The Plantagenet Kings

Book categories: Plantagenets, Henry III, Edward I, Edward II, Edward III, Black Prince, Richard II, Hundred Years' War, DVDs, Normans, Angevins, Lancastrians, Yorkists, Wars of the Roses

The Plantagenet Dynasty

The Conquering Family by Thomas B. Costain. First volume in Costain's popular four-book series about the Plantagenets. This book starts with William the Conqueror and ends with the reign of King John I. Easy to read and entertaining.

The Magnificent Century by Thomas B. Costain. Covers the long reign of King Henry III. Out of print but available from Alibris.

The Three Edwards by Thomas B. Costain. As its title suggests, this third volume in Costain's series covers the reigns of Edward I, Edward II, and Edward III.

The Last Plantagenets by Thomas B. Costain. Continues the family's story through the Wars of the Roses and the downfall of Richard III.

The Plantagenets: History of a Dynasty by J. S. Hamilton. A complete account of the rulers and politics of the Plantagenet reign.

The Plantagenet Chronicles edited by Elizabeth Hallam. This attractively illustrated book draws on the writings of 14 contemporary chroniclers to tell the story of medieval Europe's most tempestuous family. Out of print, but available from Alibris.

Four Gothic Kings: The Turbulent History of Medieval England and the Plantagenet Kings (1216-1377) edited by Elizabeth Hallam. Henry III, Edward I, Edward II, Edward III seen through the eyes of their contemporaries. Includes more than 200 illustrations. From Alibris.

The Fourteenth Century by May McKisack. From Oxford's "History of England" series.

Plantagenet Descent by Thomas R. Moore. The author traces his family's descent from William the Conqueror to the 20th century.

More Books About Royal Genealogy
Books About the Normans
Books About Stephen and Matilda
Books About the Angevin Kings

King Henry III

The Reign of Henry III by D. A. Carpenter. The long reign of Henry III (1216-1272) was one of the most significant in English history. This book discusses his personal rule, the revolution of 1258, the rise of Simon de Montfort, and more.

Eleanor of Provence: Queenship in Thirteenth-Century England by Margaret Howell. About the wife of King Henry III.

Simon De Montfort by J. R. Maddicott. Biography. Once a favorite of Henry III, De Montfort led a revolt against the king, took him prisoner, and ruled England himself for a time.

The Holy Blood: King Henry III and the Blood Relics of Westminster and Hailes by Nicholas Vincent. In 1247, English king Henry III gave Westminster Abbey a relic said to contain the blood of Christ. The author investigates the background of this relic and others like it.

Henry III of England and the Staufen Empire, 1216-1272 by Bjorn K. U. Weiler. Using Henry's dealings with the rulers of the Staufen Empire (Germany, Northern France, Northern Italy and Sicily) as a case study, the author shows that the English king acted within the same parameters as his peers.

Falls the Shadow by Sharon Kay Penman is a novel about Henry III and Simon de Montfort. This is a sequel to Here Be Dragons, which focuses on Welsh royalty. The third book in the series is The Reckoning, about Edward I's conquest of Wales.

The Queen From Provence by Jean Plaidy. Novel about Henry III's wife, Eleanor of Provence. Out of print, but available at Alibris.

King Edward I

A Great and Terrible King: Edward I and the Forging of Britain by Marc Morris. Biography of a truly formidable king who believed it was his right to rule all of Britain. His reign was one of the most dramatic and important of the entire Middle Ages.

Edward I by Michael Prestwich. Biography from the Yale English Monarchs series.

The King's Jews: Money, Massacre and Exodus in Medieval England by Robin R. Mundill. In July 1290, Edward I ordered all Jews expelled from England, their houses confiscated by the king.

England Under Edward I and II by Sandra Raban. Examines the key events and institutions of the period and uses a wealth of artistic material to capture the era's color and diversity.

Edward Longshanks by Jean Plaidy. Novel about Edward I. Out of print, but available from Alibris.

More Books About Edward I
Books About Robert the Bruce & William Wallace

King Edward II

King Edward II: His Life, His Reign, and Its Aftermath, 1284-1330 by Roy Martin Haines. A biography that examines Edward II's character and reign in the context of his times.

Edward II, 1307-1327 by Mary Saaler. A clearly-written account of Edward's life and reign. Sadler covers all the main issues, including Piers Gaveston, the Templars, military and political conflicts, and the death of the king.

The Tyranny and Fall of Edward II, 1321-1326 by Natalie Fryde. Reassesses the violent rule of Edward II and the Despensers, showing how a grasping courtier, the younger Despenser, worked with an equally grasping king. Examines Queen Isabella's contribution to the king's overthrow.

Edward II by Seymour Phillips. Conventionally viewed as a worthless king, Edward II was not fundamentally different from most English monarchs. This biography takes account of the problems he faced, and examines whether he was really murdered in 1327 or lived on as a captive and then a wanderer.

Queen Isabella: Treachery, Adultery, and Murder in Medieval England by Alison Weir. Biography of Isabella of France, wife of 14th century English king Edward II.

Isabella and the Strange Death of Edward II by Paul Doherty. Biography of Edward II's wife Isabella. She and her lover, Roger Mortimer, deposed Edward, who died mysteriously.

The Greatest Traitor: The Life of Sir Roger Mortimer, 1st Earl of March, Ruler of England 1327-1330 by Ian Mortimer. Biography of Roger Mortimer, the lover of Edward II's wife Isabella of France. After deposing and apparently killing the king, Mortimer ruled England for three years.

Edward II by Harold Frederick Hutchison. Biography. Out of print, but available at Alibris.

Fiction About Edward II & Queen Isabella

Harlot Queen by Hilda Lewis. Novel about Isabella of France, wife of King Edward II of England. Rejected by her husband, she would tear England in half to quench her rage.

