Ravenspur - Rise of the Tudors ~ War of the Roses

Henry Tudor has been a prisoner in Pembroke Castle since his birth.  He has known neither his father nor his mother, but he has had some knightly training.  His uncle Jasper helps him to escape to London.  London, where the Earl of Warwick has freed Henry VI from imprisonment, and now conspires to have his son-in-law, the Duke of Clarence, named as second in line to the throne.

Meanwhile, Edward IV still lives and lays claim to the throne.  Warwick's army marches north in an attempt to capture Edward.  Edward and his brother, Richard, flee to Flanders.  Five months later, Edward and Richard have returned with a small Flemish army.  Will men flock to join him as he hopes?  As Edward marches south from York, his army does grow, but slowly.  Just outside Coventry, Edward's brother George joins him, bringing three thousand men away from Warwick.

However, Edward decides not to lay siege to Coventry; rather he sneaks off in the dark of night, headed for London.  The gates of London remained open to Edward's small army.  He was now in possession of the city and Henry.  Warwick marches on London with an army that is larger than Edward's, but in the ensuing battle Edward wins.

On the south coast of England, Margaret of Anjou has returned with her son, Edward, The Prince of Wales.  Hearing of the battle near London they set out for Wales in search of an army to face her nemesis with.  It isn't long before Edward is fast on their trail.  They turn to face him at Tewksbury.  There the Lancaster line would end.  The Prince of Wales killed, and Margaret taken prisoner.  Old King Henry dies not long after.

In Flanders a young Henry Tudor is reminded by his uncle Jasper, that he has Lancaster blood in his veins.  However, will he ever get back to England?

When Edward dies, Richard becomes Lord Protector to ensure the safe passage of the throne.  Richard has Edward's two sons placed in The Tower, supposedly for their protection.  It doesn't take long for a scheming Richard to have his brother's children declared illegitimate and himself crowned as the new king.

Peace descends on England under the rule of Richard.  However, it isn't long before The Duke of Buckingham rises in rebellion.  Richard wonders if it is to put his nephew, Edward on the throne.  Rumours abound that the two princes have already been killed in the tower.  If Buckingham fails is the rebellion truly over?

Knowing that his chance was now, Henry Tudor and his uncle Jasper, sailed for Wales.  There he began to build an army and march toward England.  Richard would not stand for it.  He gathered a larger force.  The two armies met at Bosworth Field.  It was there that the House of York would be brought down and the Tudor reign begin.

Author Conn Iggulden has written a terrific historical novel, which concludes a series of four; all excellent unto themselves.  All four make tremendous reading.  Considerable research has gone into these novels, which any fan of historical fiction will find hard to put down.