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In this widely acclaimed biography, Bertram Wolffe challenges the traditional view of Henry VI as an unworldly, innocent, and saintly monarch and offers instead a finely drawn but critical portrait of an ineffectual ruler. Drawing on widespread contemporary evidence, Wolffe describes the failures of Henry's long reign from 1422 to 1471, which included the collapse of justice, the loss of the French territories, and the final disintegration of his government. He argues that the posthumous show more cult of Henry was promoted by Henry VII as a way of excusing his uncle's political failures while enhancing the image of the dynasty. This edition includes a new foreword by John Watts that discusses the book and its place in the evolving literature.Reviews of the earlier edition:"A brilliant biography that brings us as near as we are ever likely to come to this elusive personality."-Sunday Times (London)"A powerful, compulsively readable portrait."-Observer? "Much learning, skillfully deployed as here, evokes pleasure as well as admiration."-R.L. Storey, Times Literary Supplement show lessTags
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Author Information
4 Works 137 Members
The late Bertram Wolffe was reader in medieval history at Exeter University.
Series
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- Henry VI
- Original publication date
- 1981 (first edition) (first edition); 2001 (Yale edition with new foreword by John L. Watts) (Yale edition with new foreword by John L. Watts)
- People/Characters
- Henry VI, King of England; Margaret of Anjou; Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester; Eleanor Cobham, Duchess of Gloucester; Richard Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick; Edmund Beaufort, Duke of Somerset (show all 17); Henry Beaufort (Bishop of Winchester, Cardinal Beaufort); Charles VII, King of France; Edward IV, King of England; Edward, Prince of Wales, son of Henry VI; Henry V, King of England; John, Duke of Bedford; Adam Moleyns, Bishop of Chichester; Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick (Warwick the Kingmaker); Richard Neville, Earl of Salisbury; William de la Pole, 1st Duke of Suffolk; Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York
- Important places
- Calais, Pas-de-Calais, Hauts-de-France, France; Eton, Berkshire, England, UK; London, England, UK; St. Albans, Hertfordshire, England, UK; Westminster, London, England, UK
- Important events
- Hundred Years' War (1337 | 1453); Wars of the Roses (1455 | 1485); First Battle of St. Albans (1455-05-22)
- Dedication
- To my mother
- First words
- Chapter 1: The Myth of the Royal Saint -- Of all the adult kings from Richard II to Henry VII who cross the stage in Shakespeare's historical plays, Henry VI alone has yet to receive a comprehensive modern biography.
Foreword to the Yale edition by John L. Watts -- In a poem, apparently from the early 1460s, the deposed King Henry VI is depicted wandering in the wild places of his realm and lamenting his fate.
Classifications
- Genres
- History, Nonfiction, Biography & Memoir, General Nonfiction
- DDC/MDS
- 942.04 — History & geography History of Europe England and Wales England Lancaster and York 1400-85
- LCC
- DA257 .W64 — History of Europe, Asia, Africa and Oceania Great Britain History of Great Britain England History By period Early and medieval to 1485 1154-1485. Angevins. Plantagenets.
- BISAC
Statistics
- Members
- 111
- Popularity
- 296,023
- Rating
- (3.75)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 4
- ASINs
- 1
