Royal Panoply: Brief Lives of the English Monarchs

How wonderfully a-propos to have finished reviewing this book just in time for our Historical Fiction Bloggers Round Table Event! I'd love to start off this review by giving you an all-around basic idea about what the book is about, but there's a lot more to this read than meets the eye. Unlike many of the other books that I enjoy for the pure pleasure of reading, Royal Panoply served much more than just this purpose. Besides its impressive array of English monarchs beginning with William I all the way to Elizabeth II, this book features impressive details that go beyond simply describing royal lives, conquests and fates. Carolly Erickson takes into particular consideration the fact that it may be a reader's first encounter with any or most of these royals. At the beginning of every new sovereign, the author minutely goes back into the life of his or her predecessor to work us up until the particular heir in question. It's only when you're reading and trying to keep track of this incredible genealogy that you come to appreciate this very necessary task so eloquently re-capped. This sort of going back and then taking you forward into the history also helped me see the historical figure from different perspectives. This, added dimension to the characters, as well as the period highlighted. And, as we all have our favorites, it's a special treat when you can read about each of these family dynasties in subsequent order. However, if you prefer to just pick, sort and choose who you'd like to read about, this book offers you the option of doing just that; it can be just as useful and interesting when read in no particular order. The author's re-capping method at the beginning of every new chapter served that purpose wonderfully. It is also possible to use this book as a reference manual when you want to look up a specific monarch, or simply for refreshing your memory while on a different book dealing with a particular historical figure. I was delighted to be able to use this book in precisely that way. I began by reading it through, but then found myself going back to it for reference and research purposes as well. I should however point out that Royal Panoply does not qualify, in my opinion, as an all-around-in-depth bibliography of English monarchs- the obvious reasons being length, accuracies and misses that could not all be contained in one book. This is especially true when one considers the volumes that could (are-were) written for each one. That being said, it remains that this fabulous book is incredibly interesting and definitely a jumpstart to whetting your appetite for reading and learning more about the richness of the English monarchy... Another added bonus- This is a book that never entirely leaves you; being a reference as well as a bibliography selection of sorts, it actually can remain open indefinitely... Useful, interesting and a delight to read. A definite history buff must-have. Beautiful photos as well.

As a lay person, I found this book a fascinating glimpse into the lives of the British Monarchy. Most of my exposure to them has been through plays or movies, touching on a short vignette or period of time. Having recently seen "Henry V," I was interested in reading what happened to him after Agincourt. And "The Lion in the Winter" was a majestic play that left me wondering which of Elinor's sons would become king. This book is easy reading and a delicious look at the royalty.

This is a fun, entertaining overview of the English Monarchs from William 1 thru Elizabeth 2. A nice addition to your library - especially for those anglophiles like me. There are interesting tid bits you don't get in the usual dry biographies. It does cover a lot of ground, but attempts to focus on the person. There is even a little epilogue that reviews historical turning points for England. I would have liked to see information on monarchs prior to William and/or the monarchs of Scotland.......maybe that is fodder for another book.

As a history major I learned dribs and drabs about the English monarchy but never really looked at the family tree, so to speak. There's a lot in ROYAL PANOPLY I wasn't aware of. Carolly Erickson starts with William the Conqueror and works her way all the way down to Queen Elizabeth II. I don't know if it's Erickson's cynical tone or William the Conqueror's suspect genes but these monarchs suffer in the telling. Sadists, ne'er-do-wells, spendthrifts, and the mentally ill abound. Many of them begin their reigns as forceful kings. Henry II brought order to a land "plundered and battered by oppression" but ultimately wound up being responsible for the murder of his former friend, Thomas Becket. Henry V (Prince Hal) conquered the French at Agincourt but his religious scrupulosity contributed to his death at only thirty-four. Even William the Conqueror died alone, his body robbed by his servants. Erickson pulls no punches with modern sovereigns. Queen Victoria, after the birth of a son with hemophilia, turned on Prince Albert accusing him of hardheartedness, thus contributing to his early death. Erickson has even less regard for Queen Elizabeth II. We learn that it has been some time since she and Prince Phillip have slept in the same bed, due to Phillip's affair with another woman. According to Erickson, "the throne has become a symbol, not of moral force, but of moral vacuity." Carolly Erickson's organizational approach leaves a bit to be desired as well. There is quite a bit of repetition as she begins each new biography, but just when you're looking for a recap, as in the case of the ascent of the Stuart kings, you don't get it. James I of Scotland took the throne because of Mary Queen of Scots's claim but we never do find out how she was related to the previous monarchs. One bit of misinformation that is cleared up, however, is that England was invaded more than once after William the Conqueror in 1066. King Edward IV, who had been temporarily deposed, invaded from the Low Countries, unseating ineffectual and insane Henry VI and having him put to death. Also, William of Orange invaded after James II tried to reinstate Catholicism. He was invited by several members of Parliament but not officially. James could have defended his crown but panicked and left the country without putting up a fight. One thing we can definitely learn from reading PANOPLY is what a ludicrous system of government monarchy really is. The British were stuck with some of these people. All we need to do is look at George III-IV. George was thought to be insane (actually he had Porphyria) but his son was worse. He was a drunk and a womanizer who never bothered to be at all discreet. The man made Prince Charles look like Mother Theresa. And if you think he may have been an anomaly take a look at Edward VII, Victoria's successor. Bertie, as he was known in the family, was addicted to gambling, drink, and women; his ministers ignored him, never considering his opinions worth

As an American I have always been clueless about what was going on in which period of British history and bought this book for a reference. It turned out to be a treasure. I was disappointed that it did not include Ethelred and the early rulers but begins with William the Conquerer, the umpteenth grandfather of the current Queen. A dynasty of 1000 years with many glorious full-color copies of royal portraits lends itself to students of costume, but the real benefit is the text, which moves along almost as easily as a novel. Erickson gives facts within context so finally I understand how the "warming pan baby" (born too conviently to a king who needed a son) led to Bonnie Prince Charlie's claim. Homosexuality and insanity are described without hesitation and without sensationalism. My only objection is that the individual chapters were not long enough (Shakespeare is omitted) but realize there had to be some sort of cut-off or this would have been been a much larger book and it is already large and heavy for reading in bed, which I did. After finishing the book, I find myself thinking about larger issues. Why did highborn women so often suffer miscarriages? Why did a family, perhaps the most advantaged in the universe, suffer so much? Is this the human condition and does misery have survival value? Recommended by a retired university librarian.