Having recently read Dan Jones' fantastic "Henry V" I thought this was a perfect time to learn more about his brother John, so this book seemed like it came at just the right time. While I did end up learning some things about John (I knew pretty much nothing before), I can't say this is a great biography of him.

The first half of the book is essentially backstory, giving the reader the history/biography of Richard II, Henry IV, and Henry V. Yes, necessary to understand the turbulent times and background of John's upbringing, especially as his father becomes king and John steps up to guard the north of England. But more of the spotlight could have been turned to John instead of his brother, father, and uncle. Instead, it is almost easy to forget you're reading what is meant to be a biography of John until after Henry V's death when John becomes Regent of France. He finally becomes the focus of his own biography and you get a decent sense of the ridiculous infighting and politics he deals with in the French and English governments- where he seems to be the only one not out for himself.

The writing is extremely casual and it is rare that the author refers to historians of the time, quotes letters, or gives the reader a sense of whether what we're reading is her opinion, historical opinion of the time, or definite fact. An exception to this is when it comes to Joan of Arc and the author points to sources to clear up the facts that John actually had nothing to do with Joan, except possibly be in the same area of France as she was at one point.

One of the problems I had with this book is that the advanced copy I was given clearly hadn't seen an editor yet, so the number of mistakes in the writing and unnecessary repetition occasionally made sections almost unreadable. Presumably this will be fixed by the time the book goes to print. I'd have given the book at least 1 extra star if it hadn't been for that.

This is the first biography I've read on John of Lancaster, so I don't know if the approach the author took to him was unique. It read as as a pretty basic, decent introduction to an important, and probably overlooked, historical figure to me. I'll be checking the bibliography to read more about him from other sources.

I received a DNR from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Joanna Arman does a fantastic job in writing this, it had that historical nonfiction book. It had that research element that I was looking for and thought the overall information was wonderfully done.

John of Lancaster is one of those historical figures who spent generations always one degree away from the throne. Just as later Elizabeth of York was daughter, sister, niece, wife and mother to the king of England, so too was John of Lancaster son, brother, and uncle to the king of England. he's also always overshadowed, and not just by whoever is one the throne. As a child, it was his proud grandfather John of gaunt. Then his adventurous father, who became Henry IV, then is militaristic brother, Henry V. Then, when the king dies young and his baby nephew is on the throne, he still is overshadowed by the antics of his other brothers, by his Beaufort uncles, and, as he tries to hold the young empire together, he is overshadowed by the legendary Joan of Arc, and finally, his own death his overshadowed by the antics of his second wife immediately making a scandalous new marriage to a hot young man of no rank who work for her first husband.

Overall, this book is a good look at the Lancastrian dynasty before the War of the Roses, but not quite a biography of John, as so many other people and events take center stage in what is supposed to be his own story.

Henry V’s Brother: John of Lancaster, Regent of France by Joanna Arman is an illuminating deep dive into a figure who has long lived in the shadows of his more famous relatives. John of Lancaster, Duke of Bedford, is often reduced to a footnote in the grand narrative of Henry V’s victories and Joan of Arc’s trial. But Arman’s biography peels back the layers of history to show that John was so much more than his reputation as the man standing guard while Joan of Arc burned.

From the outset, Arman makes a compelling case for John’s importance—not just as Henry V’s trusted brother but as a key architect of England’s short-lived dominance in France. John’s life is a fascinating study in loyalty, political strategy, and resilience. While he didn’t have the charisma of his brother Henry or the tragic notoriety of his nephew Henry VI, John emerges here as a figure defined by duty and competence—qualities that often go unnoticed in histories obsessed with drama and larger-than-life personalities.

One of the standout aspects of this biography is Arman’s attention to John’s role as Regent of France. Governing an Anglo-Norman realm for over a decade was no small feat, especially when you’re dealing with rebellious lords, an unstable political landscape, and a rival king eager to claw back territory. Arman’s descriptions of the diplomatic chess game John had to play while holding the region together are particularly vivid. She portrays him not just as a military leader but as a shrewd statesman, someone committed to maintaining justice and stability, even as the wheels of war kept turning.

