Charismatic Henry II transformed England into an empire, but became a control freak and rebellions against him led by the ones closest to him, such as Thomas Becket and Henry's wife and sons, eventually broke out.

Dan Jones tells the extraordinary story of Richard II, the boy king who was the hero of the Peasants' Revolt, but who grew up to become one of the most brutal tyrants in English history. His bitter rivalry with his cousin, Henry Bolingbroke, plunged the country into civil war, and when Henry deposed Richard the Plantagenet dynasty came to an end.

Dan Jones continues his compelling part-dramatised history of the Plantagenet dynasty with a look at the reign of Edward II. In a story of murder, intrigue, lust, betrayal and revenge, he explores what turned his queen, Isabella of France, from a loyal young wife into a bloodthirsty matriarch.

The history of the Plantagenets continues with the story of king Henry III, his treacherous best friend Simon de Montfort and their bitter struggle for the soul of the nation.