Book Review: "Henry V: From Playboy Prince to Warrior King" by Anne Curry

As you (really) already know by now, I am reading one book about every single king and queen of England starting with Edward the Confessor and working my way forwards. So far, I have read a book about each of the following: Edward the Confessor, Harold Godwinson, William the Conqueror, William Rufus (William II), Henry I, King Stephen, Empress Matilda, Henry II, Richard I, King John, Henry III, Edward I, Edward II, Edward III, Richard II, Henry IV and now, we approach the story of a 'warrior' king - Henry V. This book is entitled: Henry V: From Playboy Prince to Warrior King by Anne Curry.

As with his father, Henry IV, my knowledge of Henry V is limited to the Shakespeare play of the same name. I had absolutely no idea that we know what time of day Henry V was born, but then again we are getting further and further towards the modern era. He was born whilst his father was still Henry Bolingbroke and not yet, Henry IV. The book goes through the background of the young Henry by providing us with some information about his grandfather, John of Gaunt and his great-grandfather, Edward III. I enjoyed this opening because it is nice and simple to follow. Everything flows on from one thing to the next, I don't feel like I'm getting thrown around between historical timelines and the covering of who John of Gaunt was is inserted nicely through entering the place where Henry V was born.

We get information about life under Richard II and how that shaped the young Henry V's views. This is especially regarding the death of the child's grandfather in 1399 and the barring of his own father from the inheritance of John of Gaunt. Obviously, this would make any child vengeful against their narcissistic uncle, the King of England - but the author seems to address instead the times as a context to bring in Henry V's reign. We also get the fearful and slightly tragic reign of his father, Henry IV - again, as context. I think this is a brilliant way to introduce Henry V as a 'warrior'. It gives us a reason for why he is the way he is.

Of course, the most famous part of Henry V's reign is the Battle of Agincourt where, in the Shakespeare play, he gives that defiant speech that is so much associated with power and war in the literature of Shakespeare. In the book, this is covered in great detail, making amazing reference to Henry V as a true warrior, fighting on the front lines during one of the most important battles of the famed Hundred Years' War. He becomes mythologised as a warrior, but was a strategic king as well - and that is something that is very clear in the book.

Obviously Henry V died young and left his son who was less than a year old to be king with someone managing him - the book covers the death of Henry V with some detail paid to why he may have died, but there is more attention paid to the politics of what will happen after his death and I think that is far better than seeing a warrior crippled by heatstroke dying without becoming the King of France.

All in all, I learnt a fair deal about Henry V - exemplifying the story that Shakespeare tells in his play of the same name and really hammering home that 'St. Crispin's Day' speech Henry V does at the centrepoint of the play. Though the book was brief, it really did the job.