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The Wars of the Roses

3.93 of 5 stars 3.93 · rating details · 2,624 ratings · 166 reviews

Lancaster and York. For much of the fifteenth century, these two families were locked in battle for control of the British monarchy. Kings were murdered and deposed. Armies marched on London. Old noble names were ruined while rising dynasties seized power and lands. The war between the royal House of Lancaster and York, the longest and most complex in British history, prof...more Lancaster and York. For much of the fifteenth century, these two families were locked in battle for control of the British monarchy. Kings were murdered and deposed. Armies marched on London. Old noble names were ruined while rising dynasties seized power and lands. The war between the royal House of Lancaster and York, the longest and most complex in British history, profoundly altered the course of the monarchy. In The Wars of the Roses, Alison Weir reconstructs this conflict with the same dramatic flair and impeccable research that she brought to her highly praised The Princes in the Tower.

The first battle erupted in 1455, but the roots of the conflict reached back to the dawn of the fifteenth century, when the corrupt, hedonistic Richard II was sadistically murdered, and Henry IV, the first Lancastrian king, seized England's throne. Both Henry IV and his son, the cold warrior Henry V, ruled England ably, if not always wisely--but Henry VI proved a disaster, both for his dynasty and his kingdom. Only nine months old when his father's sudden death made him king, Henry VI became a tormented and pathetic figure, weak, sexually inept, and prey to fits of insanity. The factional fighting that plagued his reign escalated into bloody war when Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York, laid claim to the throne that was rightfully his--and backed up his claim with armed might.

Alison Weir brings brilliantly to life both the war itself and the historic figures who fought it on the great stage of England. Here are the queens who changed history through their actions--the chic, unconventional Katherine of Valois, Henry V's queen; the ruthless, social-climbing Elizabeth Wydville; and, most crucially, Margaret of Anjou, a far tougher and more powerful character than her husband,, Henry VI, and a central figure in the Wars of the Roses.

Here, too, are the nobles who carried the conflict down through the generations--the Beauforts, the bastard descendants of John of Gaunt, Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, known to his contemporaries as "the Kingmaker"; and the Yorkist King, Edward IV, a ruthless charmer who pledged his life to cause the downfall of the House of Lancaster.

The Wars of the Roses is history at its very best--swift and compelling, rich in character, pageantry, and drama, and vivid in its re-creation of an astonishing, dangerous, and often grim period of history. Alison Weir, one of the foremost authorities on the British royal family, demonstrates here that she is also one of the most dazzling stylists writing history today.

From the Hardcover edition.(less)

ebook, 496 pages

Published October 5th 2011 by Ballantine Books (first published May 30th 1995)

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Apr 07, 2013 Bill rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A scholarly but eminently readable book about on of the most contentious times in England's history (House of York-white rose v House of Lancaster-red rose). This is a history of knights, captured castles and a time when 19 year old kings fought alongside their men. It was incredibly violent time and there are a lot of beheadings, drawing and quartering of the nobility. The most amazing story is that of Margaret of Anjou the wife of the sometime mad King Henry VI. She was the Terminator of her a...more

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Feb 27, 2009 Amy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2009, historical-non-fiction

If I was given the choice of writing a novel on a certain historic event, you can bet the event at the bottom of my list would be The War of the Roses. I don't think I could deal with such a convoluted, tangled story, with an ungodly amount of characters to keep track of...it would likely drive me mad. But, thankfully Alison Weir was of a different mindset and took the monster head on. And what a supurb job she did! Weir merged enjoyment and learning expertly and I can see how it would take a lo...more If I was given the choice of writing a novel on a certain historic event, you can bet the event at the bottom of my list would be The War of the Roses. I don't think I could deal with such a convoluted, tangled story, with an ungodly amount of characters to keep track of...it would likely drive me mad. But, thankfully Alison Weir was of a different mindset and took the monster head on. And what a supurb job she did! Weir merged enjoyment and learning expertly and I can see how it would take a lot of work to not have it read as a text book. It was by no means a fast read, as it's all fact and no dialogue, but boring it was not. Nor was it one of those books that feels like a chore to read.

