Plantagenet Books in Order

Covering the period known as the Anarchy, this novel tells of Empress Maude and her cousin Stephen as they contest England's crown. Through barons, kin and commoners, it shows a kingdom torn by shifting loyalties and long war.

This novel follows Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine at the height of their power, tracing Henry's fateful decision to make Thomas Becket archbishop. As politics, pride and faith collide, the friendship between king and clerk moves toward a notorious martyrdom.

Opening in 1172, this book charts the long breakdown of Henry II's marriage to Eleanor of Aquitaine and his sons' rebellion. As rival ambitions and old hurts flare, family quarrels ignite wars that threaten the vast Angevin empire.

Here Richard I takes center stage, newly crowned and leading the Third Crusade toward the Holy Land. The narrative follows his campaigns, alliances and rivalries from Sicily and Cyprus to Acre, while his mother Eleanor and brother John maneuver back in Europe.

Continuing Richard's story after the Crusade, this novel begins with his shipwreck and capture on the way home. Imprisoned by the Holy Roman Emperor, he must survive harsh confinement while Eleanor of Aquitaine races to raise an enormous ransom.