Harry of England

The History of Eight Kings, From Henry I to Henry VIII

Teresa Cole

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English

Amberley Publishing
15 November 2024

History; British & Irish history; Medieval history; Early modern history: c 1450 to c 1700

Eight kings of England were named Henry. Of these, only two, the third and the sixth, were born as heirs to the throne, and these proved to be the weakest. Two others seized the crown by force of arms, one by craft and opportunistic speed, and one by skilful diplomacy and an early flowering of that great British virtue, compromise. Among their number are saints and monsters, the best known and the least known of English kings. One was a storybook hero, leading an army to triumph against overwhelming odds. Another sat out a battle, singing to himself and playing with his fingers while the arrows flew. Half of them have been accused of murder, though in general the actual killings were carried out by others.

When we look at the contribution made by the eight kings of that name, we find it underpins almost every aspect of our nation and its institutions. To the first two we owe our legal system and department of finance, to the third, intentionally or otherwise, the origins of our parliament. The fifth decreed the widespread use of English in official documents, leading to dramatic developments in that language. The seventh curbed the power of the nobility and sponsored a transatlantic link that has endured to the present day. The eighth, again arguably unintentionally, brought into being the Church of England. Between them, these English monarchs represent every possible shade of kingship, and each in his own time was 'Harry of England'.

By: Teresa Cole
Imprint: Amberley Publishing
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 198mm, Width: 129mm,
Weight: 240g
ISBN: 9781398122581
ISBN 10: 1398122580
Pages: 288
Publication Date: 15 November 2024
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Teresa Cole was a teacher for many years before turning to writing. She is the author of Henry V: The Life of the Warrior King & the Battle of Agincourt 1415 (“Cole understands the importance of drama … a thorough account of Henry’s life” – History of War Magazine), and three books about the Normans – The Norman Conquest: William the Conqueror’s Subjugation of England, After the Conquest: The Divided Realm 1066-1135, and Anarchy: The Darkest Days of Medieval England. In a new departure, her latest book, Harry of England, looks at the lives and achievements of the eight kings of England who have borne the name Henry.

Reviews for Harry of England: The History of Eight Kings, From Henry I to Henry VIII

'If you want an excellent book that gives you an introductory course into the English kings named Henry, I would recommend 'Harry of England' by Teresa Cole.' -- Adventures of a Tudor Nerd, May 2022 'Engaging and detailed.' -- Family Tree Magazine, July 2022 'I thoroughly enjoyed this. To condense eight turbulent reigns in a little under 300 pages is a difficult task, but Teresa Cole has done an admirable job.' -- Pilling's Writing Corner, April 2022 'This is a book you can dip in to at any page and find something interesting. Highly recommended.' -- The Writing Desk, April 2022.