Fatal Colours

March 1, 2012
The history of a bloody battle and its context in mid-15th-century England. The war between York and Lancaster heralded the end of the era of chivalry. In earlier battles, noblemen were taken for ransom; however, in the War of the Roses, no prisoners were taken. Henry VI was not only ineffective but also incompetent; he "did not exhibit the personality of a king." Crowned as a child, he was indifferent to his task of ruling. When he fell into catatonic schizophrenia for the first time, Richard, Duke of York, was named to "protect" the king's person and duties. Subsequent bouts of madness finally drove the Yorks into a war of usurpation, and Henry's queen raised an army to save the throne, proposing herself as regent. Civil war is always devastating, and this was no exception. It was especially horrific as no quarter was given to any combatant. Nobles were slain in revenge and as insurance against further uprisings. Goodwin, a member of the Towton Battlefield Society, provides detailed background, hoping to clarify the jumble of English nobility. It is always a challenge to sort out the players, and thankfully the author provides family trees and two Dramatis Personae, which list the salient members of each side. Goodwin's descriptions of the battles leading up to Towton, as well as his attention to detail, are impressive, and he lays out each side and the movements that affected the outcome simply and comprehensively. Well-told stories of historical events that should lead readers to further study of the period.

COPYRIGHT(2012) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

April 1, 2012

The Wars of the Roses pitted England's royal Houses of York and Lancaster against one another in a contest for the throne. Goodwin's (fellow, Royal Society of Arts) account is not simply a description of the Battle of Towton but a narrative of the earlier phases of the civil war as well, beginning with the First Battle of St. Albans in 1455. He does an admirable job of explaining family trees that often intersect, tenuous claims to the throne, and the various factors that led people to support particular claimants. When battle arrives, Goodwin provides vivid details of weapons, armor, tactics, and combat. Too often, these battles became massacres; Towton is considered the bloodiest ever on English soil. Few prisoners were taken, and bodies of enemy lords were often mutilated. With ten percent of England's military-aged population present, Towton was a seminal event in English history and resulted in the ascent of Edward IV to the throne upon the defeat of Henry VI's Lancastrians. VERDICT With a lively narrative supported by notes, this should appeal to all readers interested in British military history, especially during the premodern era.--Matthew J. Wayman, Pennsylvania State Univ. Lib, Schuylkill

Copyright 2012 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 15, 2012
Goodwin chronicles England's bloodiest and most brutal battle. On March 29, 1461, the armies representing the House of York and the House of Lancaster met during a snowstorm on a field on the outskirts of the Yorkshire village of Towton, an epic clash that resulted in an estimated 28,000 fatalities. Setting the stage for the conflict, the author reaches further back into England's often fractured history, unraveling the twisted skeins of Henry VI's ineffectual and schizophrenic tenure as king. With the nobility virtually split down the middle into two factions, a cataclysmic clash on the scale of Towton was inevitable. After establishing the complex historical context, he details the battle itself, with considerably more emphasis on the gore than the glory. This tour de force political and military history vivifies a pivotal turning point in the War of the Roses.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)