Thursday, January 20, 2011

Fortune Made His Sword

This book is excellent reading. However, the author, Martha Rofheart, made one big mistake in her history. It's in chapter three, with Henry, later to become Henry V, narrating, so I guess you could take it as the boy Henry's mistake. But he is portrayed as intelligent and alert, so he ought to have known the English kings back a couple of generations.

Rofheart has Henry say that the father of Richard II was the Black Prince, so called because he wore black armor. This is true, but she also says that the Black Prince was King Edward III. This is not true. The Black Prince's name was Edward, and he was the crown prince to his father, King Edward III. The Black Prince had two sons; the elder died in childhood, and the second was Richard. The Black Prince died while Richard was a young boy, leaving Richard next in line to the throne. A short time later, King Edward III died, and Richard became king. So Richard succeeded his grandfather, not his father, as king. His father never was king.

I caught this error when I read it, but doubted my memory. I didn't look it up until I finished the book this morning, but all through the book, because of that glitch, I didn't quite trust her history.

Anyway, it's very good, as a novel.
*
I just cooked and ate three small biscuits. Should have stopped at one or two, because I feel stuffed. Maybe another mug of coffee will help.

2 comments:

JD Atlanta said...

Wait, that was a real country? I thought it was like Lord of the Rings or something. Well, you live and learn.

Joanne Cage said...

"There'll always be an England."