Lancaster Against York: The Wars of the Roses and the Foundation of Modern Britain

by Trevor Royle

Overview

In this sweeping history, Trevor Royle details one of the bloodiest episodes in British history. The prize was the crown of England, and the players were the rival houses of Lancaster and York. The dynastic quarrel threatened the collapse of the monarchy as a succession of weak rulers failed to deal with an overzealous aristocracy, plunging England into a series of violent encounters. The bloody battles and political intrigue between the rival heirs of King Edward III brought forth one of the most dynamic ruling families of England—the Tudors.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781403966728
Publisher:	St. Martin's Publishing Group
Publication date:	07/22/2008
Edition description:	First Edition
Pages:	368
Product dimensions:	6.42(w) x 9.54(h) x 1.17(d)

About the Author

Trevor Royle is a historian, specializing in war and empire. His previous books include Civil War: The Wars of Three Kingdoms, Crimea: The Great Crimean War 1854-1856, and Winds of Change: The End of Empire in Africa. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and the Associate Editor of The Sunday Herald. He lives in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Table of Contents

Preface and Acknowledgments * Woe to the Land in which a Boy Is King * Chosen by God * All Pomp and Majesty I Do Forswear * The Usurper King * Uneasy Lies the Head * No Tongue Can Tell of his Renown * The Mighty and Puissant Conqueror * A Scepter in a Child's Hand * A Man of Mild and Plain-dealing Disposition * The Gathering Storm * York's Protectorate: The First Battle of St. Albans * "A Great and Strong-labored Woman" * Civil War * The Battle Continues * Warwick, Maker and Breaker of Kings * Decline and Fall * The Recovery of England * Master of his Own Kingdom * Glory and Tranquillity * The End of Innocence * The Final Reckoning * The Last and Most Doubtful of the Usurpers * Appendix: The Main Characters * Select Bibliography

Editorial Reviews

To understand the Wars of the Roses, one should read Shakespeare's History Plays for the epic drama, and Trevor Royle's Lancaster Against York for the epic truth. Royle has produced a tremendous achievement: a modern classic for all times.” —Amanda Foreman, bestselling author of Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire

“Royle does a good job of capturing the mood of the country, roiled by great economic uncertainty during the years of the Yorkist uprising. He leaves no stone unturned in this exhaustive retelling, and he has a sharp eye for detail... Royle's meticulous research makes this a welcome addition to the body of literature about this pivotal epoch in English history.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Royle paints a broad, satisfying picture, illuminating Henry IV's reign.” —Library Journal

“A well-written and thorough study.” —The New York Times Book Review

“Thorough and informative.” —Publishers Weekly

“Trevor Royle's achievement is to have skillfully encompassed and explained the complexities of his subject in a single volume…” —New York Review of Books on Crimea

From the Publisher

An account of the epic 15th-century battle for the crown of England. How did the struggle between the houses of York and Lancaster, famously dubbed the Wars of the Roses, tear apart England for 30 years? Royle (Civil War, 2005, etc.) attempts to find the answers in his sprawling history, which outlines the involvement of all the key figures. He begins by pinpointing the conflict's genesis in the tumultuous period that followed the abdication of Richard II in 1399. Examining Richard's reign, the author cleverly uses Chaucer's Canterbury Tales to give a glimpse of 14th-century English society. A lengthy history of the reigns of Henry IV and Henry V follows, and Royle packs his text with dramatic descriptions of the violence that pockmarked that era. (The sudden beheading of Duke John under Henry V is a particularly gruesome highlight.) Tensions mounted during these successive reigns, minor skirmishes broke out, and after a nine-month-old child became King Henry VI, Richard, Duke of York, sought to claim the throne from the Lancastrians. Familiar tales of battles follow, and Royle does a good job of capturing the mood of the country, roiled by great economic uncertainty during the years of the Yorkist uprising. He leaves no stone unturned in this exhaustive retelling, and he has a sharp eye for detail, explaining in one instance how changes in the wind provided Yorkist archers with a sudden advantage. The source material occasionally feels overfamiliar, but Royle's meticulous research, supplemented by a useful appendix listing the main characters, makes this a welcome addition to the body of literature about this pivotal epoch in English history. Agent: Ed Knappman/New England PublishingAssociates

Kirkus Reviews