Plantagenet Encyclopedia : An Alphabetic Guide to 400 Years of English History

Rating:
Summary: Very interesting.
Review: I did not know much about the Plantagenet era before I read this book. It all seemed like a messy period that was plagued by wars and murders. This book made it easier to understand what happened between 1154 and 1485. A family tree in the beginning of the the book makes it easier to find out who is related to who.

Some very famous people were among the members of the Plantagenet family: I guess, most people remember Richard Lionheart and John Lackland from the saga of 'Robin Hood' while Edward I and Edward II were portrayed in Mel Gibson's film 'Braveheart'. (I realize that not everything in 'Robin Hood' and 'Braveheart' is correct.)

Other famous members of the Plantagenet dynasty were Richard III who many believe murdered his two young nephews, Henry V who had to struggle with Joan of Arc, and Edward, the Black Prince who is mentioned in 'A Knight's Tale'. You can read about all these people as well as many others in this book. There is also information about places and issues that were important during this era of time. I found it interesting to read about how the Jews were treated by the Plantagenet kings. Other interesting topics were the Crusades, Egypt, Joan of Arc and Margaret, the Maid of Norway.

I highly recommend this book. It is informative, has a good structure and it is easy to read. The many drawings and photographs make it even more interesting.