Warrior, empire-builder, and founder of the dynasty, Henry II transforms England from a war zone into a superpower. But murder and betrayal by his own family puts in jeopardy everything he has achieved.

To Henry III, Simon de Montfort once seemed to be the savior of his kingdom, but enmity between the two men now spirals the country towards civil war.

Edward II's shortsighted obsessions lead to a life filled will political violence, bloodlust, and revenge-and, according to legend, to an infamously horrific death.

The story of the Plantagenets reaches its catastrophic climax under the most vicious of them all, the boy-king Richard II. A hero after he crushes the Peasants' Revolt, the 14-year-old ruler launches a reign of terror that threatens to bring down the whole dynasty.