Bradford, Phil The Best Kings of the Middle Ages

Success Stories of English Kingship in History and Their Legacy

Henry II, Richard I, Edward I, Edward III and Henry V five men who are considered success stories of medieval English kingship. Three of them inherited weakened crowns and restored their glory. As legal reformers and warriors, they ruled over vast territories for decades, championed justice, expanded their power and transformed their empires. The other two are the most famous warrior kings, whose short reigns were marked by crusades and legendary victories. Contemporary writers often raved about them as ideals of kingship. Many modern writers are similarly enthusiastic. Is this justified? Alongside the success stories, there are other narratives that show these kings in a more ambivalent light. There are the murders of archbishops, the massacres and expulsion of religious minorities, actions in battles and sieges that we would today consider war crimes. The claims of their greatness are at odds with the dark moments and legacies that challenge our modern view of their reputations. This book examines the lives of these kings and how their reputations have been shaped over the centuries, from medieval contemporaries to modern times, in both history and fiction. After weighing the evidence, it attempts to answer the question: were these truly great kings, the best monarchs of the Middle Ages?