England's Bears

'A stunning debut.' Tracy BormanFor 650 years, the House of Warwick shaped the political and cultural destiny of England and its neighbours: from the Black Dog to the Devil Warwick, the Kingmaker to the Dudleys, their remarkable power saw them rise from Midland warlords to (briefly) usurping the English Crown. Some ruled in the name of kings and queens, others incited civil war and rebellion in the name of God, toppling and making monarchies, and ruling over the Midlands like emperors. Only in the eighteenth century did the overwhelmed family dispense of landed and political power in favour of the arts, transforming from a House of despots and brutes to that of dilettantes and bards. Rich in drama and intriguing original research, this sweeping narrative history discovers the real men and women of the House of Warwick, how they shaped the fate and fortunes of England, and their legacy over the Midlands today. At the heart of it all was their indomitable home Warwick Castle, where the relics of one thousand years of history survive, a last testament to the blood and glory of ‘England’s Bears’. Here, for the first time ever, England’s Bears brings to life the world of a famous dynasty and its people, exploring how one family and their quest for power shaped the twists and turns of British history.