Summary
The Plantagenet dynasty was one of the most important royal houses in English history, ruling from the twelfth to the late fifteenth century. Its branches included the houses of Lancaster and York.
Historical role
It matters because Plantagenet rule spans the development of English monarchy, law, aristocratic politics, continental claims, and the conflicts that culminated in the Wars of the Roses.
Connections
Useful for linking medieval England, Angevin power, Magna Carta, dynastic conflict, and the transition to Tudor rule.