I'm so far behind on updating this. Shame on me. So, a few quick write-ups to catch up:
Book #10: The Three Edwards by Thomas B. Costain. This volume of Costain's Pageant of England covers the Plantagenet kings Edward I, Edward II and Edward III, and their reigns from Edward I's coronation in 1272 through to Edward III's death in 1377. Just over a hundred years of Edwards
Book # 11: 1356 by Bernard Cornwell - After reading Costain's book on the Edwards and the start of the Hundred Years War, thought I'd give Cornwell's fictionalized take on the Black Prince's (aka Edward the Prince of Wales) victory at Poitiers in 1356 a shot. Not bad but a little light on the fictionalized plot side. Cornwell definitely does do a nice battle scene though.
Book #12 : Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill. Nice, creepy ghost story. Definitely some similarities in writing styles between Hill and his father, but Hill does have his own voice and is a more concise writer. I like a good ghost story, and while this was a little predictable, it was also good and creepy.
Book # 13 - The Last Plantagenets 1377-1485 (Book IV of the Pageant of England) by Thomas B. Costain. Did it. Finished all four books of Costain's opus on the Plantagenet monarchs. Really great stuff. This chapter went from Richard II, who was deposed by Henry IV, to Henry V, to Henry VI who was deposed by Edward IV to (sort of) Edward V to the last Plantagenet, Richard III. So this one covered one of my favourite time periods, the Wars of the Roses. He gave really short shrift to Henry IV though (deemed him boring basically, lol) and Henry V (based on there already being a mountain of writing about him), but spends half the book on Richard II. Who I didn't know too much about.
Showing posts with label Thomas B. Costain. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Thomas B. Costain. Show all posts
Saturday, June 01, 2013
Monday, March 04, 2013
The Magnificent Century
Book #7 is The Magnificent Century by Thomas B. Costain.
So this book deals with a time period and a ruler I really knew very, very little about. Henry III came to the throne as a child, after the death of his father, the unlamented King John (aka John Lackland). Of all the Plantagenet rulers, Henry ruled the longest, 56 years, a fact that is nearly astounding considering the amount of civil war going on during his reign.
We're introduced to Henry as one who seems to have great ideas, but not the ability to carry them out. A slightly unsure temper and a stubborness to restore his power back to the way French monarchs ruled meant he was in fairly constant conflict with his barons, lead by the charismatic Simon de Montfort, a person Costain obviously had a great deal of affection for an interest in. Henry was a fairly weak, feckless King, and it wasn't until his militaristic minded son, the future Edward I, took over, that the rebellion was put down.
Overall, there was much strife and chaos, and the putting down of rebellious barons (in fact, England's first parliament was called during Henry's reign), and it definitely comes across that Henry would have been a better builder than King, for he never seemed more happy than when he was supervising building churches, especially Westminster and his shrine to Edward the Confessor. So while Henry only reluctantly participated in furthering democracy in England, he played an active part in it's aesthetics.
So this book deals with a time period and a ruler I really knew very, very little about. Henry III came to the throne as a child, after the death of his father, the unlamented King John (aka John Lackland). Of all the Plantagenet rulers, Henry ruled the longest, 56 years, a fact that is nearly astounding considering the amount of civil war going on during his reign.
We're introduced to Henry as one who seems to have great ideas, but not the ability to carry them out. A slightly unsure temper and a stubborness to restore his power back to the way French monarchs ruled meant he was in fairly constant conflict with his barons, lead by the charismatic Simon de Montfort, a person Costain obviously had a great deal of affection for an interest in. Henry was a fairly weak, feckless King, and it wasn't until his militaristic minded son, the future Edward I, took over, that the rebellion was put down.
Overall, there was much strife and chaos, and the putting down of rebellious barons (in fact, England's first parliament was called during Henry's reign), and it definitely comes across that Henry would have been a better builder than King, for he never seemed more happy than when he was supervising building churches, especially Westminster and his shrine to Edward the Confessor. So while Henry only reluctantly participated in furthering democracy in England, he played an active part in it's aesthetics.
Sunday, February 17, 2013
The Conquering Family
Book number 6 is The Conquering Family by Thomas B. Costain.
So a little history... I know more about English history than I do the history of my own country, sad to say. I suppose this is due to 1) my obsession with Arthurian legends 2) my interest in Shakespeare 3) the fact that I have a degree in English literature. There are certain points in English history I know better than others (such as the Saxon invasions, The War of the Roses, Elizabethan England and Victorian England), but English history is something I've long been generally interested in.
