Dan Jones

Daniel Gwynne Jones, born on July 27, 1981, in Reading, Berkshire, England, to Welsh parents, established himself as a prominent figure in historical narrative and media. He pursued his education at The Royal Latin School and later at Pembroke College, Cambridge, graduating with a first-class degree in history in 2002. This academic foundation laid the groundwork for a career dedicated to making historical events comprehensible to a broad audience.

Jones commenced his career as a historian with the publication of his first book, “Summer of Blood: The Peasants’ Revolt of 1381,” in 2009. His next significant work, “The Plantagenets: The Kings Who Made England,” published in 2012 in the UK and 2013 in the US, became a New York Times bestseller. This book, covering the Plantagenet dynasty from Henry II to Richard II, received critical acclaim. He continued to explore English history with “The Hollow Crown: The Wars of the Roses and the Rise of the Tudors” in 2014, and also published “Magna Carta: The Making and Legacy of the Great Charter” the same year. His subsequent works include “The Templars: The Rise and Fall of God’s Holy Warriors” in 2017, “Crusaders: The Epic History of the Wars for the Holy Land” in 2019, and “Powers and Thrones: A New History of the Middle Ages” in 2021. In 2022, he ventured into historical fiction with “Essex Dogs,” the first in a trilogy.

Beyond his literary contributions, Jones has a substantial presence in television and journalism. His book “The Plantagenets” was adapted into a four-part Channel 5 series, “Britain’s Bloodiest Dynasty: The Plantagenets,” in 2014. He has presented and co-written various other documentary series for Channel 5, including “Secrets of Great British Castles,” “Henry VIII and His Six Wives” with Suzannah Lipscomb, “Elizabeth I,” “The Great Fire,” “Building Britain’s Canals,” and “London: 2000 Years of History.” As a journalist, he contributes to publications such as the London Evening Standard, The Times, The Sunday Times, The Telegraph, The Spectator, The Daily Beast, Newsweek, The Literary Review, New Statesman, GQ, BBC History, and History Today. In 2022, he launched his podcast, “This Is History: A Dynasty to Die For,” in collaboration with Somethin’ Else and Sony Music Entertainment.