Lauren Johnson (author)

"How did a man with such good intentions cause such an outpouring of blood and horror? The answer lies in Henry himself. In an age of personal monarchy, the character of the ruler was of vital importan…"

"Although Henry’s treaty at Troyes formally declared perpetual peace, in reality all it did was guarantee further war, since it committed Henry to fighting for his French crown until Dauphin Charles wa…"

"Unlike Bedford, Gloucester had chosen a bride who suited his own desires, not those of his family. In autumn 1422 he had married Henry’s godmother, Jacqueline of Hainault, a young woman of renowned in…"

"Stafford advised Henry that ‘prudence should be placed at the front of the crown… adorned with three jewels, to wit, recollection of the past, circumspection of the present, and foresight of the futur…"

"Henry was capable of ruthlessness, as his treatment of the mad woman who railed at him about Eleanor Cobham demonstrated, but he was not consistent. ‘Justice without mercy is cruelty,’ as a contempora…"

"Rumors of Margaret’s infidelity are not corroborated by any contemporary source, but through repetition they took on something of the veneer of truth, dangerously undermining the image that Margaret h…"

"Here was the insurmountable problem preventing peace between England and France. The English would not negotiate a peace that cost Henry his French crown and the French would not consider one that all…"

"It made his message abundantly clear: these peace talks should be different. They should be respectful and affectionate, not coolly diplomatic and suspicious. Such intentions were admirable but they w…"