The Red Prince: The Life of John of Gaunt, the Duke of Lancaster

A well written and detailed book of a complicated person in English history.

As a keen reader of what might be called popular history I was disappointed to find that this book, whilst covering a lot of dry detail, swung dizzyingly from dates to battles to places in a mind-numbing loop. The period wasn't called the Hundred Years War for nothing, and of course history is all about periods of change and unrest.The author mentions a wonderful wealth of research now available and I would love to learn more from the contemporary records about Gaunt’s housekeeping, bequests etc. He was clearly a fascinating man and the author does gives hints about his character, but I just didn't engage with the style of the book.

This is a well-researched and well written biography of one of the most prominent of Medieval characters who did not actually become king. He was the third son of King Edward III, and grew up against the background of the early stages of the Anglo-French conflict known to later generations as the Hundred Years War, learning from the military exploits of his father and his elder brother Edward, the Black Prince. In many ways he was a conventional nobleman of his times, a military figure and a mainstay of the thrones of his father and later of his nephew King Richard II against the growing power of the nascent Parliament and of the common people, as shown in the so-called Peasants' Revolt. At the same time, he is possibly best known to many readers now for his famous love affair with Katherine Swynford, mother of his illegitimate children, who were later legitimised after they got married in the last decade of his life, after the death of his second wife Constance of Castile. This of course paved the way in the following century for the conflict known as the War of the Roses. At his death he was witnessing his Lancastrian inheritance from his first wife Blanche being severely challenged by the increasingly tyrannical King Richard II. This is a well rounded account of the subject's life, though of course much is unknown about his life especially in his earlier years, and a lot of this period is about the events of the time, and mentioning that John was or may have been involved. Definitely worth a read for anyone interested in Medieval history.

John of Gaunt - who? Ah yes, the old "This Scept'red Isle" speech, thanks to Shakespeare.But there is so much more...Here, Helen Carr takes us from his early days alongside his dad Edward III, and who, despite not being an heir or King of England, founded a dynasty that percolates through the Wars of the Roses, to the Tudors and beyond. And even old Geoff Chaucer gets a look-in. Though I doubt he looked much like Paul Bettany. 🤔

I enjoyed this book but could have done with more facts and filling in of subjects written about. More information about his wives and children would have been appreciated.

Earl Spencer says this book "deploy[s] vivid and compelling prose''. It does not, and would have been much better with a competent editor. The first ten pages are full of mistakes in grammar, syntax, rhythm and style. The book itself is interesting, but disagreeable to read.

the ancestor to the tudors, house of lancaster-strange but true...Lady magaret beaufort-Duchess cecily neville of raby * york King Henry VI- of lancasterKing Edward IV of yorkqueen catherine of aragon (catalina aragon & henry viii )queen mary tudor & king felipe II (King philip II of spain & King of england & ireland..were all related to each other, via Prince john of gaunt plantagenet * from ghentthe house of lancaster, the house of beaufort... and the tudors , the house of portugal, the house of castille, queen joan of scotland, queen phillipa of denmarkking henry v of lancaster ,, some names very familar....prince john is almost forgotten ancestor too over 5 or more dynasties, also know as the *red prince* brother to the *black & golden princes*the book is a fascinating introduction to the most * forgotten prince in english medieval history*,also in terms of spanish or portuguese- french- scottish-welsh or irish,, history, let alone a tv series,maybe phillipa gregory needs a phone call lolalso worth reading are to compliment this great book:the house of beaufort : nathan amin...

I came across the character of John of Gaunt from reading the fictitious Brother Athelstan Mysteries by Paul Doherty. So when this book came out I was interested to read about the real person. The book is a fascinating and informative account of one of (for me anyway) the lesser know characters of medieval history. All history related TV today seems concerned about is the Tudors (apart from the brilliant Janina Ramirez) so this was a great book to buy. It is also written in a way that is easy for a non-academic type like myself to read. There’s no airs or graces or pretentiousness - and that’s how it should be.