The book doesn’t shy away from John’s failures, either. His efforts in France were ultimately undermined by political infighting and the fragile legacy of his brother’s ambitions. And yes, the shadow of Joan of Arc looms large—Arman takes great care to clarify that John wasn’t the mastermind behind her condemnation but was still deeply entangled in the politics surrounding her trial and execution. This nuanced approach helps avoid the oversimplified villain narrative that has clung to his name.

If there’s any fault to be found, it’s that parts of the book can get bogged down in minute details about troop movements and political negotiations. While essential for understanding the broader context, it sometimes pulls focus from the personal aspects of John’s life—his marriages, his grief, and his complicated relationships with his royal relatives.

Still, Arman’s writing remains accessible and engaging for the most part, striking a balance between historical analysis and narrative storytelling. Her reassessment of John’s legacy feels long overdue, especially when she delves into his reputation as a fair and capable leader in an age where justice often came second to ambition.

This is a solid 4-star read—meticulously researched, insightful, and refreshingly balanced. John of Lancaster might never be as famous as his brother, but Arman makes it clear that he deserves to be remembered as more than a historical afterthought. If you’re a fan of medieval history, dynastic drama, or unsung heroes who quietly held empires together, this biography is well worth your time.

I found this to be a reall interesting and engaging look at a seemingly forgotten man of history! I knew very little of John of Lancaster so was very eager to learn more about the man and the times, and this book delivered on that front perfectly!

It looks into the turbulent times that were prevalent in the 15th century and the challenges that faced the Royal Family from both in the UK and in France too. There's so many historical names that were relevant at the times, so there's many paths that the author takes you down, seeing their relationship with Henry V and all around him, along with the threats from overseas.

I loved learning more about him as a person, and how he was so loyal to the family and played such a pivotal role in many of the battles and trying to thwart the plots against them. It's also led me to start researching more on my own about various goings on of the time as this book has really sparked off a big interest in me now in the characters of the time. Highly recommended!

This purports to be a biography on John of Lancaster, Duke of Bedford, Regent of France and bother of Henry V, King of England; however, John really only comes into his own halfway through as before that he is lost amid a sea of Henrys.

This tome brought about mixed thoughts - one, being kudos for selecting to write about John of Lancaster, and two, points off for presentation and delivery; this was poorly executed. To my mind, John of Lancaster is never in the forefront of this narrative.

After noting his birth, it is not really until about page 51 that John makes his political entrance under the mentorship of Ralph Neville, Earl of Westmoreland (c.1403) - and this is roughly the same time any real page time has been dedicated / allocated to him. He reappears again at page 108 when recognised as Henry V's heir presumptive and is summoned to France (1419); page 122 when made regent of France (1422). Even after this, it is still hit and miss through to page 187, which marks the end of the tome, with a two paragraph summary of his life, influence and achievements.

Much of the information contained therein is readily available on the internet. Too much time was spent of Richard II, Henry IV, Henry V and other (unnecessary) diversions for this to be even considered a relevant biography of a singular individual. Providing the basic history of the era is fine - getting bogged down in it due to a lack of biographical information on your primary subject is another matter. And unfortunately, too often this is the case - preferable to read the synopsis and move on.

For someone well-read on the period, this is pretty basic stuff and in fact there is nothing new here at all. For a dedicated "re-assessment" I was expecting so much more. For some-one new to this period, there may be some confusion as to whom this book is actually about - it reads as a basic history of the events leading up to the war in France, using John of Lancaster is a very flimsy anchor. So much more of John's life and career could have been explored without the information dump. If the information is not there / not available - don't just fill the pages for the sake of it. I personally would rather read 50 pages of fact than 200 pages of waffle.

"A much-needed reassessment of John’s life and political career" this most definitely is not.

Henry V had more than one brother, so the title can be a bit confusing. The contents of this book though, are written clearly and serve to illuminate the life of someone overshadowed by the historical giant that is Henry V. An excellent read for those interested in that time period as well as wanting more of Henry V's upbringing.

An amazing look into an important historical figure who has been largely marginalized by his older brother and nephew.
However, there is no maybe about the fact that Geoffrey Chaucer’s wife was Katherine Swynford’s sister even though Philippa de Roet is known to history by her maiden name and Katherine is known to history by her first husband’s name.