Henry VI & Margaret of Anjou: A Marriage of Unequals

Amy Licence

жні 2018 · Pen and Sword History

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“An illuminating and entertaining read . . . an analytical assessment of the two figures who led the Lancastrian faction during the Wars of the Roses.” —History . . . The Interesting Bits!

He became king before his first birthday, inheriting a vast empire from his military hero father; she was the daughter of a king without power, who made an unexpected marriage at the age of fifteen. Almost completely opposite in character, together they formed an unlikely but complimentary partnership.

Henry VI and Margaret of Anjou have become famous as the Lancastrian king and queen who were deposed during the Wars of the Roses but there is so much more to their story. The political narrative of their years together is a tale of twists and turns, encompassing incredible highs, when they came close to fulfilling their desires, and terrible, heart-breaking lows. Personally, their story is an intriguing one that raises may questions. Henry was a complex, misunderstood man, enlightened and unsuited to his times and the pressures of kingship. In the end, overcome by fortune and the sheer determination of their enemies, their alliance collapsed. England simply wasn’t ready for a gentle king like Henry, or woman like Margaret who defied contemporary stereotypes of gender and queenship.

History has been a harsh judge to this royal couple. In this discerning dual biography, Amy Licence leads the way in a long-overdue re-evaluation of their characters and contributions during a tumultuous and defining period of British history.

“A delight to read . . . A fresh new look at this power couple.” —Adventures of a Tudor Nerd

Звесткі пра аўтара

AMY LICENCE is a best-selling author and historian of the medieval and early modern period, specializing in the lives of women, from queens to commoners. Amy has written for The Guardian, The Times Literary Supplement, The New Statesman, BBC History, The English Review, The Huffington Post, The London Magazine and other places. She has been interviewed regularly for BBC radio, including Woman's Hour, and appeared in Philippa Gregory's BBC2 documentary The Real White Queen and Her Rivals in 2013 and Yesterday Channel's Private Lives of the Tudors in 2016. Her website can be found at amylicence.weebly.com