well as Richard III; Paul Brennen in the 1989 film version of the full cycle of consecutive history plays performed, for several years, by the English Shakespeare Company; Edward Jewesbury in the 1995 film version of Richard III with Ian McKellen as Richard; James Dalesandro as Henry in the 2007 modern-day film version of Richard III; and Tom Sturridge as Henry to Benedict Cumberbatch's Richard III in the 2016 second season of the BBC series The Hollow Crown, an adaptation of Henry VI (condensed into two parts) and Richard III. Literary depictions of Henry VI Henry VI's marriage to Margaret of Anjou is the subject of the historical novel A Stormy Life (1867) by Georgiana Fullerton. The novel The Triple Crown (1912) by Rose Schuster focuses on Henry's insanity. The novel London Bridge Is Falling (1934) by Philip Lindsay depicts Henry's response to Jack Cade's Rebellion. Henry VI also features in the short story "The Duchess and the Doll" (1950) by Edith Pargeter. Opinions Overall, Henry VI is largely seen as a weak, inept king, who did nothing to ease the Wars of the Roses. Historian Dan Jones declares Henry a "mad king", who "allowed a wound to open in this country." Henry is widely believed to have favoured diplomacy, rather than all out war in the Hundred Years' War, starkly contrasting his father, Henry V, who led the heroic victory at Agincourt. This allowed Henry to be heavily influenced by many nobles, such as William de la Pole, who oversaw significant English losses in France, such as the Siege of Orléans. On the other hand, many historians see Henry as a pious, generous king, who was victim of an unstable crown, caused by the deposition of Richard II. John Blacman, personal chaplain of Henry, described the king as a man without "any crook or uncouth." Arms As Duke of Cornwall, Henry's arms were those of the kingdom, differenced by a label argent of three points. As King, Henry adopted the arms of France impaling the arms of England, symbolising the dual monarchy, with France shown in the dexter position of greater honour. Genealogy See also List of earls in the reigns of Henry VI and Edward IV of England Notes References Works cited External links 1421 births 1471 deaths 15th-century murdered monarchs 15th-century English monarchs 15th-century kings of France English Roman Catholics 15th-century English nobility English pretenders to the