{"title":"Desmond Seward","description":"Desmond Seward was born in Paris and educated at Cambridge University. He is the author of Richard III: England's Black Legend, The Monks of War, and The War of the Roses.","products":[{"product_id":"the-hundred-years-war-the-english-in-france-1337-1453-paperback","title":"The Hundred Years War: The English in France 1337-1453 - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003eFrom 1337 to 1453 England repeatedly invaded France on the pretext that her kings had a right to the French throne. Though it was a small, poor country, England for most of those \"hundred years\" won the battles, sacked the towns and castles, and dominated the war. The protagonists of the Hundred Years War are among the most colorful in European history: \u003cb\u003eEdward III, the Black Prince\u003c\/b\u003e; \u003cb\u003eHenry V\u003c\/b\u003e, who was later immortalized by Shakespeare; the splendid but inept \u003cb\u003eJohn II\u003c\/b\u003e, who died a prisoner in London; \u003cb\u003eCharles V\u003c\/b\u003e, who very nearly overcame England; and the enigmatic \u003cb\u003eCharles VII\u003c\/b\u003e, who at last drove the English out. \u003cb\u003eDesmond Seward\u003c\/b\u003e's critically-acclaimed account of the Hundred Years War brings to life all of the intrigue, beauty, and royal to-the-death-fighting of that legendary century-long conflict.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51365565006047,"sku":"9780140283617","price":27.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/klQWKtWi459780140283617.webp?v=1789066389"},{"product_id":"the-bourbon-kings-of-france-paperback","title":"The Bourbon Kings of France - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e'Licentious or bigoted, noble or ignoble, ' wrote Nancy Mitford, 'there has seldom been a dull Bourbon.'\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eThe story of the Bourbon kings encompasses the two most glorious and turbulent centuries in French history, yet surprisingly, this is still the only narrative account of the dynasty for the general reader. They emerge from a shadowy line of medieval princes in 1589 to rule France for over 200 years, dominating Europe, launching an endless series of wars, creators of the dazzling splendour of Versailles, survivors from the French Revolution. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eThe Bourbons begin with the dashing figure of Henri IV, with his courage, gaiety and 64 mistresses. They include figures such as the Sun King Louis XIV and Louis XVI who ended under the guillotine, and close with the little-known 'Henri V' - expected to return and rule France in 1873 but whose refusal to abandon the Lily banner of the Bourbons for the Tricolore finally lost him the throne. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Bourbon Kings of France\u003c\/i\u003e is an accessible yet thorough history, written for the general reader and of particular interest to anyone who enjoys history or wishes to learn more about the Bourbons. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003ePraise for \u003ci\u003eThe Bourbon Kings of France\u003c\/i\u003e: \u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'A blending of wide historical knowledge and vigorous independent judgement to make a lively, exciting but dependable account for the general reader' - \u003ci\u003eSunday Times\u003c\/i\u003e 'Enormously entertaining ... an excellent read ... a cross between a package tour of the Bourbon dynasty and a \u003ci\u003eGuide Michelin\u003c\/i\u003e to the favourites, mistresses and ministers of the French monarchy' - \u003ci\u003eSpectator\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eParis-born \u003cb\u003eDesmond Seward\u003c\/b\u003e is a British popular historian who has written many books but is perhaps best known for \u003ci\u003eThe Hundred Years War\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThe Monks of War\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThe Wars of the Roses\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eRichard III\u003c\/i\u003e. He lives in England's West Country.","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51366816121055,"sku":"9798367430301","price":18.88,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/BLrgChtdxV9798367430301.webp?v=1789098749"},{"product_id":"the-monks-of-war-the-military-religious-orders-paperback","title":"The Monks of War: The Military Religious Orders - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe Templars. The Hospitallers. The Teutonic Knights.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEven after almost a thousand years, the names of the great religious orders still resonate, inspiring legends and myths in equal measure.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBut this is their real story.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDuring the Crusades groups of military religious orders emerged across Europe who were to turn into the storm troopers of the savage fight against Islam. Part monastery, part barracks, at their bases they moulded their recruits into formidable fighting men dedicated to their cause. Along the way, they accumulated huge influence, wealth, glory and power. Through force of arms, they re-shaped a continent, and in charitable works their legacy lives on to this day.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Monks of War\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e is the finest general history of the orders yet written.\u003c\/p\u003ePraise for \u003cem\u003eThe Monks of War\u003c\/em\u003e: \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e'Undeniably the work of someone who knows and accepts the standards of critical history but... who sees the past also as an epic or a colourful spectacle' \u003c\/strong\u003e- Professor David Knowles, \u003cem\u003eThe Times Literary Supplement\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e'His scholarship is great, his theme both interesting and largely unexplored, and his judgement sound'\u003c\/strong\u003e - \u003cem\u003eThe Economist\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDesmond Seward\u003c\/strong\u003e is a British popular historian, best known for \u003cem\u003eThe Hundred Years War\u003c\/em\u003e, never out of print since 1978, \u003cem\u003eThe Wars of the Roses\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eRichard III\u003c\/em\u003e - all republished by the Folio Society. His latest is \u003cem\u003eThe Demon's Brood\u003c\/em\u003e, a history of the Plantagenet kings in one short volume.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51369500442847,"sku":"9781839013522","price":19.57,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/pNJRgMlps-9781839013522.webp?v=1789142512"}],"url":"https:\/\/blackandbarhe.com\/collections\/desmond-seward.oembed","provider":"Black \u0026 Barhe Bookstore","version":"1.0","type":"link"}