The three Richards who ruled England in the Middle Ages were among the most controversial and celebrated of its rulers. Richard I ('Coeur de Lion', 1189-99) was a great crusading hero; Richard II (1377-99) was an authoritarian aesthete deposed by his cousin, Henry IV, and murdered; while Richard III (1483-85), as the murderer of his nephews, 'The Princes in the Tower', was the most notorious villain in English history. This highly readable joint biography shows how much the three kings had in common, apart from their names. All were younger sons of monarchs, not expected to come to the throne; all failed to leave a legitimate heir, causing instability on their deaths; all were cultured and pious; and all died violently. All have attracted accusations but also fascination. In comparing them, Nigel Saul tells three gripping stories and shows what it took to be a medieval king.
The three Richards who ruled England in the Middle Ages were among the most controversial and celebrated of its rulers. Richard I ('Coeur de Lion', 1189-99) was a great crusading hero; Richard II (1377-99) was an authoritarian aesthete deposed by his cousin, Henry IV, and murdered; while Richard III (1483-85), as the murderer of his nephews, 'The Princes in the Tower', was the most notorious villain in English history. This highly readable joint biography shows how much the three kings had in common, apart from their names. All were younger sons of monarchs, not expected to come to the throne; all failed to leave a legitimate heir, causing instability on their deaths; all were cultured and pious; and all died violently. All have attracted accusations but also fascination. In comparing them, Nigel Saul tells three gripping stories and shows what it took to be a medieval king.
Illustrations; Acknowledgements; 1 What's in a Name?; 2 Kingship in Medieval England; 3 Richard I; 4 Richard II; 5 Richard III; 6 Kingship, Chivalry and Warfare; 7 Every Inch a King; 8 Marriage and Family; 9 Kingship and Piety; 10 Sad Stories of the Death of Kings; 11 What's in a Face; Appendix; Notes; Bibliography; Index
Nigel Saul is Professor of History at Royal Holloway, University of London, and the author of a biography of Richard II.
‘The result is...an elegant tour...high quality academic research
written with a light, attractive spin.' ~ Guardian
"...the author handles his chosen remit with confidence and style
and, all in all, this book is a fresh, interesting, and useful
exercise: as a meditation on the development of later medieval
kingship as a survey of political life, and as a much larger study
of how individuals and power structures react to, and play off,
each other."- J.S. Bothwell, Canadian Journal of History, Spring/
Summer 2006
"...Saul presents the three monarchs clearly and synthesizes
scholarship from the past 30 years to analyze the qualities it took
to be a successful king." Summing Up: Recommended.
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