Warrior Kings of Medieval England

Catalog description

The Plantagenet dynasty reigned over a blood-soaked era of English history from the Norman Conquest to the cusp of the Wars of the Roses. In this course students will explore this turbulent period, from the anarchy of King Stephen’s reign to the usurpation of the Crown by Henry of Bolingbroke. Along the way, the class will be introduced to the adventures of Eleanor of Aquitaine; her sons, Richard the Lionheart and bad King John; the Black Prince; John of Gaunt; and Henry V, the hero of Agincourt. As their tales unfold, England will experience Magna Carta, revolting barons and peasants, the Black Death, and the Crusades; emerging from the dark ages to become a vibrant kingdom on an international stage with the rise of parliamentary democracy and the power of the common man.