Two Houses, Two Kingdoms

A History of France and England, 1100-1300

By: Catherine Hanley

Narrated by: Jennifer M. Dixon

An exhilarating, accessible chronicle of the ruling families of France and England, showing how two dynasties formed one extraordinary story

The twelfth and thirteenth centuries were a time of personal monarchy, when the close friendship or petty feuding between kings and queens could determine the course of history. The Capetians of France and the Angevins of England waged war, made peace, and intermarried. The lands under the control of the English king once reached to within a few miles of Paris, and those ruled by the French house, at their apogee, crossed the Channel and encompassed London itself.

In this lively, engaging history, Catherine Hanley traces the great clashes, and occasional friendships, of the two dynasties. Along the way, she emphasizes the fascinating and influential women of the houses—including Eleanor of Aquitaine and Blanche of Castille—and shows how personalities and familial bonds shaped the fate of two countries. This is a tale of two intertwined dynasties that shaped the present and the future of England and France, told through the stories of the people involved.

©2022 Catherine Hanley (P)2022 Tantor

A Historian Who Can REALLY Write!

Between author Catherine Hanely's detailed research and Ms.Dixon's narration, this book is a must for those interested in its subject.
What really sets it apart from others is not only the in depth history is her the writing. It is smooth yet concise, flows in and around so you feel you are there. Easy to grasp all the delicate layers of the intrigue. A book worth a second go round. Looking forward to her other books. Highly recommend.

Good book let down by a poor narrator

The narrator is perfect if you want to take a nap. Otherwise her voice and presentage are just boring

Unique among other publications, one book that beautifully combines the histories of two dynasties in two great kingdoms

A spectacular book that is full of fantastic histories of the Angevin dynasty in England, and the Capetian dynasty in France. Numerous tales of friendships, animosities, marriages, conflicts, and much more. How Fortune's wheel keeps turning infinitely, lifting the wretched to nearly touching the heavens with given blessings, and smiting the proud or tyrants to smash against the earth. So many historical figures are mentioned with perfect accuracy, that this book almost makes owning other publications that separately speak of those dynasties, as insignificant. I heartily recommend this book to those researching or interested in both the medieval English and French histories.

Love this time period, too many names

I really enjoy learning more about this period in history but the sheer volume of names given in this work was almost impossible to keep up with. I really wish it came with a PDF containing an extended family tree of the concerned parties. A map, too, would be a great companion because of the importance that various land holdings and castles play. I'm ultimately glad I read it, but also glad I didn't have to spend a credit on it.

Cool crash course for the monarchs of the high Middle Ages

This moves quickly, but gets into all the details needed. There isn’t much embellishment here, and the author prefers to remove what embellishment was added by historians of the age or today.

It’s a quick “just the facts” run-through of the middle monarchs in England and France and deals mostly with their relationship to each other. This means much of the history of the two kingdoms themselves is glossed over (wars in Wales, Spain, Scotland, Italy, and Germany). Footnoting these details allows the book to be brief and to the point, and successfully paints a picture of two houses and two kingdoms that can certainly look like a single house of a fractured kingdom.