Henry II. Richard I. Edward I. Edward III. Henry V. Five men seen as success stories of Medieval English kingship. Three inherited tarnished crowns and restored their glory. Legal reformers and warriors, they ruled over widespread lands for decades, upholding justice, expanding their authority and changing their realms. Two others are the most famous of warrior kings, their short reigns encompassing crusades and legendary victories. Contemporary writers often waxed lyrical about them as ideals of kingship. Many modern writers have been similarly enthusiastic.

Is this justified? Alongside the story of success are other narratives, ones showing these kings in a more ambiguous light. We have the murder of archbishops, the massacre and expulsion of religious minorities, actions in battles and sieges, which today we would see as war crimes. Claims for their greatness sit uneasily with darker moments and legacies which challenge how we approach their reputations today.

This book looks at the lives of these kings and how those reputations have been shaped across the centuries, from medieval contemporaries to the modern day, in both history and fiction. Having weighed the evidence, it seeks to determine the answer to the question: were these really great kings, the best monarchs of the Middle Ages?