Today we will unlock the book The Hollow Crown: The Wars of the Roses and the Rise of the Tudors. This book details the history of the regime change from the fall of the House of Lancaster to the rise of the Tudors for nearly a century.

In June 1420, a triumphant song rang out from a church in the city of Troyes., A young girl wearing a crown and extravagant wedding dress, walked solemnly towards the church accompanied by a band. Her distinguished groom, a scarred faced, battle-weary warrior, wore stately and luxurious attire. The church was packed with well-dressed lords, knights and noblewomen who gathered to witness the wedding while 1,600 soldiers stood guard outside the church.

The two main characters in this sombre ceremony were King Henry V of Lancaster, England, and Catherine de Valois, daughter of King Charles VI of France. The pairing formalized the partnership between England and France and put Henry V in control of Britain and France. Henry V won the Anglo-French war with his outstanding military expertise, however, King Charles VI of France was unable to govern due to mental illness as well as growing divisions and political opposition within his empire. France caved beneath the pressure of the English empire. As a result of France’s loss, Catherine’s brother Charles VII, lost his right to the Crown of France and its princess, both of which fell to Henry V.