My Lord John is an historical novel based on the life of John Plantagenet of Lancaster who became the Duke of Bedford in the reign of his brother, King Henry V of England. John was born in 1389, the third son of the man who became Henry IV. Though Ms. Heyer intended to chronicle his entire career, her death in 1974 resulted in an unfinished first volume covering his early life.
Boyhood in the Historic Plantagenet Family of England
Not much documentation exists for the lives of medieval children, who were more likely to die young than to survive to adulthood and achieve greatness. Through extensive research and even more extensive imagination, Ms. Heyer wrote a novel of the early life of John and his three brothers. She breathes life into what must surely be dry records left by medieval clerks.
She portrays the younger brothers as adoring their brother, Harry, the future Henry V. The camaraderie and mischievousness of young brothers is interrupted by the death of their mother from illness and the ascension to the throne of their father. Suddenly, the family unit is separated and the boys begin their preparation for military and political service in the fostering system with their father's nobles.
The era of the novel is the precursor of the famous War of the Roses. Richard II of York is king as the novel opens. Richard was given to squandering wealth on his cronies, ignoring his duties in the government and neglecting to produce an heir. Henry of Lancaster came to power by military coup. Henry IV was extremely popular before he took the throne, but the problems facing him, including Richard's debts, were so great that his popularity was soon gone. The princes, including John, were put to work as soon as they were able to help maintain the king's administration of the realm.
Charming and Astute Son of Henry IV
John was the biggest and most athletic of the princes. A true heir to his father’s legendary size and strength in the joust, he was also an astute politician. Sent when just a teenager as his father’s military and judicial agent to the north of England where the king lacked support, John showed a natural affinity for winning people’s trust.
By working hard in the field and socializing off the field with the soldiers and northern nobles, he won over the neutral parties and neutralized some of the animosity toward his father. Under the direction of more experienced commanders, he learned military strategy and tactics fending off the invading Scots. By the time rebellion reared its head in the north, much of the expected support had weakened in the face of the charm, capability and personality of the young prince John.
An Unforgettable Personality Brought to Life
John’s personality captivates from the page. Ms. Heyer wrote him with humor and integrity. His loyalty to his eldest brother is the shining center of his life. Historians will recognize that he supported his brother’s invasion of France and ruled in his nephew’s stead there until his death. One is saddened at the end of this novel that Ms. Heyer died before finishing her great project. One can only speculate how she might have written an encounter with Joan of Arc, who was among his opponents in the Hundred Years’ War. His later life is chronicled by others, but the public will miss the portrayal of the man that Ms. Heyer could have written after she so vividly portrayed the boy and youth.
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