Stormbird

by Conn Iggulden Book 1 in the Wars of the Roses series.

First published 2013

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4.3(8,412)

After Henry V’s death, England is ruled by his gentle and politically vulnerable son Henry VI, whose advisers struggle to preserve English possessions in France. His marriage to Margaret of Anjou and concessions made for peace intensify resentment, while corruption and military defeat feed Jack Cade’s rebellion. Richard, Duke of York, increasingly presents himself as the figure capable of restoring order, bringing rival claims and noble factions towards open conflict.

Henry VI’s minority and later weakness allow rival aristocratic households to compete for influence over policy, particularly the failing war in France. Margaret’s marriage is intended to strengthen diplomacy but instead becomes another focus for factional hostility. The novel follows the conditions from which Yorkist opposition will grow, before the dynastic struggle has hardened into the Wars of the Roses.