock, the "Black Prince"), I found this essential reading to learn about those who had been demoted to the shadows. I am sure any reader interested in the "unknown" of history would feel the same way.
▪️▪️▪️
Thank you to @philipjdean1989 from @amberleypublishing for sending me a copy of this book to review.
July 25, 2024
I have given it three stars but really it’s 3 and a half. It is a wonderful idea for a book and I really valued the opportunity to learn more about our almost kings and queens - especially Electress Sophia. However, it is not easy going. There is A LOT of military /battle history which I find hard to read and it is not the best written book. I found a few errors that were glaring such as referring to Mary of Moderna as ‘Anne’ on page 250. Anne was presumably accidentally referring to Queen Anne who was next in line at the time due to the disinheritance of James Francis Edward Stuart for being a catholic.
But all in all, fantastic that this book exists and it is obviously well researched. I will come back to it as a reference in future.
But all in all, fantastic that this book exists and it is obviously well researched. I will come back to it as a reference in future.
May 14, 2024
Written like a masters thesis. Choppy narrative. Would have liked a bit more speculation as to how these heirs' survival would actually have made a difference. Princess Charlotte, merely mentioned in one chapter, deserves her own. Any others left out? Huge disappointment.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews