Clash of Crowns: William the Conqueror, Richard Lionheart, and Eleanor of Aquitaine―A Story of Bloodshed, Betrayal, and Revenge Hardcover – March 16, 2012

This was well written and has some pics of castle ruins. I needed that kind of information in studying the 12th century.

This covers a wide range of time from Rollo the Viking to after the death of Richard the Lionheart. This also covers a wide geographical area from England, Normandy, France, Sicily, Palestine and other places. This jumps around a lot and is more of a quite synopsis. The writer clearly loves the subjects, but makes it a very short take on it. Perhaps building deeper chapters or limiting the topics would have made for a more effective book.This mainly about Richard and Philip. Eleanor is mentioned but barely. While short and quick, I still enjoyed it and still learned more, so I am glad I read it.

An excellently researched and written history of some tumultuous times. Ms. McAuliffe never disappoints. All of her books are intelligently informative yet readable.

I've read several biographies of William, Richard and Eleanor and this one had a lot of information that I don't recall the other authors covering. The information on the castle at Les Andelys was particularly interesting and new to me.

Learn and enjoyed.

I was disappointed in this book. The author is well known but I found the book to be dull. I only read 1/2 of it because it didn't pull me in as most of these books do. Some Winter day I will read it again via the Kindle and perhaps I will like it more. It is well written but I found it a bit "dry".

The title, "The Clash of Crowns" has the ring of the "Game of Thrones", "Storm of Swords" etc. The names in the subtitle conjure excitement, intrigue and sex, but there are no notable clashes between those named. Eleanor is shown (as usual) doting on her son Richard and William the Conqueror was deceased before Eleanor (and hence, Richard) were born. The clashing crowns are those of Richard I and Philip of France. Is Philip being underestimated (again, this time) by the book sellers?Similarly, the blurb promises "A story of bloodshed, betrayal and revenge". There is a lot of war/bloodshed and betrayal/revenge (especially in the dysfunctional Plantagenet Family) but if there is a defining theme in this "clash" it is the claim to Normandy.Overall, this is a biography of Richard the Lionhearted with an intro on his Norman heritage and an aftermath on how his brother lost Normandy.The book, for me, started in a muddle. In Chapter 1, Merlin's prophesy and its meaning for Eleanor wasn't at all clear. Then the part about finding King Arthur's bones (the mythical king?) threw me... and still does. The writing style makes for a choppy read. It is a mix of serious prose that breaks into informality, with phrases such as "...but there was more than one way to skin an empire" (p.118).Not familiar with the material, I found myself doubling back. One of the last examples in the book (fresh in my memory) is p.177 where the author refers to not "letting such a valuable hostage slip from their grasp." Presumably this hostage is Eleanor being held by the French. Reading back to see how I missed this, it says that she sought refuge in a place that was attacked and summoned help; with only this info, I accepted the fuzzy connection. On the next page, it says that Arthur is a hostage, a hostage of the English. There is a lot of this in the book. This is not a murder mystery where you look for clues. As a history for the general reader, it needs more clarity... it needs a good edit.Taken as a bio for Richard I, there are a lot of good chapters. The history of the Plantagenet's Norman roots and French lands, Richard's nuclear family's dysfunction, the Third Crusade, Richard's captivity and the siege of Richard's Castle of the Rock are highlights. There is a chapter on Richard's castle building, while of marginal interest to me, seemed very well done.The author seems quite knowledgeable and while the text is mixed, she demonstrates some style. A good editor could put this together very well.If you are knowledgeable about Richard I, you can pass this one up. If you are interested an overview of this time in European history and don't mind the above problems with the text, it is a short book/quick read that does tell the story.

Featuring William the Conqueror, Richard the Lionhearted and Eleanor of Aquitaine the book covers the history of Europe and Palestine during the 3 centuries that Normandy was separated from the French crown. McAulliffe writes a fine history from 911, when Charles the Simple ceded Normandy to Rollo the Viking, to it's loss by John to Phillip II in 1204. Action centering around the fortress of Gaillard, in Normandy, covers England, France, Germany and Palestine during the era of the 3rd crusade.Besides the protagonists, there is informative coverage of the careers of Henry II, his sons and daughters, Philip II, Celestine III, Henry VI, Henry the Lion, numerous crusaders and many others. The politics surrounding Richard's capture and ransom is especially interesting.The book is too small to rank as a major historical reference, but what's there is prime. Some decent maps and family trees would rate it five stars.

This is a short book that tells alot.I whould particualarly recommend this to my fellow norwegian citizen.Get educated before talking.There is a norwegian proverb that it is typical norwegian to be GOOD,and this book proves that proverb WRONG.I find interesting to read good books like this.I learned something about my own culture.also the present day one,when I read this book.Nothing new under the sun I was thinking when I read it.I find it embarrassing to say I am from the land of the Vikings,especiallywhen I am abroad.To all of you others thar is that fortunated of not being of norwegian decendence. I can recommend it.By the way I would say there is many norwegians that is just like Lionheart to day. Attogent and larger than like in their own conceit

I don't dislike the book at all as I like history especially England's and also Europe's. It's very interesting, I am still reading it.