The Eagle and the Hart - The Tragedy of Richard II and Henry IV

Yet, as the animals on their heraldic badges showed, they grew up to be opposites: Richard was the white hart, a thin-skinned narcissist, and Henry the eagle, a chivalric hero, a leader who inspired loyalty where Richard inspired only fear. Henry had all the qualities Richard lacked, all the qualities a sovereign needed, bar one: birth right. Increasingly threatened by his charismatic cousin, Richard became consumed by the need for total power, in a time of constant conspiracies, rebellions and reprisals. When he banished Henry into exile, the stage was set for a final confrontation, as the hart became the tyrant and the eagle his usurper.

Helen Castor tells this story of one of the strangest and most fateful relationships in English history. It is a story about power, and masculinity in crisis, and a nation brought to the brink of catastrophe and disintegration - and then brought back. At its heart, it is the story of two men whose lives were played out in extraordinary parallel, to devastating effect.<>

Product details

• Authors: Helen Castor, Castor Helen
• Publisher: Allen Lane
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 05.10.2023
• EAN: 9780241419328
• ISBN: 978-0-241-41932-8
• No. of pages: 688
• Dimensions: 163 mm x 242 mm x 42 mm
• Subjects: Non-fiction book > Philosophy, religion > Biographies, autobiographies; England, BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Historical, BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Royalty, Biography: royalty, Early 15th century c 1400 to c 1450, Later 14th century c 1350 to c 1399, Biography: historical, political and military, European history: medieval period, middle ages, HISTORY / Europe / Medieval