by Helen Kain | Jul 3, 2026 | Act III - The Stress Test, Fascinating People, FP Act III — The Stress Test, Medieval (1066–1485)
While some kings inherit a kingdom, Edward III inherited a crisis. In 1327, his father, Edward II, was deposed and imprisoned. The crown passed to the fourteen-year-old Edward, but the real power remained in the hands of his mother, Isabella of France, and her ally...
by Helen Kain | Jul 3, 2026 | Act III - The Stress Test, Carousel Fascinating People, Fascinating People, FP Act III — The Stress Test, Medieval (1066–1485)
Visitors entering St George’s Chapel, Windsor walk across a floor beneath which generations of English monarchs lie buried. Among them rests one of the most formidable kings of the fifteenth century: Edward IV. Tall, charismatic, and a gifted battlefield...
by Helen Kain | Jul 3, 2026 | Act III - The Stress Test, Carousel Fascinating People, Fascinating People, FP Act III — The Stress Test, Medieval (1066–1485)
Few English kings left such a paradoxical legacy as Henry VI. He was deeply religious, thoughtful, and devoted to learning. Unlike many medieval rulers, he preferred prayer and scholarship to warfare or political intrigue. His personal piety was widely admired, and he...
by Helen Kain | Jul 3, 2026 | Act III - The Stress Test, Carousel Fascinating People, Fascinating People, FP Act III — The Stress Test, Medieval (1066–1485)
Visitors entering Leicester Cathedral often pause near a simple stone tomb set into the floor of the choir. The inscription bears only a name: Richard III. For centuries Richard’s reputation has been anything but simple. Few English monarchs have inspired such...
by Helen Kain | Jul 3, 2026 | Act III - The Stress Test, Carousel Fascinating People, Fascinating People, FP Act III — The Stress Test, Medieval (1066–1485)
At Warwick Castle the past occasionally interrupts the present. During our visit, one of the guides suddenly shouted across the courtyard: “A Warwick! A Warwick!!” Another voice answered the call, and within seconds two figures were racing up the castle walls,...
by Helen Kain | Jul 2, 2026 | Act II - Building, Fascinating People, FP Act II — Building The Kingdon, Medieval (1066–1485)
Known to posterity as Longshanks and remembered in Scotland as the Hammer of the Scots, Edward I is often portrayed primarily as a warrior king. Yet his most important achievements were institutional rather than military. By the time Edward inherited the throne in...
