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Wars of the Roses (Hardback)

The People, Places and Battlefields of the Yorkists and Lancastrians

Military > Frontline Books > Frontline: Medieval History Military > Pre-WWI > Wars of the Roses P&S History > British History > Tudors & Stuarts P&S History > By Century > 15th Century P&S History > Medieval World > Medieval History P&S History > Social History World History > UK & Ireland > England > Yorkshire & Humberside

By Paul Kendall
Frontline Books
Pages: 224
Illustrations: 100 b&w integrated
ISBN: 9781399097512
Published: 3rd February 2023

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The Wars of the Roses, which saw England and Wales ravaged by warfare for three decades and dynasties rise and fall, decimated the nobility of an entire generation, and saw the rise of the merchant class, the decline of medieval feudalism and opened the country to the enlightened ideals of the Renaissance. Such has been its lasting effects the red and white rose of the Tudors is still a national symbol.

This book is an exploration of the buildings, monuments, towns and battlefields of that turbulent era across both England and Wales – places that can still be visited and experienced today. The stories of the great battles of St Albans, Stoke Field, Wakefield, Towton, Barnet, Tewksbury and, of course, Bosworth, are told along with beautiful photographs to help guide the reader round these important sites, as well as the dozens of smaller engagements where the supporters of the Houses of York and Lancaster fought and died.

Here are castles and manor houses galore, all of which played their part in this protracted struggle for the throne of England, such as Richard of York’s imposing powerbase of Ludlow Castle and the magnificent Tudor stronghold of Bamburg. These are compared with the scant remains of Fotheringhay Castle, the birthplace of Richard III – the man whose remains were so dramatically uncovered in Leicester – and Micklegate Bar, York, was where Richard’s head was placed on a spike.

We see the Clocktower of St Albans and ‘Gabriel’ the bell that was rung in 1455 alerting of the Yorkist advance, as well as the Tower of London where Henry VI met his death and the possible burial place of the two princes.

These, and scores of other places, monuments, plaques, buildings and battlegrounds, represent not only a journey across England and Wales, but a journey back in time to the bloody conflict that was the War of the Roses.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

This book is definitely one for Tudor lovers, it is not a period In history which interested me but I found Paul Kendalls' writing to be clear, factual and easily read. Great illustrations and easy narrative gives an interesting insight into the Tudors. He knows his subject and this publication is an excellent example of good historical writing. Highly recommended.

NetGalley, Carol Elizabeth Keogh

Overall, a very enjoyable and accessible read; loved the balance of text and images which worked really well.

Read the Full Review Here

Tudor Blogger

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

I thought that this book was excellent and it was a perfect introduction and guide to the Wars of the Roses and what was quite often a tumultuous period in history.

Living less than 10 miles from the location that was reported to have been where the Battle of Bosworth Field took place, the period of the Wars of the Roses, as it is now known has always been one that intrigued me.

I was delighted to find that I had been lucky enough to visit quite a few of the places that were mentioned in the book, and I have added a fair few more to the lists of places to visit in the future too, I do travel quite a bit now with work and Wakefield is one of the locations I have to go so that was first on the list.

I loved the layout of the book; the chapters are punchy and generally between 2 and 4 pages for each topic. The chapters are full of facts and important details, and they give a great summary.

I love that there are so many illustrations and images in the book, there is a mix of older illustrations and new images of what some of the locations look like now. These really are needed in a book like this and this one is a brilliant guide to the sites and locations of where the key events took place.

It is 5 stars from me for this one, very highly recommended

NetGalley, Donna Maguire

A brilliant and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and academic library English History collections, "Wars of the Roses: The People, Places and Battlefields of the Yorkists and Lancastrians" is an ideal resource for planning travel itineraries for anyone with an interest in the history and surviving monuments associated with the era and personalities associated with the War of the Roses. Profusely illustrated throughout with black-and-white photography, it should be noted for personal reading lists of academia and non-specialist general readers alike that "Wars of the Roses: The People, Places and Battlefields of the Yorkists and Lancastrians" is also readily available in a digital book format.

Read the full review here

Midwest Book Review

A great book and I’ve learnt so much from it. I would highly recommend this book to anyone.

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The History Fella

As the title suggests, Kendall visits just about all the places you can think of related to this fascinating conflict, and that can only add to your depth of understanding and appreciation for who did what to whom and where, which you can bring to your armies tabletop.

Wargames Illustrated Feb 2023 Issue 442

As featured in

The Bookseller, Jan 23

I think it had to be destiny the one that made me read this book at the time that I did.
After years of researching and reading about Henry VIII's reign and wives, I was at a point where I found myself yearning for knowledge about the wars that had put him on the throne.
Problem was that most of the documentaries and books can be a bit confusing due to the fact that most of the people mentioned share names.
But then I got the chance to read Paul Kendall's book and it helped to put everything in order and make it make sense.
Paul has an understandable way of talking about very complicated and confusing events. The chapters are short, which makes it very digestible, and it includes lots of pictures to illustrate and understand what's being explained.

I'd recommend this to everyone that's starting to learn about the Wars of the Roses.

Loved it.

NetGalley, Sira Barbeito

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

For those who are fans of the Wars of the Roses - this is a must read! Paul Kendall takes us on a journey through the key players, locations, and so much more! This book contains amazing details, and some pretty fabulous illustrations as well.
I look forward to seeing this book in print!

NetGalley, Rebecca Hill

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

This book is a detailed account of the infrastructure surrounding so many of the historical events and people of an interesting time in England. I found it gave great context to what I have already read and added real colour and “life” to my understanding of the time. The information on Richard III was particularly fascinating, given the relatively recent discovery of his remains, I think this is an important addition to the library of anyone interested in this period.

NetGalley, Louise Gray

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

The illustrations attached to each chapter give a brilliant visual to the span of the War of the Roses. They allow the reader to become fully immersed in that part of history. It has a textbook like feel and would be a great addition to any history class studying this time period.

NetGalley, Stephanie Peterson

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

A wonderful book for any history lover. The War of the Roses is complicated to follow, but this book is written in a way that engages the reader and makes the players in the war easy to follow and remember. A must for any Tudor history fan.

NetGalley, Stacy Mawhorter

About Paul Kendall

Educated at Queen Mary and Westfield College, University of London, where he also served as an Honorary Midshipman with the University of London Royal Naval Unit, PAUL KENDALL is a military historian and author from Kent specialising in the First World War.

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