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In search of Henrys IV, V and VI

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diamondlil
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In search of Henrys IV, V and VI

Post by diamondlil » Sat October 3rd, 2009, 10:02 pm

Recently HT was asked for recommendations of books about Henry IV, V and VI, and I have to say I was very surprised by how few there appear to be. I have spent time at Historicalnovels.info, and the list is still very short.

One of the reasons ths surprised me is that there were some pretty major events during these reigns, especially Agincourt.

Anyone know of any books about any of these kings?

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Chatterbox
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Post by Chatterbox » Sat October 3rd, 2009, 10:13 pm

Henry IV -- well, there is Brian Wainwright's Within the Fetterlock.

Also Edith Pargeter, a Bloody Field by Shrewsbury, which combines Henry IV and V.

I know there's some plagiarism controversy around these titles, but Martha Rofheart has Cry God for Harry, and Cry God for Glendower.

On Henry V, there are a few books focusing on Catherine de Valois that also deal with Henry V and VI. The new book by Vanora Bennett, Blood Royal, also Hilda Lewis, Wife to Henry V.

Jean Plaidy has a few books in her Plantagenet series devoted to this era. Epitaph for Three Women deals with Henry VI's minority, then Red Rose of Anjou with Margaret of Anjou. The STar of Lancaster deals with Henry IV. I"m not aware of any book that deals directly with Henry VI (a hard subject, let's face it), other than one for children by Hilda Lewis, Here Comes Harry.

G.A. Henty wrote one about Henry V, in part -- At Agincourt. (Then there is Cornwell's new book about the same battle.)

At least one of Juliet Dymoke's books is set during this era -- the one about Humphrey of Gloucester. Ditto Hilda Lewis's I, Jacqueline. None deal directly with the three Henrys, however.

That's all I can come up with for now...

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Miss Moppet
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Post by Miss Moppet » Sat October 3rd, 2009, 10:52 pm

[quote=""Chatterbox""]

On Henry V, there are a few books focusing on Catherine de Valois that also deal with Henry V and VI. The new book by Vanora Bennett, Blood Royal, also Hilda Lewis, Wife to Henry V.
[/quote]

Another Catherine of Valois book: Rosemary Hawley Jarman, Crown in Candlelight.

Susan Howatch's The Wheel of Fortune deals with Henry IV and Henry V, but the whole story is transposed to C20 Wales, so I don't know if that counts or not. It is a good read though.

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MLE (Emily Cotton)
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Post by MLE (Emily Cotton) » Sat October 3rd, 2009, 10:54 pm

I read one on Henry V some years ago titled Fortune Made His Sword. And even longer ago, a novel called Henry of Monmouth. (I hope I remember the title right.) It was written something in the style of Margaret Campbell Barnes.
edited -- I checked bookfinder, and the author of the former is Martha Rofheart.
The latter has a lot of possibilities, all written before the turn of the last century, but I'd bet it was the one by Josephine Sawyer titled Every Inch a King.
Last edited by MLE (Emily Cotton) on Sat October 3rd, 2009, 11:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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boswellbaxter
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Post by boswellbaxter » Sun October 4th, 2009, 12:04 am

For Henry V, there's Denise Giordana's Good King Harry (my husband recently read this one and liked the second part better than the first) and Brenda Clarke (Brenda Honeyman's) Harry the King.

I can't think of a book where Henry VI is the main character; he mostly appears in books about Margaret of Anjou.
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Tanzanite
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Post by Tanzanite » Sun October 4th, 2009, 12:11 am

Some of these are older/out of print books:

Henry V:
Royal Sword at Agincourt - Pamela Bennetts
Good King Harry - Diane Giardina
My Lord John - Georgette Heyer (about his brother - Duke of Bedford I think)
The Warrior King - Brenda Honeyman

annis
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Post by annis » Sun October 4th, 2009, 4:08 am

I'm pretty sure that "Fortune Made His Sword" by Martha Rofheart is another title for "Cry God for Harry". Rofheart's novel apparently ran into trouble with claims of plagiarism from the novel "Owen Glendower" , by John Cowper Powys.

Henry V makes an appearance in Bernard Cornwell's 'Agincourt", though he is not a major character.
Last edited by annis on Sun October 4th, 2009, 4:13 am, edited 2 times in total.

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Jack
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Post by Jack » Sun October 4th, 2009, 5:55 pm

By far my favorite Henry V book is A.M. Maughan's HARRY OF MONMOUTH. It's an op work from the 50's, but you can usually find a copy on amazon for a dollar or two.

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MLE (Emily Cotton)
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Interest in HF: started in childhood with the classics, which, IMHO are HF even if they were contemporary when written.
Favourite HF book: Prince of Foxes, by Samuel Shellabarger
Preferred HF: Currently prefer 1600 and earlier, but I'll read anything that keeps me turning the page.
Location: California Bay Area

Post by MLE (Emily Cotton) » Sun October 4th, 2009, 7:47 pm

Harry of Monmouth! that's the one I was referring to. And I still remember what's in it, after 40 years.

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sweetpotatoboy
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Post by sweetpotatoboy » Sun October 4th, 2009, 8:43 pm

In addition to those already mentioned, the "Historical Figures in Fiction" book also lists:

Henry IV

Howard Pyle - Men of Iron (YA)

Henry V

Pamela Bennetts - Royal Sword at Agincourt
PC Doherty - The Whyte Harte
Dorothy VS Jackson - Walk With Peril
Maureen Peters - Seven for St Crispin's Day

Henry VI

Hilda Lewis - Here Comes Harry (YA)
Freda M Long - The Coveted Crown

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