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A review by beaconatnight
Kampf der Könige: Das Haus Plantagenet und das blutige Spiel um Englands Thron by Dan Jones
4.0
Imagine you were a little boy or girl and the Middle Ages were all swords and horses, war and glory, kings and noblemen. In the Plantagenet era this was the reality. For the little boy that I am the narratives couldn't be more exciting. They are filled with castles, betrayal, honor, ruthless assassinations, political scheming, adultery, and melodramatic emotions.
They are the kind of stories you would think were fiction, had they not appeared as honest-to-god historical writing. Yet, I found myself treating them in fictional categories. That is, I constantly found myself thinking such silly thoughts as, oh Richard I is now my favorite English king, how awesome is Edward I., how dashing Edward III. If good storytelling is based on strong characters, British history did a very good job.
The opening is already quite spectacular. When the White Ship drowned after some heavy drinking, Henry I was suddenly without heir to the English throne. Since the aging king wasn't able to produce another legitimate son (begetting children was never much of a problem before), he eventually made his daughter Matilda his successor. Acceptance wasn't there and a decade-long civil war ensued between her and her cousin, the self-proclaimed King Stephen. The woman was determined to take what she thought was rightfully hers.
From there we go on to Henry II and his glorious yet surprisingly non-violent re-conquering of England. In later decades he's mostly remembered for his volatile relationship with the later Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Becket. To make it brief, it's easy to see why movie bosses could be convinced the events presented blockbuster material.
For the most part, the book fully keeps up the momentum. The kings are very different in style and personality. The relationship between England and its neighbors is quite interesting, too. At some point the dynasty would loose its Continental territories, later it would gain control over Wales (where Edward I. built the most spectacular castles) and even Scotland. The relationship with the King of France is evidently another lasting source of tension. However, the most forceful antagonists are always found among the king's own vassals.
For me The Plantagenets: The Kings Who Made England was quite the page-turner. It doesn't spend much time on interpretation or on discerning any lasting trends or patterns. It's fully dedicated to the events and to telling them in the most striking fashion. To keep with the pathos, in this it succeeds gloriously.
Rating: 4/5
They are the kind of stories you would think were fiction, had they not appeared as honest-to-god historical writing. Yet, I found myself treating them in fictional categories. That is, I constantly found myself thinking such silly thoughts as, oh Richard I is now my favorite English king, how awesome is Edward I., how dashing Edward III. If good storytelling is based on strong characters, British history did a very good job.
The opening is already quite spectacular. When the White Ship drowned after some heavy drinking, Henry I was suddenly without heir to the English throne. Since the aging king wasn't able to produce another legitimate son (begetting children was never much of a problem before), he eventually made his daughter Matilda his successor. Acceptance wasn't there and a decade-long civil war ensued between her and her cousin, the self-proclaimed King Stephen. The woman was determined to take what she thought was rightfully hers.
From there we go on to Henry II and his glorious yet surprisingly non-violent re-conquering of England. In later decades he's mostly remembered for his volatile relationship with the later Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Becket. To make it brief, it's easy to see why movie bosses could be convinced the events presented blockbuster material.
For the most part, the book fully keeps up the momentum. The kings are very different in style and personality. The relationship between England and its neighbors is quite interesting, too. At some point the dynasty would loose its Continental territories, later it would gain control over Wales (where Edward I. built the most spectacular castles) and even Scotland. The relationship with the King of France is evidently another lasting source of tension. However, the most forceful antagonists are always found among the king's own vassals.
For me The Plantagenets: The Kings Who Made England was quite the page-turner. It doesn't spend much time on interpretation or on discerning any lasting trends or patterns. It's fully dedicated to the events and to telling them in the most striking fashion. To keep with the pathos, in this it succeeds gloriously.
Rating: 4/5