In "The Last Plantagenets," Thomas Bertram Costain presents a meticulous chronicle of the final years of the Plantagenet dynasty, weaving together history and narrative with a vivid prose style that brings the medieval era to life. Costain delves into the turbulent events that characterized the decline of one of England's most powerful families, exploring the rich tapestry of personal ambition, betrayal, and political intrigue amid a backdrop of civil war and the War of the Roses. His erud...

In "The Last Plantagenets," Thomas Bertram Costain crafts an evocative historical narrative that delves into the final years of the Plantagenet dynasty, capturing the drama and intrigue that characterized this tumultuous period in English history. Through a blend of meticulous research and captivating storytelling, Costain explores the lives of key figures—ranging from Richard II to Henry VII—situating their personal struggles within the broader socio-political landscape of late medieval E...

In "The Magnificent Century," Thomas Bertram Costain presents a captivating narrative that chronicles the opulent and tumultuous reign of the 16th-century Ottoman Empire under Suleiman the Magnificent. This historical account is characterized by Costain's fluid prose and vivid imagery, skillfully blending meticulous research with storytelling flair to transport readers to a time of grandeur and intrigue. The book reflects the rich tapestry of the era, depicting not only the political machi...

In "The Magnificent Century," Thomas Bertram Costain presents a sweeping historical narrative that delves into the opulence and turbulence of the 16th century, particularly focusing on the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent in the Ottoman Empire. Costain's prose is richly detailed and evocative, capturing the intricacies of court life, the complexity of political intrigue, and the vibrant cultural tapestry that defined an era of significant transformation. He skillfully blends meticulous re...

The Three Edwards is a history book which covers the reigns of three English kings, Edward I, II and III. The first of the Plantagenet Edwards gave England her parliamentary government, her well-ordered legal system, and her victories over the proud Scots. The reign of the enlightened and popular Edward I was a vibrant spring after the long, dark winter of the Middle Ages. But the glory England achieved under Edward I was lost when Edward II ascended the throne. Born with a sinister and fa...

The Last Plantagenets is a history book which covers the period from 1377 to 1485 when civil war ravaged England, rebellious peasants marched on London and wandering preachers sowed dissent in the credulous poor. The last Plantagenet monarchs governed in violence and confusion. Kings came and went, deposed or murdered. Princes and nobles slaughtered or were slaughtered in bloody battles or private feuds. It was an era of brilliant successes, tragic reverses and wild extravagance.

Bertram Sidney Thomas was an English civil servant who is the first documented Westerner to cross the Rub' al Khali (Empty Quarter). He was also a scientist who practiced craniofacial anthropometry. He was born in Pill near Bristol and educated at Trinity College, Cambridge. After working for the Civil Service in the General Post Office, he served in Belgium during World War I before being posted to the Somerset Light Infantry in Mesopotamia (now Iraq) between 1916 and 1918. He was appoint...

The Three Edwards traces England under Edward I, II, and III, charting the conquest of Wales, wars with Scotland, baronial tensions, statutes shaping common law, the deposition of Edward II, Isabella and Mortimer, the opening campaigns of the Hundred Years' War, including Crecy, and the Black Death's shadow. Costain blends narrative sweep with scene-setting from chronicles (notably Froissart) and legal records, placing Plantagenet kingship in European context and the maturation of Parliame...

The Conquering Family is a history book which begins with the conquest of England by William the Conqueror in 1066 and closes with the end of the reign of John in 1216, when the full merging of Norman and Saxon had taken place and the conquest was complete. In this volume the author brings fascinating stories of William the Conqueror, Henry I and his Good Queen Maude, Henry II, Thomas à Becket, John, Eleanor of Aquitaine, Richard Coeur de Lion and many other. He also doesn't forget to incl...

The Magnificent Century is a history book which covers the long reign of the weathercock King Henry III, from 1216 to 1272. It was during the period covered in this book, an age appropriately thermed "the magnificent century," that England first made remarkable strides toward freedom, establishing principles of democratic rule which would later be accepted by the world. Englishmen returned home from the Crusades with the first implements for a new life—foreign books, medicines, and maps of...