The Plantagenets - 'The Devil's Brood' - BBC2

[Phoenix Rising]

Watched this last night and found it to be well put together, with a presenter who's voice didn't drone or grate on me. The content was interesting and informative whilst not heavy going, with a few things explained and some things I didn't know.

Felt altogether that the programme shed a lot of light on this, England's longest ruling royal dynasty, and now looking forward to the next instalment.

[Henri De Ceredigion]

I liked it as well, especially as it explained why Beckett was killed (something I didn't know about) and also added to the information that Horrible Histories did explaining Henry's abasement (the term for having to commit religious apologies for killing Thomas in the first place)

[Simon Atford]

It was a good programme even if it didn't tell me much I didn't already know. One thing puzzles me though. How did Richard I become such an "English" hero given his disdain for England?

[Marcus Woodhouse]

He took lots of English knights with him on crusade and was very, very good at selling himself to the public.

[Simon Atford]

He took lots of English knights with him on crusade and was very, very good at selling himself to the public.

Not to the English public he wasn't. He was hardly ever here and said he sell London if could find a buyer. Whilst he was thought as a great chivalrous warrior and a champion of Christendom his reputation and an "English" hero seems to have grown up after he died.

[John Waller]

It was a good programme even if it didn't tell me much I didn't already know. One thing puzzles me though. How did Richard I become such an "English" hero given his disdain for England?

Walter Scott's Ivanhoe and Hollywood mostly I suspect. Though there were also embellished romances and songs about him kicking around much earlier.

[Simon Atford]

It was a good programme even if it didn't tell me much I didn't already know. One thing puzzles me though. How did Richard I become such an "English" hero given his disdain for England?

Walter Scott's Ivanhoe and Hollywood mostly I suspect. Though there were also embellished romances and songs about him kicking around much earlier.

Probably yes. I've always had a slightly perverse sense of sympathy for John. Bad as we was he was at lest King of England rather than out of it.