Weir starts the novel with the early origins of events that would eventually lead to the thirty-year battle for the throne of England, which dates back to King Edward III. The War of the Roses ends after the Battle of Tewkesbury. The Battle of Tewkesbury, fought on what is now known as Bloody Meadow would be the last meeting between York and Lancaster. The future of Lancaster, Prince Edward, was slain, his father King Henry VI had long been in prison (and shortly after this battle, the grave) and Queen Margaret was in hiding, then imprisoned in the Tower of London and finally ransomed by the King of France. For a woman that spent her a majority of her life surrounded by court and it's many minion and was quite comfortable in the role as a ruler, she lived her last days dependent on the meager funds she received from the King of France and died alone.. TWOTR is a sad note in England's history; sons fought fathers, brothers fought brothers, there was rampant betrayal and lies, lawlessness and violence ruled and havoc was wreaked upon towns, such as Towton.

I would recommend this to any history nut! Weir has a great writing style and it was very readable non-fiction. I admit I don't really care for her fiction novels; I thought Innocent Traitor was so-so and I couldn't finish The Lady Elizabeth, but now that I've read this one I'm excited to read the rest of her collection!

What I found most interesting (just shows it was more scheming and waiting to see what the other side will do next than actual fighting):

"There were, at most, thirteen weeks of fighting in the thirty-two years covered by both of the War of the Roses, while the total time spent campaigning amounted to approximately one year. Some of the battles were short, and non lasted longer than a day."(less)

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Aug 13, 2012 Xenia0201 rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: english-history

You cannot deny that Weir puts forth a great deal of effort in fully researching the history of and behind the Wars of the Roses. I enjoyed this because not only does she present the facts as they are, she goes back an additional 100 years to give the full background on where the conflict exactly started...with the sons of Edward the III and the weak reign of Richard the II. You can look at several instances that helped fuel the fire between Lancastrians and the Yorkists made in each reign up to...more

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Mar 08, 2012 Rachel rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction, favorites, henry-vi, plantagenet, edward-iv, henry-iv, henry-v, richard-ii, medieval-studies, alison-weir, weee, history, books-i-own, york-lancaster

Exceptional account of this most confusing period of history. Comprehensive but lively, a true page turner. Weir provides us with a broad scope of events that begin during the reign of Edward III and stretch all the way to Edward IV. (For those who are interested she continues the story with The Princes in the Tower although I have heard that some of her theories or whatnot are groundless and biased. Not recommended for those who remain Pro-Richard).

Sooo much fun. I might even read this one agai...more

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Oct 25, 2012 Tim Freeman rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction, history

I only had the loosest understanding of the War(s) of the Roses, thinking it was a minor houses verses another house kind of deal. I was not aware that one side or the other involved to a large degree the actual King of England, or the wife/Queen thereof or Regents as the case may be as the fortunes of war and the various winners and losers gained or lost their positions and very often their heads as well. I was also surprised by the extent of the switching of loyalties of what the author calls...more

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Nov 27, 2011 Madeline rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: history-nonfiction

"This story begins in 1400 with the murder of one king, and ends in 1471 with the murder of another. One murder could be said to have been a direct result of the other. The story of what happened between 1400 and 1471, which is the story told in this book, answers the question: how?"

Having now finished the book, I can provide the condensed version of the answer to Weir's question: because illegitimate kids throw one hell of a wrench into people's succession plans.

Well, obviously it's more compl...more "This story begins in 1400 with the murder of one king, and ends in 1471 with the murder of another. One murder could be said to have been a direct result of the other. The story of what happened between 1400 and 1471, which is the story told in this book, answers the question: how?"

Having now finished the book, I can provide the condensed version of the answer to Weir's question: because illegitimate kids throw one hell of a wrench into people's succession plans.

Well, obviously it's more complicated than that - in fact, the Wars of the Roses is kind of a clusterfuck of a situation, helped in absolutely no way by the fact that all the men were named George, Edward, Richard, or Henry. (seriously, that's the thing about Tudor history that drives me absolutely batshit) It's for this reason that I don't usually gravitate towards this period of history, being a much bigger fan of the sexy sexy Tudors and their various sexy sexy scandals. But I love Alison Weir, and when I saw this in a bookstore a few months ago I decided to try it and see if I could get a better idea of how in the hell Henry Tudor (that's Henry VII, btw - see what I mean about the names?) managed to get his hands on the throne of England - and keep it - despite having almost zero right to it.

