Best Kings of the Middle Ages

Henry II. Richard I. Edward I. Edward III. Henry V. Five men seen as success storiesof Medieval English kingship. Three inherited tarnished crowns and restored theirglory. Legal reformers and warriors, they ruled over widespread lands for decades,upholding justice, expanding their authority and changing their realms. Two othersare the most famous of warrior kings, their short reigns encompassing crusades andlegendary victories. Contemporary writers often waxed lyrical about them as ideals ofkingship. Many modern writers have been similarly enthusiastic. Is this justified? Alongside the story of success are other narratives, ones showingthese kings in a more ambiguous light. We have the murder of archbishops, themassacre and expulsion of religious minorities, actions in battles and sieges, whichtoday we would see as war crimes. Claims for their greatness sit uneasily with darkermoments and legacies which challenge how we approach their reputations today. This book looks at the lives of these kings and how those reputations have beenshaped across the centuries, from medieval contemporaries to the modern day, inboth history and fiction. Having weighed the evidence, it seeks to determine theanswer to the question: were these really great kings, the best monarchs of theMiddle Ages?