Crown & Influence
The father of kings who died fighting for a crown that was rightfully his, sparking the Wars of the Roses He had a better claim to the English throne than the man who wore the crown. He was wealthier, more capable, and more popular than King Henry VI. Yet Richard,
Crown & Influence
Edward II's cousin led baronial opposition to the king's misrule, died a traitor's death, and was venerated as a saint by the common people He was the wealthiest and most powerful nobleman in England, cousin to the king, and heir to a tradition of
Crown & Influence
Edward I's younger brother built the foundations of the Lancastrian dynasty while remaining steadfastly loyal to the crown In the turbulent world of medieval royal families, where brothers often became rivals and succession disputes led to civil wars, Edmund of Lancaster stands out as a rare example of
Crown & Influence
Edward III's fourth son never wore the crown but wielded royal power for decades, founded the Lancastrian line, and shaped English politics through ambition, survival, and strategic marriages He was born a prince but never expected to be king. Yet John of Gaunt became one of the most
Crown & Influence
England's most beautiful woman navigated scandal and secret marriages to become Princess of Wales and mother of a king In an age when royal marriages were political transactions and women had little say in their own fates, Joan of Kent did the unthinkable—twice. She married for love,
Crown & Influence
Edward III's queen brought compassion to medieval England's court and became the most admired consort of her age In an era of warrior queens and political schemers, Philippa of Hainault stood apart through kindness, loyalty, and genuine goodness. As queen to Edward III during England'
Crown & Influence
Edward II's queen transformed from neglected wife to revolutionary, orchestrating the only successful invasion of England since 1066 and deposing her own husband She was called the She-Wolf of France, and the name was meant as an insult—a woman who had violated every principle of wifely obedience
Crown & Influence
Henry VI's French queen transformed from peace bride to military commander, fighting for thirty years to save her husband's crown and her son's inheritance She arrived in England as a fifteen-year-old peace offering, a bride meant to end decades of warfare between England and
Crown & Influence
England's First Female Claimant and the Architect of the Anarchy In the turbulent landscape of twelfth-century England, one woman dared to claim what few believed she deserved: the throne itself. Empress Matilda, daughter of King Henry I, was not merely a footnote in medieval history but a transformative
Crown & Influence
Editor's Note: This is the beginning of an ongoing series of articles on notable members of the Royal Family through history who weren't the reigning monarchs. Medieval Europe's most powerful woman shaped the destiny of England and France through marriages, rebellions, and an iron