After reading the book, I sort of get it. I'm still a little fuzzy on the details, and who was on whose side at which point in time, and sadly Henry Tudor doesn't do much here because he's like fourteen when most of the action happens, but it was still an engrossing and informative read. There are lots of good battles that Weir describes in great detail (the battles, I'd say, are probably the best part) and she does her best at making this horribly complicated situation make a bit of sense. Since this book was published in 1994, she hasn't quite developed that dry, humorous tone that's the trademark of her later works, but you can still see hints of it cropping up here and there.

I was pleasantly surprised that the main figure in this story ends up being, not an Edward or a Richard or a whatever, but Margaret of Anjou. She was the wife of the usurped Henry VI, and was by all accounts an absolute fucking badass. When her husband was overthrown, Margaret spend the rest of her life raising armies, negotiating with allies, and generally calling in every favor she had to restore him to the throne. Did I mention she raised and led armies to fight for her husband's throne? Because she did, as evidenced in this passage that describes what has to be my new favorite episode from history:

"From Lincluden, Margaret wrote to Mary of Gueldres, begging for sanctuary and assistance against her enemies. Mary responded sympathetically and soon afterwards arrived at Lincluden...the two queens stayed at the abbey for twelve days, discussing what form that help would take. At length, Mary agreed to provide men and loan money for a campaign against the Yorkists on condition that Margaret surrendered the town of Berwick to the Scots."

Can we just pause and appreciate how amazing it is that this even happened? Two women met, hung out for a few days, and during that time planned a military campaign and traded an entire town, without even once having to ask their respective husbands or any other man for permission to do so. Holy shit! That, by and large, simply does not happen, and the fact that Margaret was able to keep this up for years speaks to how awesome she was.

Seriously though - two queens spending twelve days together planning an invasion? Make this movie immediately, please, and let me give it all my money. (less)

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May 25, 2011 Aaron rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I have always been drawn to the histories and biographies written by Alison Weir. She is a specialist in late-Medieval/Enlightenment English history. I decided to read this book because I realized that I had very little knowledge about the Wars of the Roses and I wanted to learn more after watching a documentary series called Monarchy that takes viewers through the whole history of the British royal houses.

The first third of the book provides background history about the ruling kings prior to th...more

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Jul 31, 2010 Erik rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Yeah, I’m on a roll here. Tudor history via Henry VIII and his heirs not only has me jonesed for my imminent trip to the UK in mere weeks, but also his immediate predecessors on the English throne – whether they be Tudor, Yorkist, Plantagenet, or otherwise. While Weir does an admirable job keeping us on track with the mushrooming multitude of Henrys, Richards, Edwards, Marys, and Elizabeths on all familial branches that claimed royal blood and rights of usurpation in fourteenth century England,...more

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Jul 01, 2010 Myles rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction, history

The Wars of the Roses is such a fascinating time, modern toys of warfare had yet to intrude on men sealed like aluminum cans waving weapons and galloping over all the poor people with quarterstaves - and the INTRIGUE! It was all very romantic and many a novelist has become "inspired" by these turbulent years for their fiction.

Alison Weir is more of a popular historian, which isn't necessarily a bad thing - her research appears to be top-notch, and her reading broad and thorough. I simply find my...more

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Dec 20, 2009 Steven Peterson rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Alison Weir's works are noteworthy for the detail provided and the care with which she considers uncertain issues. She notes speculation where it is speculation and certainty where there is a reasonable degree of certainty. This book, in her own words, serves as something of a prequel to "The Princes in the Tower." The focus there was on the struggle between the houses of York and Tudor. In this volume, the focus is much more on the time frame of 1455 to 1471 as well as the years of Edward IV's...more Alison Weir's works are noteworthy for the detail provided and the care with which she considers uncertain issues. She notes speculation where it is speculation and certainty where there is a reasonable degree of certainty. This book, in her own words, serves as something of a prequel to "The Princes in the Tower." The focus there was on the struggle between the houses of York and Tudor. In this volume, the focus is much more on the time frame of 1455 to 1471 as well as the years of Edward IV's reign.

One warning: the details in this book, including the array of names and titles, compels one to go to the genealogical tables at the end. As one lord dies, the title would often be attached to another. After while, it can get confusing! The tables do help out (although the script makes it something of a challenge). However, this is a reality of the era and Weir handles this well.

