Henry V: The Astonishing Rise of England's Greatest Warrior King by Dan Jones

One of the most famous Medieval kings famed for his victory at the Battle of Agincourt and the wonderful play by William Shakespeare, Henry V is certainly a colourful character. Mix his biography with the arresting writing of historian Dan Jones, it is an exciting prospect. Win-win.

It is a bit of a cliche (yes, I have said this, too) but Jones can make a factual book read like a novel. One way he does this is to use the present tense, a strategy I have not read in a biography. And it works. In part, the successful Medieval monarchs were very skilled in the arts, languages and the intricacies of politics and warfare, therefore they are very interesting to read about. However, I have read so many books on the Plantagenets (Henry V's family) and other Medieval kings, and this book is more akin to Shakespeare than the textbooks. That is not being dismissive of any of the information Jones has researched: this book is an exciting read and I was eager to carry on reading it.

The book naturally follows the chronology of Henry's life, indicating the influence his family has on his upbringing with his remarkably creative mother. It gives a lot of insight to the conditions of life then during the fourteenth century as well as the political situations in England and France. Further along during his military campaigns we learn how the Hundred Years War continued and how Henry helped turn England into the greatest power in Medieval Europe.

Throughout this, Jones makes detailed accounts of battles and conditions of the times without any dry informations dumps. Always engaging, we also see Henry as a human being as well as a warrior, so the complete character is formed. It makes a thrilling read, turns history into a witty and appealing genre and makes a warrior king into something more than the wayward youth from Shakespeare or the bloodthirsty leader at Agincourt.

Dan Jones is the modern historian. He writes for people who previously had no interest in history. And that can't be bad.

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Published by Apollo on 12 September 2024.
​Advance review copy supplied by the publisher.

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