The Fears of Henry IV: The Life of England's Self-Made King

The Fears of Henry IV: The Life of England's Self-Made King

An author with a strong track record now tackles the turbulent reign of Henry IV, the first Lancastrian king.

By 1405, King Henry IV had already survived at least eight plots to dethrone or kill him in the first six years of his reign. Henry had not always been so unpopular. The son of John of Gaunt, he was courteous, confident, well-educated, musical and spiritually fervent. In 1399, at the age of thirty-two, he was enthusiastically greeted as the saviour of the realm when he ousted from power the insecure and tyrannical King Richard II.

Therein lay Henryâ€™s weakness. By making himself King he had broken Godâ€™s law and left himself starkly open to criticism. Enemies everywhere tried to take advantage of his questionable right to the crown. Such overwhelming threats transformed him from a hero into a duplicitous murderer: a king prepared to go to any lengths to save his family and his throne.

But against all the odds, what Henry achieved was to take a poorly ruled nation, establish a new Lancastrian dynasty, and introduce the principle that a king must act in accordance with Parliament. He might not have been the most glorious king England ever had, but he was one of the bravest, and certainly the greatest survivor of them all.

From the Hardcover edition.
Country USA
Brand Vintage
Manufacturer Vintage Books
Binding Paperback
ItemPartNumber 9781844135295
Model 9781844135295
ReleaseDate 2008-08-05
UnitCount 1
Format International Edition
EANs 9781844135295

Country	USA
Brand	Vintage
Manufacturer	Vintage Books
Binding	Paperback
ItemPartNumber	9781844135295
Model	9781844135295
ReleaseDate	2008-08-05
UnitCount	1
Format	International Edition
EANs	9781844135295

The Fears of Henry IV: The Life of England's Self-Made King

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