Reviews - The White Ship: Conquest, Anarchy and the Wrecking of Henry I's Dream

169 reviews for:

The White Ship: Conquest, Anarchy and the Wrecking of Henry I's Dream

Charles Spencer

3.89 AVERAGE

bizzerg's review against another edition

5.0

informative medium-paced

ames444's review against another edition

4.5

informative mysterious medium-paced

kwcook's review

3.0

informative medium-paced

taisie22's review against another edition

4.0

informative medium-paced

This is a comprehensive book about the events leading up to the Anarchy, including the wars up to the coronation of Henry II. It's almost a biography of Henry I, and the sinking of the White Ship is covered in that context. The result of losing about 200 people, many royal or noble, was catastrophic in England and northern France, especially the death of Henry I's heir, William.
If you've been watching the tv series, The House of Dragons, this is the material that the show is based on - very roughly. Obviously, there were no dragons in medieval England, but George RR Martin used the people and events liberally in writing his fantasy.
Mr. Spencer has done a good job of covering the history of that era. Occasionally he gets very detailed - probably too much for an average reader - but I enjoy English history, so I can understand most of it. This is a must-read for those who want to know more about the Conquest and era leading up to the Plantagenets.