The first War, 1455-1471, was a series of conflicts with an ever shifting cast of allies and foes, as some lords would change sides as conditions suggested. The overthrow of Richard II, the sometimes rocky reign of Henry IV, Henry V, the inept Henry VI, and--finally--Edward IV. The houses of Lancaster (the Henrys) and York (Edward IV) vied for power over this time frame. We learn of the major families of the era--the Beauforts, Nevilles, Wydvilles, the Tudors (who would emerge as the ruling dynasty at the close of the Wars of the Roses), and so on.

The characters could power multiple movies on the time! Edward IV's marriage to Elizabeth Wydville (deemed not a worthy match for a king--and the source of many political problems consequently); Warwick (the Kingmaker, who eventually fell out with Edward); Henry VI and his wife, Queen Margaret). Margaret comes across as a powerful and politically naive Queen, fighting (she seems to have been the one to create armies to support Henry while he was king and to support his effort to retrieve his position after having been deposed) for Henry VI's rightful place.

The ins and outs of who has the royal ear and who does not; who is plotting to unseat the king and who supports him. The final lines indicate what was at stake with the Wars of the Roses, in the words of Sir Ranulph Crew (Page 420): "there must be a period and an end to all temporal things. . .an end to names and dignities and whatsoever is of this earth. Where is Bohn? Where is Mowbray? Where is Mortimer? Nay, which is more and most of all, where is Plantagenet? They are entombed in the urns and sepulchres of mortality."

The details of this volume make for quite a read! I have become a fan of Ms. Weir, and this book surely does nothing to change that appreciation.
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Nov 08, 2011 Rosemary Prawdzik rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I read this book to provide historical details to my existing knowledge of the time period acquired through mostly historical fiction books. Due to the complexity of the relationships between the feuding factions, this book is challenging. Sometimes the characters are referred to by their names and sometimes referenced by their titles. Plus titles changes, pass to sons of different genrations, or are given over to other individuals at the whim of the king! Make sure you refer to the "simplified"...more I read this book to provide historical details to my existing knowledge of the time period acquired through mostly historical fiction books. Due to the complexity of the relationships between the feuding factions, this book is challenging. Sometimes the characters are referred to by their names and sometimes referenced by their titles. Plus titles changes, pass to sons of different genrations, or are given over to other individuals at the whim of the king! Make sure you refer to the "simplified" family trees in the back of the book as you read. Initially, I didn't realize these were there but once I found them, they were extremely helpful in keeping track of who's who.
(I'm planning to keep copies of them for future reference!)

Not only are the characters complicated to follow, so are the numerous battles. While the author has provided a map of England with major cities of the time identified, she often refers to regions of the country and unless you are familiar with them, it's easy to become lost. I'd suggest that you have a regional map handy in order to be able to follow the action. And there's plenty of it - I didn't realize how many uprisings there were and battles fought. I had heard of the major ones, St. Albans, Towton, Barnet, and Tewkesbury but there were so many more - and so bloody!! It seemed many more than the 13 battles in 30 years referenced by the author in the concluding pages of the book.

I appreciate this author's efforts to present the materials in a mostly chronological order - which some other history books, like those by Thomas Costain, do not do. I was disappointed that the book ended with Tewekesbury as I think of the end of the Wars of the Roses with the batte of Bosworth Field and the defeat of Richard III by Henry Tudor. I guess technically he's a Tudor not a Lancastrian. But he did descend through the Beaufort line of Lancastrians. So for me, this book ended a little too early. Maybe this is due to the fact that Ms. Weir also wrote The Princes in the Tower which, I suspect, begins after Tewkesbury.

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Mar 18, 2013 Shari rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A really fine history of the Wars of the Roses, I thought. It's easy to follow in spite of the fact that titles change with the deposition of each king, and keeping score on that account alone can be a challenge. Yet, Weir makes these idiosyncracies clear enough that you either remember what has caused the change or it's easy to backtrack to clear things up.