So when George R. R. Martin listed a series of books written by a Canadian (from Brantford no less, the city my parents now call home) as a source for the Song of Ice and Fire books, well I had to read them. The fact that they're about the Plantagenet kings as a whole, and not just the War of the Roses was even better, it would allow me to examine other events and I'm not as familiar with.
So the Conquering Family begins with the quick introduction of the founder of the House of Plantagenet, Geoffrey V of Anjou, who married Matilda, daughter of Henry I of England. On the death of Henry I, there was civil war (something that will be increasingly common as we go through the Plantagenet rulers), until their son, Henry II takes the throne. With Henry II's marriage to the powerful Eleanor of Aquitaine, we have the first true Plantagenet ruler and the head of Angevin Empire, which spanned most of the British Isles and a good chunk of France. Henry's reign is coloured by his campaigns in France, and by his extremely volatile family. His boys (with their mother's backing) rebelled against their father a few times, with the eventual promise to first born Henry the Young King that he would inherit England, while his other younger brothers would inherit various French duchies. Upon the death of Henrys II and Henry the Young King, the crown went to Richard I, Richard the Lion-heart, whom was popular and well loved, and yet barely set foot in the realm he ruled, preferring to use it as a bank to raid so he could embark on his calling, the Crusade to the Holy Land. Honestly, for how little time Richard spent in England, and the way he seemed intent to beggar it really made me wonder why he still has such a golden reputation. Maybe that's because he was followed by his odious brother John I, the same King John who figures in the legends of Robin Hood, and ended up losing the Angevin Empire his father and brothers had carved out and defended, as well as so pissed off his nobles that they created this little document called the Magna Carta and forced him to sign it. John was a pretty lousy king.
Costain's writing style is fun, whether or not his history is correct I don't really know, but he incorporates facts and gossip, and throws in details of clothing and feasts and doesn't shy away from the violence either. He paints lovely pictures of these bigger than life Kings and Queens and Archbishops and Popes and of all the petty and not so petty ways they shaped England during their time. I learned a lot and I can definitely see the influence he had on GRRM. It's quite delightful actually.
Next the line of Plantagenet rulers is Henry III, who managed to hold the throne longer than any of the other Plantagenet kings.
So a little history... I know more about English history than I do the history of my own country, sad to say. I suppose this is due to 1) my obsession with Arthurian legends 2) my interest in Shakespeare 3) the fact that I have a degree in English literature. There are certain points in English history I know better than others (such as the Saxon invasions, The War of the Roses, Elizabethan England and Victorian England), but English history is something I've long been generally interested in.
So when George R. R. Martin listed a series of books written by a Canadian (from Brantford no less, the city my parents now call home) as a source for the Song of Ice and Fire books, well I had to read them. The fact that they're about the Plantagenet kings as a whole, and not just the War of the Roses was even better, it would allow me to examine other events and I'm not as familiar with.
So the Conquering Family begins with the quick introduction of the founder of the House of Plantagenet, Geoffrey V of Anjou, who married Matilda, daughter of Henry I of England. On the death of Henry I, there was civil war (something that will be increasingly common as we go through the Plantagenet rulers), until their son, Henry II takes the throne. With Henry II's marriage to the powerful Eleanor of Aquitaine, we have the first true Plantagenet ruler and the head of Angevin Empire, which spanned most of the British Isles and a good chunk of France. Henry's reign is coloured by his campaigns in France, and by his extremely volatile family. His boys (with their mother's backing) rebelled against their father a few times, with the eventual promise to first born Henry the Young King that he would inherit England, while his other younger brothers would inherit various French duchies. Upon the death of Henrys II and Henry the Young King, the crown went to Richard I, Richard the Lion-heart, whom was popular and well loved, and yet barely set foot in the realm he ruled, preferring to use it as a bank to raid so he could embark on his calling, the Crusade to the Holy Land. Honestly, for how little time Richard spent in England, and the way he seemed intent to beggar it really made me wonder why he still has such a golden reputation. Maybe that's because he was followed by his odious brother John I, the same King John who figures in the legends of Robin Hood, and ended up losing the Angevin Empire his father and brothers had carved out and defended, as well as so pissed off his nobles that they created this little document called the Magna Carta and forced him to sign it. John was a pretty lousy king.
Costain's writing style is fun, whether or not his history is correct I don't really know, but he incorporates facts and gossip, and throws in details of clothing and feasts and doesn't shy away from the violence either. He paints lovely pictures of these bigger than life Kings and Queens and Archbishops and Popes and of all the petty and not so petty ways they shaped England during their time. I learned a lot and I can definitely see the influence he had on GRRM. It's quite delightful actually.
Next the line of Plantagenet rulers is Henry III, who managed to hold the throne longer than any of the other Plantagenet kings.
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