Henry V
The Astonishing Triumph of England's Greatest Warrior King
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4.6 • 95 Ratings
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- $18.99
Publisher Description
"Ambitious... With meticulous research and in lively style, Jones presents us with the man beyond the Shakespeare character."—The New York Times
“The best biography yet of England’s greatest king."—Simon Sebag Montefiore, author of The Romanovs and Jerusalem
The New York Times bestselling author returns with a biography examining the dramatic life and unparalleled leadership of England's greatest medieval king
Henry V reigned over England for only nine years and four months and died at the age of just thirty-five, but he looms over the landscape of the late Middle Ages and beyond. The victor of Agincourt, he is remembered as the acme of kingship, a model to be closely imitated by his successors. William Shakespeare deployed Henry V as a study in youthful folly redirected to sober statesmanship. For one modern medievalist, Henry was, quite simply, “the greatest man who ever ruled England.”
For Dan Jones, Henry V is one of the most intriguing characters in all medieval history, but one of the hardest to pin down. He was a hardened, sometimes brutal warrior, yet he was also creative and artistic, with a bookish temperament. He was a leader who made many mistakes, who misjudged his friends and family, but he always seemed to triumph when it mattered. As king, he saved a shattered country from economic ruin, put down rebellions, and secured England’s borders; in foreign diplomacy, he made England a serious player once more. Yet through his conquests in northern France, he sowed the seeds for three generations of calamity at home, in the form of the Wars of the Roses.
Henry V is a historical titan whose legacy has become a complicated one. To understand the man behind the legend, Jones first examines Henry’s years of apprenticeship, when he saw the downfall of one king and the turbulent reign of another. Upon his accession in 1413, he had already been politically and militarily active for years, and his extraordinary achievements as king would come shortly after, earning him an unparalleled historical reputation. Writing with his characteristic wit and style, Jones delivers a thrilling and unmissable life of England’s greatest king.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
This bullish biography vividly depicts a king regarded as one of England’s greatest-ever fighters, immersing us in exciting battles and sieges as well as the aristocratic political intrigue he faced. Henry V recounts the life of the 15th-century monarch, from his father overthrowing his uncle to take the throne to Henry’s brutal execution of a close friend and his stunning victory defeating France in the Battle of Agincourt and the capture of Paris. Historian Dan Jones explores the myriad contrasts of this effervescent royal, bringing to life not just his well-known role as a vicious warmonger but also the king’s softer side as a harp player and a bookworm. Jones adds vital context and color by zooming out to focus on characters big and small around Henry, from the brilliant doctor who saved his life as a teen to Henry’s inept predecessor Richard II and the coterie of sycophants surrounding him. In-depth yet eminently readable, Henry V is essential for history buffs and more casual fans of medieval life alike.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In this rousing biography, historian Jones (Powers and Thrones) departs from Shakespeare's portrait of Prince Hal as a wild, roistering youth. In Jones's telling, Henry even in adolescence was a determined military leader, upholder of the faith, and dominant figure in the court of his father, Henry IV. His own orderly reign brought stability to England, allowing him to (barely) finance his conquest of much of France. Bookish and artistic, he meticulously stage-managed his public image, but was also on occasion barbarically cruel: he first ordered men to be drawn and quartered at 14; refused to let starving women and children pass through his siege lines at Rouen; and beheaded a soldier for playing irritating trumpet solos. Jones's colorful narrative reads like House of Dragons minus the dragons; it's full of pageantry and tumult and betrayal (like an incident during the chaotic civil wars in France, when the son of mad King Charles VI invited John the Fearless, Duke of Burgundy, to an unarmed parley and then had the too-fearless duke stabbed in the back). While he admires Henry, Jones dispels glamorous myths—Shakespeare's grandiloquent "St. Crispin's Day" speech probably sounded more like, "Fellas, let's go"—and reveals the prosaic realities of his wars: constant money-grubbing and pointless suffering. This stimulating portrait of an iconic ruler roots his glorious deeds in sordid reality.
Customer Reviews
A Warrior King Bought to Life
Dan Jones’ Henry V is a gripping biography that brings the legendary warrior-king to life. With his signature storytelling, Jones explores Henry’s rise, his leadership in the Hundred Years’ War, and the triumph at Agincourt. The book balances myth and reality, revealing a ruler both ruthless and strategic. Rich in historical detail yet fast-paced, Henry V is a compelling read for history enthusiasts and those fascinated by medieval power struggles.
Henry V
Great insightful read.
Great history book
A bit tedious with all the royalty, dukes, earls and henchmen.