Product Description

During the fifteenth century England was split in a bloody conflict between the Houses of York and Lancaster over who should claim the crown. The civil wars consumed the whole nation in a series of battles that eventually saw the Tudor dynasty take power. In "A Brief History of the Wars of the Roses", Desmond Seward tells the story of this complex and dangerous period of history through the lives of five men and women who experienced the conflict first hand. In a gripping narrative, the personal trials of the principal characters interweave with the major events and personalities of one of the most significant turning points in British history.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #70104 in Books
• Published on: 2007-08-30
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 400 pages

Review
"A brilliant study of the period. Rich in historical detail, yet passionately written, the smell of battle seems to linger on the page.' Yorkshire Post 'It is hard to imagine a historian more in command of his subject... The result is history as compelling as any novel' Independent 'This is a splendidly and vividly written book.' Evening Standard"

About the Author
Desmond Seward is one of the leading historians of the English Middle Ages. He is the author of a Brief History of the Hundred Years War as well as the recent biography of Savonarola.

Customer Reviews

A very enjoyable read
The problem with the subject of the Wars of the Roses is that it is so complex. A period of 30 tumultuous years, various battles, revolts, changes of monarch can leave the reader feeling bored and completely unsure as to exactly what is going on. Fortunately, this book is a gem. The author gives us a fast pace and entertaining piece of narrative. The big players are all there (Henry VI, Edward IV, Warwick the Kingmaker, Richard III etc)but as there are so many big players, the author effectively presents the facts by following the lives of five eye-witnesses and pulling all the threads of the WOTR together. There are so many Edward's, John's, and Elizabeth's in this book that one could easily become confused but the author solves this problem by providing a quick and easy 'whos who?' section at the beginning of the book-it is therefore easy to clarify any ambiguity. I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it to others.

Review for Brief History of the Wars of the roses
Really enjoyable read covering all the main points in the war in suffficient detali to give a good understanding of all the characters and issues involved. I particularly liked the reference to important buildings and places from that time that still exist today.