History glossary
Plantagenet
the royal family whose rival Lancastrian and Yorkist branches contested England’s crown.
- Category
- Dynasty
- Region
- England
- Date range
- 1453–1487
What it means
Plantagenet is the conventional name for the English royal dynasty descending from Henry II. Both the House of Lancaster and the House of York belonged to its extended family; Henry Tudor’s victory brought a new ruling dynasty.
Stories using this term
The Hundred Years War
From Edward III's claim to Joan of Arc, Agincourt and Castillon, the Hundred Years War reshaped England, France and medieval warfare.
The Norman Conquest of England
From Viking settlers to conquerors, the Normans reshaped England, Italy, and the medieval Mediterranean.
The Tudor Dynasty
The Tudors strengthened royal power, drove religious change, and shaped early modern England.
Feudalism and Medieval Society
From the estates of Charlemagne's empire to the flowering of Gothic cathedrals, this story explores how feudal hierarchies, manorial agriculture, and Church authority shaped the lives of kings, knights, and peasants alike.
The Wars of the Roses
From Henry VI’s failing government to Yorkist victories, the missing princes and Henry Tudor’s contested settlement, England’s crown changed hands through war and shifting loyalty.
The Plantagenets
From Henry II’s cross-Channel inheritance to Bosworth, the Plantagenets shaped England through royal justice, conquest, rebellion and a struggle over who could control the crown.