Not only do titles and estates become awarded to new nobility with each monarch change, these very same nobles change sides depending on ho...more

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May 26, 2009 Whitney rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Having read a couple other reviews on Weir's "The Wars of the Roses," I was glad to see that I seem to have been in good company having trouble keeping all the players straight. Granted, it's a complicated bit of history to break down. And of course Weir does an admirable job taking a multi-generational struggle for power and making it fairly comprehensible. She starts out with the background of the conflict, beginning with the sons of Edward III in 1396 and stretches her story through Edward IV...more

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Mar 18, 2013 Moonglum rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: history

This is an excellent history of the Wars of the Roses, doing many things quite well. Its a great resource for understanding the various factions and dynasties. After reading this book, you will at the least be able to keep straight all of the English kings from Edward III up to Richard III. The politics of the period are well described, and there are great little quotes from first hand chronicles that bring extra life to the history, and if the book falls short as 'pop history' it is that it doe...more

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Jun 20, 2010 Claire rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: history, non-fiction

Having been quite focused on Tudor History of late, it was refreshing and incredibly interesting to read about another amazing aspect of British History.

The Wars of the Roses, which began with the usurpation of the throne of Richard II by Henry IV, and ended with the Battle of Bosworth in 1485, was a tumultuous time in which the houses of York and Lancaster rose against each other in war, and in the gaining of the English crown.

Learning about the key figures including: Margaret of Anjou, the D...more

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Sep 08, 2009 Becky rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: history

This book is great for the most part, it really lays out 15th century politics in England, but it can be difficult to keep all the characters straight - she refers to most of them by their titles, which is okay after you get the hang of who is who, but then they die, for example I had down who the Duke of York was in relation to the king, then that Duke of York died and his son took over, so then I became a little bit confused over the son's relation to the king, and so on and so forth. The situ...more

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Jan 30, 2011 Jenny rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is such a difficult topic. Having spent most of my many decades thinking that this was something to do with Yorkshire and Lancashire, Weir managed with great skill to get me to understand the characters involved and the extraordinary bonds and alliances that made up the two sides by looking at the century before the war began, as well as the terrible bloody series of battles that made up the actual decades of warfare. No one could make this simple. She does it well, though I was half way th...more

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Aug 23, 2012 Donna rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

On a bit of an Alison Weir kick lately, but this is definitely a period that, for me, only contained vaguely familiar names. Great job of keeping everything in some order that makes sense. If only the English would stop giving and taking away titles, so different people have multiple names and can be a lord then not that lord, then that lord again. Makes it hard to keep track, especially on an ereader. The family trees are unreadable, as well. Really captures a lot of the emotion of why all the...more

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Oct 19, 2009 Erica rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was very thorough and insightful into the war of the Roses. I felt that the book leaned a little towards the York side, but Alison Weir did a pretty good job of keeping things balanced and it could be my own historical preference coming through.

It can get a bit confusing with all the different titles held by the aristocrocy vs. their actual names--and let's not overlook the fact that if a Lancastrian Lord held a title that was taken from him and given to a Yorkist Lord then the Yorkist Lord...more

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May 24, 2012 Danielle Reily rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I loved this book! Alison Weir makes the people in history very real and interesting. I also really like how she is able to explain the complicated family, social, and realationship issues and dynamics surrounding the Wars of the Roses. She is also one of the more unbiased historical writers that I have found, stating facts and research from all points of view. A lot of books that I have read take sides in the Wars, Lancaster, York, or Tudor, and confusing an already confusing situation.
I wil...more

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Feb 12, 2013 Jennifer rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book was, like the period it covers, a hot mess. One of the things I love about Alison Weir is her ability to make characters in history come to life, but in this book, there was no real central character so I felt I was being told a history lesson I'd heard a million times. I've read several accounts of the War of the Roses (my favorite being Winston Churchill's in the Birth of Britain series) and I know this isn't an easy time period to cover. But even the stories that carried some romanc...more

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Jan 20, 2013 John Betts rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: history

Civil war rages across Medieval England for much of the 15th century as the two powerful Houses of Lancaster and York bitterly struggle for the English throne. Kings are murdered and deposed as those with the might seize the Crown for themselves. Bloodwitty nobles and their armies battle across the land, including London itself, for control as ancient dynastic houses fall and new ones rise to power while the course of the monarchy is irrevocably altered. Weir presents this complex tale of a trag...more

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Sep 08, 2009 Jill rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The weaknesses of this book are actually not the book's nor the author's fault. First of all you have to be a big fan of 15th century history to be interested in the subject of the War of the Roses. While I did want to know more about this period of time I would have preferred a less detailed account. Secondly there is a huge cast of characters in this book, once again, not the author's fault, that's just the way it was. It did, however make it a little confusing to follow.

