Henry V: The Astonishing Triumph of England's Greatest Warrior King

4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars | 381 ratings

Price: 19.69

Last update: 12-23-2024


About this item

"Ambitious... With meticulous research and in lively style, Jones presents us with the man beyond the Shakespeare character."—The New York Times

“The best biography yet of England’s greatest king."—Simon Sebag Montefiore, author of The Romanovs and Jerusalem

The New York Times bestselling author returns with a biography examining the dramatic life and unparalleled leadership of England's greatest medieval king

Henry V reigned over England for only nine years and four months and died at the age of just thirty-five, but he looms over the landscape of the late Middle Ages and beyond. The victor of Agincourt, he is remembered as the acme of kingship, a model to be closely imitated by his successors. William Shakespeare deployed Henry V as a study in youthful folly redirected to sober statesmanship. For one modern medievalist, Henry was, quite simply, “the greatest man who ever ruled England.”

For Dan Jones, Henry V is one of the most intriguing characters in all medieval history, but one of the hardest to pin down. He was a hardened, sometimes brutal warrior, yet he was also creative and artistic, with a bookish temperament. He was a leader who made many mistakes, who misjudged his friends and family, but he always seemed to triumph when it mattered. As king, he saved a shattered country from economic ruin, put down rebellions, and secured England’s borders; in foreign diplomacy, he made England a serious player once more. Yet through his conquests in northern France, he sowed the seeds for three generations of calamity at home, in the form of the Wars of the Roses.

Henry V is a historical titan whose legacy has become a complicated one. To understand the man behind the legend, Jones first examines Henry’s years of apprenticeship, when he saw the downfall of one king and the turbulent reign of another. Upon his accession in 1413, he had already been politically and militarily active for years, and his extraordinary achievements as king would come shortly after, earning him an unparalleled historical reputation. Writing with his characteristic wit and style, Jones delivers a thrilling and unmissable life of England’s greatest king.


Top reviews from the United States

Brian Lewis
5.0 out of 5 stars Britain's Warrior King
Reviewed in the United States on November 4, 2024
This nuanced biography of Henry V, the hero of Agincourt, is both lively and well researched, which in my experience is an unusual combination. Much of it was new information for me, an American with a sketchy knowledge of British history, although I do recall reading Shakespeare's play about Henry V in college. This author, Dan Jones, makes something of an issue about his biography being a fuller view of Henry V than the one provided by the Bard, but of course this is a biography and that was a play.

This is a "cradle to grave" biography that follows Henry V chronologically through his life, or as Shakespeare would have it, from the rascal Hal to the warrior king. For me, the second half of the book, once Henry is king, is very much superior, but the entire story is well told and moves along swiftly.

Perhaps that is because of the author's unusual decision to write the entire book in the present tense. Henry fights, pleads, marches, leads, etc. I have seen this technique fail before, but it works here.

The author offers a very positive overall view of Henry V, clearly regarding him as a hero, but he also points out problems with his legacy, especially noting the execution of surrendered French prisoners after Agincourt.

This is the first book of Jones' that I have read, but he is a highly acclaimed popular English historian and it is easy to see why. Highly recommended.
Leonard DePoe
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read
Reviewed in the United States on December 4, 2024
Informative and pleasurable
Norm katz
4.0 out of 5 stars A King doing his most important duty, defending his country.
Reviewed in the United States on October 28, 2024
Hard not to root for Henry protecting his country. He took his responsibility seriously The duty of a King in the time of Henry V was primarily to protect the country he led. He developed the skills making him a Warrior King. The biography reads like an adventure story that Is hard to put down.
Someone who reads a lot
5.0 out of 5 stars An indispensible work.
Reviewed in the United States on November 18, 2024
This biography of Henry V is a fun, highly readable, thoroughly engaging masterwork. Loved every word of it!
World Traveler and his thoughts
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book by Dan Jones! If you like history, he makes it interesting
Reviewed in the United States on November 21, 2024
This is one of my many books of his that I have read and found it very interesting. Tried to read other Henry V biographies nad were a bit slow, but not this one. Kept me interested the entirety of the book and only paused for a light breather from heavy history. Doesn’t do much interpretation in the view of present thoughts or morals, but make the reader feel the actions in the morals and views of the age. Well worth reading!
Galla
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent and absorbing biography
Reviewed in the United States on October 28, 2024
Jones is an entertaining writer as well as historian, and this biography of Henry V is excellent. That being said, and despite the gifts of Shakespeare, Olivier and Branagh, my basic opinión of Henry hasn't changed all that much. I always thought of him as a more refined versión of Richard I, both warriors intent on glory and conquest with not much concern for how just much their expensive exploits cost England. Jones does make clear, though, that Henry was very much an English king with years of experience dealing with parliaments, taxation, and uncooperative, even treasonous noblemen, like Hotspur Percy. Richard left everything to his mother; at least, Henry was directly involved in raising his armies and the necessary funds to pay for them.
Richard was a crusader, caught up in the challenge to safeguard the Holy Land. Henry wanted to get back the lands in Normandy and the south of France which had belonged to his Angevin ancestors, an understandable goal. What is a bit hard to accept was his desire for the French crown. At least Edward III based his claim on the fact that his mother's father was the king. Henry's claim was based on the same French princess, his great great grandmother. But Henry did what a medieval king was expected to do and he did it well. It is sad and ironic that this great warrior king did not die in battle or of his wounds, but of dysentery.
The details about the logistics of amassing the armies and the necessary arms and supplies are very interesting, even a bit mind boggling when the reader considers that roads were bad, and means of transportation were limited to wagons, oxen and horses, or wooden ships dependent on sails. The battles and sieges are well described. Jones use of the present tense adds immediacy. One of the most heart-rending descriptions is that of women, children, babies and the elderly left to ie in the ditches during on long siege. The French soldiers kicked them out of the city and the English refused to help them. Not much seems to have changed in warfare as to just who suffers most.
Randy Cook
4.0 out of 5 stars One king to rule them
Reviewed in the United States on November 21, 2024
‘Henry V’ is a very good biography of the 15th century king of England. Son of Henry of Bolingbroke was in the House of Lancaster. In 1398, Richard II exiled Henry V’s father and took Henry V under his care. Henry V was treated well by Richard II. A year later Henry V’s father returned to England and usurped the throne, sending Richard II to prison and eventually his death.

When his father took the throne, Henry was assigned the duties of High Sheriff of Cornwall. Henry V also led attacks on the Welsh leader Owain Glyndwr. Henry V also fought against Henry Percy and during the Battle of Shrewsbury was wounded by an arrow to the face. Henry V continued to fight Owain Glyndwr until 1408, when his father’s health forced him to take a larger role in the country’s politics. This would lead to Henry V’s reign as the king of England. His ambitions led him to fight and win large areas of France.

Dan Jones does a great job in showing us all sides of Henry V. What his personality was like and how his journey into manhood shaped his reign. History can look at these past characters in a harsh way. Weighing them against today’s standards. This would paint Henry V as a war mongerer. It is also too easy to romanticize Henry V into a charismatic king and warrior. The reality is probably somewhere in the middle. The times were more violent and Henry saw an opportunity to expand his rule while France was fighting a civil war. This was a very interesting and entertaining read. Enjoy!
Jack
5.0 out of 5 stars Insightful and informative, yet incredibly easy to read and endlessly entertaining!
Reviewed in the United States on October 17, 2024
Dan Jones does it again! A fantastically insightful and interesting read that is exceptionally difficult to put down. It’s not dry or hard to consume like some works of history, and makes you enjoy being educated on one of the more fascinating individuals in medieval history.

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