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shellydennison's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
medium-paced
3.5
The title might lead you to think that the book focuses on the sinking of the White Ship, when the events of that night only really get a chapter. It's a straightforward narrative history of how England was ruled from the conquest to the accession of Henry II, using the drowning of Henry I's heir as the pivot point, as without it, the royal line would have looked very different. The focus is on the royals and nobility, there's not much here for readers interested in the lives of ordinary people and how they might have been impacted by the ensuing civil war etc. I'd have liked some of that kind of material but despite that it's well written and moved along at a good pace. A family tree or two might have been helpful for keeping the relationships clear in my head.
daja57's review against another edition
3.0
The White Ship was a ship travelling to England that sank in 1120 on a voyage from Barfleur in Normandy France; its historical significance was that among the dead was Prince William, the only legitimate son of Henry I, King of England. William's death provoked a succession crisis on Henry's death leading to a eighteen-year-long civil war between the supporters of King Stephen and Henry's only legitimate daughter, the Empress Matilda.
Of course, mediaeval history relies on just a few chronicled sources, so there are insufficient details in the story of the White Ship itself for a whole book, especially when you write narrative history and don't spend endless pages considering your sources. So Spencer chooses instead to set the incident of the White Ship into the context of the history of Norman England from 1066 to 1154. But encapsulating 88 years into 300 pages leads to problems of brevity. This is especially true when trying to describe the dynastic battles in northern France between the mini-states of Normandy, Anjou, Maine and Flanders, among others' it is even more true when trying to follow the convoluted history of the Stephen-Matilda conflict in which many participants changed sides at least once. The result is a history which manages to be at once confusing and over-simplistic. The book was a disappointment compared to Spencer's other forays into narrative history: Blenheim and Prince Rupert.
Of course, mediaeval history relies on just a few chronicled sources, so there are insufficient details in the story of the White Ship itself for a whole book, especially when you write narrative history and don't spend endless pages considering your sources. So Spencer chooses instead to set the incident of the White Ship into the context of the history of Norman England from 1066 to 1154. But encapsulating 88 years into 300 pages leads to problems of brevity. This is especially true when trying to describe the dynastic battles in northern France between the mini-states of Normandy, Anjou, Maine and Flanders, among others' it is even more true when trying to follow the convoluted history of the Stephen-Matilda conflict in which many participants changed sides at least once. The result is a history which manages to be at once confusing and over-simplistic. The book was a disappointment compared to Spencer's other forays into narrative history: Blenheim and Prince Rupert.
8797999's review against another edition
5.0
Another superb read by Charles Spencer, dipping into the Norman history of England to the beginnings of Plantagenet House of English Royalty.
The book has three parts, first giving the backstory to Norman rule in Britain and building up the story of Henry I. Second the life of Henry and aftermath of the White Ship tragedy. Finally the fallout from the passing of Henry I and the fighting to gain the throne.
Overall very interesting and a part of history I know very little about, aside from what I was taught in school with 1066 and The Battle of Hastings. Certainly made me interested to learn more of the period.
The book has three parts, first giving the backstory to Norman rule in Britain and building up the story of Henry I. Second the life of Henry and aftermath of the White Ship tragedy. Finally the fallout from the passing of Henry I and the fighting to gain the throne.
Overall very interesting and a part of history I know very little about, aside from what I was taught in school with 1066 and The Battle of Hastings. Certainly made me interested to learn more of the period.
duchessofreadin's review against another edition
5.0
When I first got this book, I was curious how the author was going to get an entire book out of one shipwreck and be able to keep everyone's attention the entire way through - which I quickly discovered was a stupid question. I was HOOKED very early on, and drawn into the story.
The author begins by taking us through William the Conqueror's story, the following kings, the hardships that followed through the kingdom, and winding up with Henry - who had worked hard to ensure that the monarchy was secure. His son, William, was destined to take the throne after his father, but after years of warfare, hard-earned respect, and finally recognition from France, it seemed that everything was complete - bring on the golden years! Cue, the White Ship.
The youth aboard the White Ship was jovial, partying along with the crew, and celebrating. As they waited to embark on their short voyage to England, drinks were flowing, and the crew, unfortunately, was just as drunk as the passengers. Instead of waiting for the following morning, the Captain decided to sail anyway, forgetting about the dangerous rocks at the beginning of the harbor. What happened would crush the aristocracy of England, taking some of the best and brightest of the future generations, tearing families apart, ending families, and destabilizing the monarchy itself.
After the tragedy, there was nothing good waiting for England, which after the death of the king, quickly was realized. While Henry had ensured that his daughter, Matilda, was sworn to be his heir after his death, her cousin, Stephen of Blois, raced to claim the crown instead. What followed were decades of warfare, tearing the country apart. When it seemed that Matilda finally had the crown in her hands, she alienated her support. She had to finally realize that she needed to fight for the rights of her son, not herself, and therein the tides of war changed. Stephen was finally forced to recognize the young Henry Fitzempress as his heir, finally bringing peace and harmony to the country.
I was absolutely blown away by this book, and hate that it took me so long to get through it. I enjoyed the breakdown of the history, the backstory of what led to the tragedy, and the unfortunate endings of the lives of so many promising youths.
For those who love history, this is one book that you need to read. Medieval history at its finest!
The author begins by taking us through William the Conqueror's story, the following kings, the hardships that followed through the kingdom, and winding up with Henry - who had worked hard to ensure that the monarchy was secure. His son, William, was destined to take the throne after his father, but after years of warfare, hard-earned respect, and finally recognition from France, it seemed that everything was complete - bring on the golden years! Cue, the White Ship.
The youth aboard the White Ship was jovial, partying along with the crew, and celebrating. As they waited to embark on their short voyage to England, drinks were flowing, and the crew, unfortunately, was just as drunk as the passengers. Instead of waiting for the following morning, the Captain decided to sail anyway, forgetting about the dangerous rocks at the beginning of the harbor. What happened would crush the aristocracy of England, taking some of the best and brightest of the future generations, tearing families apart, ending families, and destabilizing the monarchy itself.
After the tragedy, there was nothing good waiting for England, which after the death of the king, quickly was realized. While Henry had ensured that his daughter, Matilda, was sworn to be his heir after his death, her cousin, Stephen of Blois, raced to claim the crown instead. What followed were decades of warfare, tearing the country apart. When it seemed that Matilda finally had the crown in her hands, she alienated her support. She had to finally realize that she needed to fight for the rights of her son, not herself, and therein the tides of war changed. Stephen was finally forced to recognize the young Henry Fitzempress as his heir, finally bringing peace and harmony to the country.
I was absolutely blown away by this book, and hate that it took me so long to get through it. I enjoyed the breakdown of the history, the backstory of what led to the tragedy, and the unfortunate endings of the lives of so many promising youths.
For those who love history, this is one book that you need to read. Medieval history at its finest!