Alison Weir's account...more

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Jan 04, 2013 Liviu rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read_2012, non-fiction

another book I read in drips and finished a while ago but never had the time to write about it; while the history is not necessarily the most authoritative and the book is an old style saga of "great men" (mostly murderous nobles whose ambitions stopped at nothing) with the occasional "great woman" (said except that usually the power had to be exerted through sons/husbands or more rarely married daughters) sprinkled in - so not unlike modern fantasy after all - but a compelling tale which makes...more

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Sep 05, 2011 Sy De Witt added it · review of another edition

I thoroughly enjoyed Weir's narrative about the conflict between the Houses of Lancaster and York. I sensed, but did not completely grasp, how feckless and treacherous the nobility was in England in the Middle Ages. I suspect that the same characterizations can be made for the nobility in other countries. Weir quite correctly points out that the conflict was not really a full-fledged Civil War, because the citizenry at large was not fully involved. In fact, many of the battles were purposely fou...more

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Jul 22, 2010 Sandra Strange rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: history-and-nonfiction

OK, I teach European History, and this historical series of civil wars is one area I didn't know well. This book, by Alison Weir, is FULL of information about the people, battles, consequences of this destructive conflict. Weir has a good sense of what is truly important and is not afraid to pass on judgments (hers and others') of the people and their actions. She is fair and presents all sides and aspects. Informative. Also frank about the sexual escapades of these historical personages and how...more

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Sep 25, 2012 Megan rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I enjoyed reading about an aspect of history about which I knew rather little; it gave the proceedings a bit of suspense for me, having only a vague notion of how things turned out. It was fascinating to read about the ways Henry VI and Edward IV used political alliances and foreign deals to take the throne from each other. I had to root for Edward IV and the Yorkists - he was presented as just such a better executive than Henry VI, who come across as only slightly better than useless. Revered a...more

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Dec 02, 2012 Robin rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: history, 15th-century, royalty, group-read, kindle

I tend to find battles and military history difficult to concentrate on - all I really need to know about a battle is who won, who died, who was injured, who was captured. So you might wonder why I would read a book on the Wars of the Roses. I assumed it would be filled with much more than battle scenes - there would be character assessments and lots of political intrigue too. And I was right, it was incredibly fascinating and I feel I understand this time period and conflict much better.

I stil...more

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Dec 14, 2012 Paul Pensom rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 20th-c, authors-uk, history, history-medieval, history-uk, non-fiction

There was an article in The Guardian today about the lamentable gaps in the History syllabus in Britain. A report complained that all our children were learning was a thin diet of 'Hitler and the Henrys', which sounds rather like a punk band to me.

I think they may have a point. History was one of my favourite subjects at school. What I learned in those classes has stayed with me for life, so I'm certain that I haven't simply forgotten large chunks of the curriculum. I'm fairly sure, for instance...more There was an article in The Guardian today about the lamentable gaps in the History syllabus in Britain. A report complained that all our children were learning was a thin diet of 'Hitler and the Henrys', which sounds rather like a punk band to me.

I think they may have a point. History was one of my favourite subjects at school. What I learned in those classes has stayed with me for life, so I'm certain that I haven't simply forgotten large chunks of the curriculum. I'm fairly sure, for instance, that we never covered the Wars of the Roses. Admittedly I never studied History to A-Level standard (my chosen route was art and design), but I can't even recall the most cursory survey of the period.

I've found that this state of affairs has both its advantages and disadvantages. Yes, there are gaps in my historical knowledge which if filled could help enrich my perspective on life, but on the other hand — what enjoyment there is to be had for the enthusiastic autodidact! I can tackle books like Alison Weir's 'Lancaster and York' with a relish unspoilt by exact foreknowledge of the outcome.

And what a tangled web of intrigue, treachery and double dealing the Wars of The Roses were. Weir's excellent book exposes the 'divine right of Kings' for the platitude it always was. Kings it seems — in this country at least — were just as susceptible to the manipulation of powerbrokers and the whims of mob rule as ever democratic governments have been.

It's a labyrinthine struggle, played out across three countries and thirty years. Its principal instigators pursued power irregardless of responsibility, and consummately manipulated public opinion in a way that predates George Orwell's '1984' by 500 years.