Queen of Shadows: A Novel of Isabella, Wife of King Edward II by Edith Felber. In 14th-century England, beautiful Queen Isabella and her lover, Roger Mortimer, plot to take power.

The Traitor's Wife: A Novel of the Reign of Edward II by Susan Higginbotham. Novel about Eleanor de Clare, niece of Edward II and wife of his favorite Hugh le Despenser.

The Confession of Piers Gaveston by Brandy Purdy. The history books tell us that Piers Gaveston enticed and enslaved King Edward II. In this novel, the king's favorite tells his side of the story.

The Templar, the Queen and Her Lover: A Knights Templar Mystery by Michael Jecks. It is 1325, and England's Queen Isabella is dispatched to France to negotiate peace. Murder, betrayal, adultery, and evil ensue.

Edward II by Christopher Marlowe. A 16th century play about the king.

The Follies of the King by Jean Plaidy. Novel about Edward II and his wife, Isabel of France (also called Isabelle and Isabella). Out of print, but available from Alibris.

Isabel the Fair by Margaret Campbell Barnes. Novel about Isabel of France. From Alibris.

The She-Wolf of France by Maurice Druon. Another novel about Queen Isabella. From Alibris.

King Edward III

The Reign of Edward III by W.M. Ormrod. Traces Edward's life from his birth, when the future of the monarchy was under threat, through his 50-year reign, to his death, when he was regarded as an ideal monarch.

The Wars of Edward III: Sources and Interpretations by Clifford J. Rogers. When Edward III came to the throne in 1327, England's military reputation had reached a low ebb. His first campaign was a complete failure, but 22 years later he was considered the most skilful warrior in the world. This book tells the story of his battles.

War Cruel and Sharp by Clifford J. Rogers. English strategy under Edward III, 1327-1360.

The Perfect King: The Life of Edward III, Father of the English Nation by Ian Mortimer. Biography. He ordered his uncle beheaded and usurped his father's throne. Yet under the rule of Edward III, England experienced its longest period of domestic peace in the Middle Ages. Out of print, but available from Alibris.

King Edward III by Michael Packe. Biography. From Alibris.

Edward III and the English Peerage: Royal Patronage, Social Mobility and Political Control in Fourteenth-Century England by J. S. Bothwell. Detailed analysis of how Edward III used royal favor to create a new nobility and control the established peerage.

Edward III's Round Table at Windsor: The House of the Round Table and the Windsor Festival of 1344 edited by Julian Munby and Richard Barber. In 1344, King Edward III ordered the construction of a 'House of the Round Table' to show off his power and rally support for his military adventures.

St George's Chapel, Windsor, in the Fourteenth Century edited by Nigel Saul. Essays examine the early history of the Chapel, its role in the history of the Order of the Garter, and the building campaign started by Edward III which made Windsor the grandest royal residence of its day.

The Life and Times of Edward III by Paul Johnson. Biography. Out of print, but available from AbeBooks.

Fiction & Drama About Edward III

The King's Mistress by Emma Campion. Edward III's notorious mistress Alice Perrers tells her story.

The Vow on the Heron by Jean Plaidy. Novel about Edward III. Available from Alibris.

The First Princess of Wales: A Novel by Karen Harper. High-spirited Joan of Kent is sent to the politically charged court of King Edward III of England, where treachery runs rampant. First published in 1984 under the title Sweet Passion's Pain.

King Edward III edited by Giorgio Melchiori. The author of this play is uncertain, but many experts believe it was written by William Shakespeare.

Edward the Black Prince

Edward the Black Prince: Power in Medieval Europe by David Green. Biography of of the most controversial and flamboyant characters in English history, Edward the "Black Prince," son of King Edward III.

Victory at Poitiers: The Black Prince and the Medieval Art of War by Christian Teutsch. In 1356, the small English army of Edward, the Black Prince, crushed the forces of the French King Jean II. This book reassesses the classic battle.

Edward, Prince of Wales and Aquitaine by Richard Barber. Biography. Out of print in the U.S., but available at Alibris.

King Richard II

Richard II by Nigel Saul. Biography from the Yale English Monarchs series.

Richard II: Manhood, Youth, and Politics 1377-99 by Christopher Fletcher. Far from being the effeminate tyrant of historical imagination, Richard was a typical young nobleman of his time, trying to establish his manhood by conventional means.

Richard II: The Art of Kingship edited by Anthony Goodman and James Gillespie. The record of Richard II's reign was muddied by hostile chroniclers. This collection of essays by leading historians aims to present a more accurate version of the king's reign.

The Reign of Richard II edited by Gwilym Dodd. Modern scholars share their views.

The Age of Richard II edited by James L. Gillespie. Historians appraise Richard's diverse reputation: tyrannical opponent of the Peasants' Revolt, the great literary patron of Chaucer, inventor of the handkerchief.

Within the Hollow Crown: A Valiant King's Struggle to Save His Country, His Dynasty, and His Love by Margaret Campbell Barnes. First published in 1941, this novel tells the story of England's King Richard II.

Passage to Pontefract by Jean Plaidy. Novel about Richard II. Out of print, but available from Alibris.

Richard II by William Shakespeare. Play.

Related Topics

Books About the Hundred Years' War
Books About the Lancastrians
More Books About English Royal History

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Movies & Documentaries

These DVDs are formatted for North American audiences.

Edward II. Steven Waddington stars as Edward II, who upset England's noblemen by sharing his throne with his lover, Piers Gaveston (Andrew Tiernan). Tilda Swinton costars as Edward's scorned wife, Queen Isabella.

DVDs About the Angevins
DVDs About the Lancastrians