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The Hollow Crown

The Wars of the Roses and the Rise of the Tudors

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About this listen

The 15th century saw the crown of England change hands seven times as the great families of England fought to the death for power, majesty and the right to rule.

The Hollow Crown completes Dan Jones' epic history of medieval England, and describes how the Plantagenets tore themselves apart to be finally replaced by the Tudors.

Some of the greatest heroes and villains in British history were thrown together in these turbulent times: Henry V, whose victory at Agincourt and prudent rule at home marked the high point of the medieval monarchy; Edward IV, who was handed his crown by the scheming soldier Warwick the Kingmaker, before their alliance collapsed into a fight to the death; and the last Plantagenet, Richard III, who stole the throne and murdered his own nephews, the Princes in the Tower. Finally, the Tudors arrived - but even their rule was only made certain in the 1520s, when Henry VIII ruthlessly hunted down his family's last remaining enemies.

In the midst this tumult, chivalry was reborn, the printing press arrived and the Renaissance began to flourish. With vivid descriptions of the battle of Towton, where 28,000 men died in a single morning, and the Battle of Bosworth Field, at which Richard III was hacked down, this is the real story behind Shakespeare's famous history plays.

©2014 Dan Jones (P)2018 Audible, Ltd Europe Great Britain Medieval Politics & Activism Royalty England Middle Ages Tudor Thought-Provoking Funny
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Excellent historical fare well presented by the author. You couldn't make up a better historical yarn!

Bunch of Roses

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I learned a lot about the War of the Roses from this book, and came away with a much better appreciation of the 15th century in general. The author cuts through the centuries-old Tudor propaganda to offer his own explanation for the political turmoil in the 15th century (hint: Henry VI has a lot to do with it). The treatment of controversial figures such as Warwick (Neville) and Richard III also feels quite balanced.



What makes this audio book great is its read by its author, Dan Jones. As such, he reads it with pace and enthusiasm throughout. The narrative history style gives some great descriptions of key events, and sets the scenes nicely. It also cites heavily from the various chroniclers, so feels very well researched. It's also quite funny when you hear Jones' own view of Henry VI come through, which he can barely contain, whom he considers utterly supine and pathetic.



I would definitely recommend this book, but would recommend starting with his earlier book, "The Plantagenets", first, as it covers the period before the War of the Roses, and is also a great book. The earlier Plantagenet kings are referenced throughout the Hollow Crown, so it helps to have an idea of the general Plantagent dynasty before you start - particularly, for instance, how they see themselves as having a claim over large swathes of France from Henry II's day, and the constitutional precedents set by the ends of Edward II and Richard II's reigns, in contrast to that of Edward V.



My only criticism is that it can get a big bogged down in lots and lots of names of various minor Earls, Dukes, Princes etc., that are hard to remember, who are not necessarily impactful in the bigger picture. As such, some sections become a detailed cataloguing of who was where and when, and whose side they were on. On the one hand, this is a history book, and these are important facts of history. However, on the other, the trade-off for so much detail is that it slows the pace and overloads the reader, in a book whose stated aim is also to entertain. (Apologies for wall of text - audible is not allowing me to write in paragraphs).

Great book, well read

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Dan Jones takes us away from the Shakesperian story of the two sides and the two roses, of villains and heroes, to look in depth at the complex weave of political ties, personal ambitions and utter incompetence that shaped this period. Weaving a vivid tapestry of all too human charactes.

Epic history in all its complexity

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I enjoyed listening to this and will probably go on to listen to his other books.
Ive listened to it twice now as find all the names and connections a bit difficult to keep up with but that's to do with my concentration rather than the writing.

Comprehensive enough for me

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Dan Jones writes lucidly and engagingly; well worth the time spent. He reads in an easy listening manner.

A well told account

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