The Henry IV of the history books is a one-dimensional figure: he returned from exile to protect his own interests and was carried to the throne by universal acclaim, but this analysis overlooks the distinctive character of his progress from rebel to ruler. Missing is a recognition of Thomas Arundel’s central role. Arundel landed with Henry in England and crowned him three months later. It’s hard to avoid the conclusion that Arundel was the project’s originator and guiding hand at every stage in-between. Henry mobilised the power of Lancaster and gave himself supreme authority under his old title of Steward of England, but other major features of this remarkable episode bear the hallmarks of skillful handling by a master of statecraft. Close attention to the evidence paints a new picture. Henry and Arundel were partners. The glory is still with Henry, but his overthrow of Richard II was not the moral victory of a disgruntled aristocrat. It was the triumph of a political movement with an agenda of national renewal; a movement led by Arundel, the senior partner, with Henry its figurehead. _1399: The Lancastrian Conquest_ combines new research and new insights to deliver an exciting new perspective on this momentous period of British history.
