An Essay on the Character of Henry the Fifth, When Prince of Wales

London: T. Cadell and W. Davies, 1813. Luders, Alexander. An Essay on the Character of Henry the Fifth, When Prince of Wales. London: T. Cadell and W. Davies, 1813. 150 pp. Frontispiece. Library cloth with gilt stamped spine. Fine. Bookplate to front pastedown. Bookbinder's ticket "Edmund Worrall" to front pastedown. Property stamp to title page. Some water staining to first few pages, otherwise internally clean. $75. * A historical analysis arguing against the traditional portrayal of Henry V as a wild and irresponsible youth who underwent a dramatic, sudden conversion upon becoming king. Luders instead posits that Henry's character was more complex and that his time as Prince of Wales was not a period of simple dissolution. Luders uses contemporary sources to challenge the well-established narrative, largely popularized by Shakespeare, that paints Henry as a dissolute youth. The essay contends that the young Henry already exhibited significant military skill, statesmanship, and religious devotion. Luders argues that these traits were a crucial foundation for his later effectiveness as a ruler, rather than being new developments.…