The Plantagenets: The Warrior Kings and Queens Who Made England

The Plantagenets: The Kings Who Made England is historical non-fiction, focusing on biographical and political history; it follows the monarchs of England specifically, centering its historical account on their lives and personalities. It is in a work of popular history, an established literary genre and branch of historiography that aims to be accessible to a wide readership, and usually prioritizes narrative, character, and vivid descriptions over scholarly analysis.

Jones explains in the introduction that the book is designed to entertain and inform; it is primarily written for popular consumption over academic inquiry, weaving its analysis into a framework of engaging storytelling. It is common for popular history writers to have completed a history degree and worked in journalism, like Dan Jones. This background enables the authors to blend historical understanding with writing for a broad readership in the public.

In The Plantagenets: The Kings Who Made England, Jones structures his history around a chronological narrative. He paints detailed character portraits, especially of the monarchs. He embraces The Role of The Personal in History, highlighting the role his subjects’ characters played in historical events. For example, he stresses Beckett’s obstinacy, Edward I’s ruthless, warlike character, and Richard II’s pride and insecurity, pointing to the consequences these personalities had on political developments.