The White Ship

Conquest, Anarchy and the Wrecking of Henry I’s Dream

By: Charles Spencer

Narrated by: Richard Trinder

Length: 9 hrs and 8 mins

Publisher's summary

The sinking of the White Ship in 1120 is one of the greatest disasters England has ever suffered. In one catastrophic night, the king’s heir and the flower of Anglo-Norman society were drowned and the future of the crown was thrown violently off course.

In a riveting narrative, Charles Spencer follows the story from the Norman Conquest through to the decades that would become known as the Anarchy: a civil war of untold violence that saw families turn in on each other with English and Norman barons, rebellious Welsh princes and the Scottish king all playing a part in a desperate game of thrones. All because of the loss of one vessel – the White Ship – the medieval Titanic.

©2020 Charles Spencer (P)2020 HarperCollins Publishers Limited

Critic reviews

"How a drunk teenager shipwrecked the monarchy.... As colourful and racy narrative history goes, this absolutely gallops. The White Ship whips through 100 years of complex history from the Norman Conquest to Henry II." (Daily Mail)

"Rooted in the medieval chronicles, but crafted like a Hollywood thriller. Spencer is one of the finest narrative historians around.... This story fairly rattles towards it terrible denouement." (Mail on Sunday)

"Charles Spencer has shown himself to be a perceptive and lively historian.... A gifted storyteller.... A complex tale spanning decades, with a rich, but rarely attractive cast of characters, pivoted on one single, tragic winter evening. It is an event and a period of history that should be better known, and now it will be." (The Times)

I always wanted to know more…..

I was always interested in the story of the white ship. I’ve read enough over the years to understand much regarding politics & people, but this gave me the details. Thank you, Charles Spencer, you have done a thorough & enjoyable job!

awesome

one of the best books read and listened. great book and well read. superb

Exactly what you need to know…

I love it about the books. Really nicely done and in a manner as not to be bored to death with minutia. Loved every minute.

Very decent survey

Earl Charles does a good job here creating a general survey of the reign of Henry I and the immediate aftermath. He does skirt through the actual Anarchy but as a companion to Dan Jones’ The Plantagenets and War of the Roses it is quite good.

fantastic story

Honestly, a great read and perspective. The Earl is a really good historical writer! Keep going!

For history lovers

Engaging, with a brisk pace, this book is everything a history lover could want. The author makes you feel as if you have a clear view of the tumultuous times following death of William the Conqueror and the close connection between England and the European Continent. The WSJ book review brought this work to my attention and I’m so glad it did!

Pleasantly surprised

I admit I entered this with bias against the author from preconceived notions about him based on his conduct and his press image stemming from his role as a member of the British Aristocracy and his tangential connections to the Royal Family .

I was pleasantly surprised. Earl Spencer seems to have found his calling as an historian. He manages the story well, it is engaging, well researched, extensive and detailed and not a topic that is over done. Avoiding the over done Henrys, the Yorks,
the Lancasters, and the Tutors, he gives us King Henry I, Empress Matilda and King Stephen, a story that some have not heard in detail. King Henry II enters only at the end almost as an epilogue to close out the story.

Definitely worth the listen.

Brilliant and concise

Excellent narration and easy to follow. I will definitely search out more of the author's works.

Great book, could've had more on the Anarchy

Great book. Was really hoping and thinking there'd be more about the Anarchy which I'd have preferred over the history of William the Conqueror and entire reigns of William Rufus and Henry I. Either way it was a great book and I finished it in a single go

Death, Devastation, and Redemption

When I first got this book, I was curious how the author was going to get an entire book out of one shipwreck and be able to keep everyone's attention the entire way through - which I quickly discovered was a stupid question. I was HOOKED very early on, and drawn into the story.
The author begins by taking us through William the Conqueror's story, the following kings, the hardships that followed through the kingdom, and winding up with Henry - who had worked hard to ensure that the monarchy was secure. His son, William, was destined to take the throne after his father, but after years of warfare, hard-earned respect, and finally recognition from France, it seemed that everything was complete - bring on the golden years! Cue, the White Ship.

The youth aboard the White Ship was jovial, partying along with the crew, and celebrating. As they waited to embark on their short voyage to England, drinks were flowing, and the crew, unfortunately, was just as drunk as the passengers. Instead of waiting for the following morning, the Captain decided to sail anyway, forgetting about the dangerous rocks at the beginning of the harbor. What happened would crush the aristocracy of England, taking some of the best and brightest of the future generations, tearing families apart, ending families, and destabilizing the monarchy itself.
After the tragedy, there was nothing good waiting for England, which after the death of the king, quickly was realized. While Henry had ensured that his daughter, Matilda, was sworn to be his heir after his death, her cousin, Stephen of Blois, raced to claim the crown instead. What followed were decades of warfare, tearing the country apart. When it seemed that Matilda finally had the crown in her hands, she alienated her support. She had to finally realize that she needed to fight for the rights of her son, not herself, and therein the tides of war changed. Stephen was finally forced to recognize the young Henry Fitzempress as his heir, finally bringing peace and harmony to the country.

I was absolutely blown away by this book, and hate that it took me so long to get through it. I enjoyed the breakdown of the history, the backstory of what led to the tragedy, and the unfortunate endings of the lives of so many promising youths.
For those who love history, this is one book that you need to read. Medieval history at its finest!