At times it can be hard to follow the shifting dynastic allegiances and seemingly limitless supplies of Lords, but this doesn't actually detract from the overarching narrative, and the set-piece battles are clearly elucidated. The book ends in a period of stability. Edward IV sits comfortably on the throne, with two healthy sons waiting to succeed him. As somebody unwisely once said, "what could possibly go wrong?"(less)

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Dec 27, 2012 Sabrina rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical, royalty-challenge, group-read

Allison Weir takes a very difficult, confusing time and talks about it in such a way that I followed easily from beginning to end. I not only understand the War of the Roses, but can explain it to others. And she can write!! Most biographies are written in a boring, drawn out display of facts and events. This book had the facts, events and my goodness details, but was written in such a way that intrigued me rather than scare me off. It is clear Weir likes her history. I can only imagine how much...more Allison Weir takes a very difficult, confusing time and talks about it in such a way that I followed easily from beginning to end. I not only understand the War of the Roses, but can explain it to others. And she can write!! Most biographies are written in a boring, drawn out display of facts and events. This book had the facts, events and my goodness details, but was written in such a way that intrigued me rather than scare me off. It is clear Weir likes her history. I can only imagine how much research went into this book to be able to write as well as she did and it is very obvious that Weir spent a great deal of time invested in this story.

Some of my thoughts on the actual players of this story . . .

I really enjoyed the beginning that discusses Edward III’s children. It’s a crazy thought, but they all seemed to be loyal to one another and worked to maintain the credibility of the throne. I especially liked John of Gaunt. There are a whole bunch of ‘what-if’s’, but if Richard II hadn’t been so cruel to Henry of Bolingbroke?! Of course Henry of Bolingbroke created this whole mess by being a little naughty. While I agree something had to be done, there may have been a different approach?!

The Duke of York (Edward IV’s Father) was a guy I rallied for and it is clear Weir likes him as well. What I can’t understand is why most of England wouldn’t support him for King, but seemingly had no issues supporting his son.

I will continue to be baffled by Henry VI. This was a man clearly not cut out for being a King. Couple that with a controlling power hungry wife and well, you see what happens. While I cannot accept the way she handled England, I can say I am in awe of her determination to fight so hard for her husband and son’s rights. She was definitely a strong woman to be feared and admired.

Warwick – say what you will about this man, love him or hate him, he is a rockstar! What he willed, became. It’s a shame the way his life was ended, but did he deserve it? This time, yes. While I understood his frustration and concerns, he handled it all wrong.

King Edward IV was by far a better ruler for England. What I don’t understand is his approval of letting court factions to be created again under his wife’s persuasion. This was the biggest issue everyone had with Margaret of Anjou. Edward IV was a smart man; he saw the discontent between his wife’s family and the rest of the people. He should have handled it, then possibly the future of York would have continued. And speaking of the Wydville family – what is it with the Queens? Why is it the women who were the instigators? Were they really that bad? I’m not saying that Weir misrepresented these women; just that the information she has to work with were all written by men. I’m wondering if these recollections are just a bit tainted and skewed.

My only complaint, and this refers to most non-fiction books, is the timing. I wish all chapters would have the dates attached to the heading. I find it so difficult to follow the time-line and had to print one out to follow along with this book.

This is my 2nd book by Weir. I love them both and have become a fast fan. I know when I pick up one of her books, I’m not only going to get a complete story to learn from, but also enjoy reading.
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European Royalty: The Wars of the Roses, chapters 7-12	8	26	Dec 29, 2012 01:41pm
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About Alison Weir

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.

Alison Weir (born 1951) is a British writer of history books for the general public, mostly in the form of biographies about British kings and queens. She currently lives in Surrey, England, with her two children.

Before becoming an author, Weir worked as a teacher of children with special needs. She received her...more

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Quotes from The Wars of the Roses

“The Burgundian chronicler Philippe de Commines thought the English a choleric, earthy, and volatile people, who nevertheless made good, brave soldiers. In fact he regarded their warlike inclinations as one of the chief causes of the Wars of the Roses. If they could not fight the French, he believed, they fought each other.” — 5 people liked it

“As their forces broke, the Yorkist cavalrymen raced to the horse park behind their own lines and mounted their steeds to give chase. As they thundered past, the King and Warwick, flushed with victory, yelled, ‘Spare the commons! Kill the lords!’ Their words went unheeded.” — 1 person liked it

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