The Wars of the Roses: The Fall of the Plantagenets and the Rise of the Tudors

Dan Jones chronicles the breakdown of royal authority in fifteenth-century England, beginning with the fragile reign of Henry VI and concluding with the establishment of the Tudor dynasty under Henry VII. The narrative maps the bloody competition between the houses of Lancaster and York, detailing how personal rivalries and administrative failures led to the battles of Towton, Barnet, and Bosworth. Jones focuses on the influence of key figures like Margaret of Anjou and Richard III, illustrating how dynastic instability shifted the English crown through military force rather than peaceful succession.

History enthusiasts interested in medieval warfare and high-stakes political maneuvering will find a clear reconstruction of a fragmented era. The book is written for readers who want to understand the logistical realities of civil war and the specific legal maneuvers used to seize the throne. Readers finish the text with a comprehensive grasp of the genealogical shifts that moved England from the Middle Ages into the early modern period under the Tudors.