Alison Weir is one of my favorite authors. She makes history accessible and easy to understand. The first book I read by her was "The Six Wives of Henry VIII," which started me on my Tudor history obsession. I bought "The Wars of the Roses" once it came out in the U.S. I like to keep it handy when I watch Kenneth Branagh's "Henry V" - it helps me keep track of the characters, though there are some differences.

Henry V was England's warrior king, victor of Agincourt, portrayed by Laurence Olivier and Kenneth Branagh in film versions of Shakespeare's play. However, he was not born heir to the throne. Actually, he was born Henry of Monmouth, the eldest son of Henry of Bolingbroke, Earl of Derby, who was himself the eldest son of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, the rich, powerful, and unpopular younger brother of King Edward III of England. No one expected Henry of Monmouth would one day become king. It was far more likely that he would become Duke of Lancaster upon his father's death. After all, John of Gaunt's nephew, Richard II, was king of England - but not for long.

Richard became king when he was still a child, upon the death of his elderly grandfather, Edward III. His early promise vanished and he alienated many nobles with his capricious ways and his greedy and arrogant favorites, Robert de Vere, Earl of Oxford, and Michael de la Pole, Earl of Suffolk. He also tried to rule absolutely without parliament, doctored the Rolls of Parliament so his enemies (who were legion) could be attainted without judicial process, created a private army to intimidate his enemies, imposed illegal taxes, and broke countless promises. His behavior became so extreme that some modern historians believe he was suffering from mental illness. Among Richard's many poor decisions was exiling his cousin Henry, Earl of Derby, and then trying to make the exile permanent upon John of Gaunt's death - it didn't work. Henry raised an army, rallied the nobles to his side, and overthrew Richard, who was imprisoned - and very conveniently died of "natural causes" later. Henry of Bolingbroke became Henry IV of England. However, he could not rest easy and it was not long before others began challenging his claim to the throne. A usurper never sleeps easy. This was the beginning of the Wars of the Roses.

It's a tangled story and really more of a family feud than what we normally think of as a war. The violence stretched out for a century or more, depending on when you want to end it - with the execution of the Earl of Warwick in 1499 or with the death of the last of the de la Poles, Richard, self-styled Earl of Suffolk, in battle in 1525. I'm always amused when people talk about the complex plot in "Game of Thrones." Personally, I prefer British medieval and renaissance history. It's much more interesting and it really happened.

Alison Weir makes sense of this complex story, which is not an easy thing. Really, if you want the whole story, I suggest you also read her "Mistress of the Monarchy," which is about John of Gaunt and his last wife, Katherine Swynford, ancestress of the Beauforts, Henry VIII, and Elizabeth I (and Elizabeth II), and sister-in-law of Chaucer; "The Princes in the Tower," which picks up after "The Wars of the Roses" leaves off; and "Elizabeth of York," which details the story of Henry VIII's mother, the eldest daughter of Edward IV of England and the Yorkist heir to the throne.

Highly recommended.