The Eagle and The Hart: The Tragedy of Richard II and Henry IV
By Helen Castor
Avid Reader Press
ISBN: 978-1-9821-3920-9
A rivalry between two cousins shaped the course of English history—King Richard II and his eventual usurper, King Henry IV. This double-biography delves into their tumultuous relationship, exploring the dramatic events that led to the overthrow of a medieval monarch and the rise of a new king.
Excerpt:
When I first began thinking about this book, I knew it would be a study of the psychology of power. Richard and Henry make a fascinating pair -so closely related by blood, such utterly different men – whose intertwined lives formed an extraordinary and fateful moment in England’s history. But for a historian, thoughts and emotions aren’t easy to interpret without the benefit of private letters, diaries, memoirs, or any other means of access behind the closed doors of a public life. At a distance of 600 years, drawing a psychological portrait is only made possible by joining scattered dots, rather than tracing a continuous line. I’ve set out to join dots from the surviving records of Richard’s and Henry’s lives into a coherent representation of two very human beings: to investigate not only what they did, but why they did it, and how they came to be the men they were. The endnotes to the book show the contemporary sources from which I’ve worked. There’s plenty of room within and between them for alternative perspectives, but in the pages that follow you’ll find the Richard and the Henry I’ve come to see.
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Who is this book for?
While the subject of this book has been extensively covered, few authors achieve the blend of rigorous historical research and engaging narrative as successfully as this one. Fans of English history, especially the Later Middle Ages, will find this work both informative and captivating.
“Astute, multilayered drama offers valuable insights into a fraught era.” ~ Kirkus Reviews
The Author
Helen Castor is a British historian, author, and television presenter, specializing in medieval and early modern English history. You can follow Helen on X/Twitter or Instagram.
The Eagle and The Hart: The Tragedy of Richard II and Henry IV
By Helen Castor
Avid Reader Press
ISBN: 978-1-9821-3920-9
A rivalry between two cousins shaped the course of English history—King Richard II and his eventual usurper, King Henry IV. This double-biography delves into their tumultuous relationship, exploring the dramatic events that led to the overthrow of a medieval monarch and the rise of a new king.
Excerpt:
When I first began thinking about this book, I knew it would be a study of the psychology of power. Richard and Henry make a fascinating pair -so closely related by blood, such utterly different men – whose intertwined lives formed an extraordinary and fateful moment in England’s history. But for a historian, thoughts and emotions aren’t easy to interpret without the benefit of private letters, diaries, memoirs, or any other means of access behind the closed doors of a public life. At a distance of 600 years, drawing a psychological portrait is only made possible by joining scattered dots, rather than tracing a continuous line. I’ve set out to join dots from the surviving records of Richard’s and Henry’s lives into a coherent representation of two very human beings: to investigate not only what they did, but why they did it, and how they came to be the men they were. The endnotes to the book show the contemporary sources from which I’ve worked. There’s plenty of room within and between them for alternative perspectives, but in the pages that follow you’ll find the Richard and the Henry I’ve come to see.
Who is this book for?
While the subject of this book has been extensively covered, few authors achieve the blend of rigorous historical research and engaging narrative as successfully as this one. Fans of English history, especially the Later Middle Ages, will find this work both informative and captivating.
“Astute, multilayered drama offers valuable insights into a fraught era.” ~ Kirkus Reviews
The Author
Helen Castor is a British historian, author, and television presenter, specializing in medieval and early modern English history. You can follow Helen on X/Twitter or Instagram.
You can learn more about this book from the publisher’s website
You can buy this book on Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk
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