Henry V as Warlord (Classic Military History) [Paperback]

Desmond Seward (Author)

Book Description

Series: Classic Military History | Publication Date: January 29, 2002

In Henry V as Warlord, acclaimed historian Desmond Seward sweeps away the myths and idolatry of Henry V to reveal a cruel, intolerant bigot who thirsted for victory at any cost. Seward shows the ruthlessness of the man who called himself "the scourge of God" when reproached for a massacre; exploited the dormant Hundred Years War for his own gains; and committed atrocities in battle. Henry V's blind ambition arose from his determination to prove his tenuous claim to the throne of England, which his father had usurped. Here, Seward argues that Henry V created a deep distrust between France and England that has lasted to this day.

"With precision, wit, and remarkable clarity, [Seward] chronicles the entwined lives of these 'half-savage squireens, scarcely more than peasants with coats of arms' through an all but unbelieveable saga of vanity, stupidity, and mindless greed." (The Washington Post Book World)

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Desmond Seward is a highly regarded historian of the late Middle Ages.

Product Details

• Paperback: 280 pages
• Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics) (January 29, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0141390581
• ISBN-13: 978-0141390581
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,887,359 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Revisionism, February 12, 2002

By 

R. Albin (Ann Arbor, Michigan United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Henry V as Warlord (Classic Military History) (Paperback)

Shakespeare's Henry V forms the basis for most people's impression of this monarch. This remarkably effective piece of propaganda presents Henry as an inexperienced and brave young man with a number of attractive features. In this fine book, Desmond Seward presents a realistic picture of Henry V that is quite different from the Henry in Shakespeare. While Henry came to the throne at a young age, he was already an experienced commander and administrator. His skills had been developed in the rather vicious politics of contemporary England and by the leading role he played in subduing rebellion in Wales. Based on a careful reading of sources and his extensive knowledge of Medieval Europe, Seward presents Henry as an unusually capable and ruthless leader bent on consolidating royal authority in England and conquering France. Seward's well justified analysis of Henry's motivations are based on Henry's insecurity over his claim to the throne, which had been usurped by his father. Seward infers that the undoubtedly pious Henry regarded his attempt to conquer France as a trial by God over the issue of the legitimacy of his crown. Henry's successes then were sanction of his efforts to conquer France and his right to occupy the throne of England. This book provides fine narrative of Henry's life as a soldier and campaigner. Seward's descriptions of Medieval warfare and politics are excellent. He addresses well why a small and relatively sparsely populated country like England could do so well in combat against the French. Seward addresses also the question of why the English presence proved to evanescent. My only complaint with this book is that it did not cover other aspects of Henry's life. This is not entirely fair as Seward aimed at covering Henry's life as a attempted conquerer and he achieves his aims easily. This is not an attempt at a comprehensive biography. Seward's intelligent treatment of these aspects of Henry's life makes me wish he had attempted a broader book.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Pretty good study....., January 11, 2004

By 

lordhoot "lordhoot" (Anchorage, Alaska USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Henry V as Warlord (Classic Military History) (Paperback)

... Desmond Seward's book does much to clear the myth about Henry V from the theater and movie images but as the title of the book suggested, Henry V was a warlord and a pretty good as that. I enjoyed reading this book, clearly written, neatly on focus as Seward does not spread himself too thin and kept his eye on the military aspect of Henry V's career. That was his purpose for the book, wasn't it? The book revealed that Henry was a gifted commander, brutal as any but no more then any for the time period. he waged an aggressive war and took advantages of his enemies. That don't make him a bad man in my book, not during that period of history. Henry V's only sin, it seem was that he simply died too soon and left a son too young. Overall, a very good book, author's effort to show the "real" Henry V was a success but Henry's accomplishments were real enough that Shakespeare wanted to make him a national hero!

3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Warlord indeed!, January 18, 2005

By 

Brian Hawkinson (San Jose, CA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Henry V as Warlord (Classic Military History) (Paperback)

Henry V was one of the most ferocious of England's kings. Through sheer force of will alone he was able to quell his English nobility into following him, and then turn to the French and do the same to them.

Seward does a great job in using the contemporary sources of the time to illustate who the man really was, all the meanwhile not falling prey to the trappings of the propoganda of the time. His illustration of the man's short life is invaluable to anyone reading French or English history, but especially for anyone who is looking for information on the Hundred Years War.

A must read for history buffs.