Dimensions
198 x 255 x 15mm
Part of A Royal History of England series, edited by Antonia Fraser
From Henry IV, the first Lancastrian king, to Richard III, and his death at Bosworth, 'The Wars Of The Roses' follows the history of the kings of the houses of Lancaster and York who shaped this tumultuous period of English history. It gives us an insight into the politics, society and economy of this time, but above all it conveys the personal histories, strengths, weaknesses and characters of each of the monarchs and the impact they had on their kingdom.
Henry IV succeeded, against all odds, in founding a royal dynasty; his son, against incalculably greater odds, conquered an empire. Henry V's reign was in stark contrast to that of his son, Henry VI, whose failure to meet the demands of medieval kingship led to the Wars of the Roses. With the accession of Edward IV in 1461 the House of York took the throne and fulfilled its promises of better government and financial reform.
With Edward's death in 1483 the throne was usurped from the young Prince Edward by his uncle Richard of Gloucester. Richard III reigned for just two years and two months but his reign has acquired an importance out of all proportion to its length. His death in 1485 marked the end of the Wars of the Roses and is also said to have marked the boundary between the medieval and modern ages.
