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This Sceptred Isle #4
This Sceptred Isle, Vol. 4: Elizabeth I to Cromwell 1547-1660
The award-winning story of Britain, from the arrival of Julius Caesar in 55BC to the death of Queen Victoria in 1901, specially written for BBC Radio 4 by Christopher Lee, narrated by Anna Massey and featuring extracts from Sir Winston Churchill's History of the English Speaking Peoples read by Paul Eddington and Peter Jeffrey.
It was in the reign of Elizabeth I that England became a Protestant nation. Her reign saw the flowering of the Renaissance in England, the growth of trading, slaving and piracy as well as the tragic story of Mary, Queen of Scots.
Elizabeth united England as never before but it was her successor, James VI of Scotland who became the first ruler of Great Britain as it was called for the first time.
Jame's son, Charles I, decided he could rule without benefit of Parliament; and then religion, Scotland and Ireland began to lead towards bitter Civil War which would bring the irresistible rise of Oliver Cromwell and eventually end with the removal not just of the King but of the monarchy itself.
It was in the reign of Elizabeth I that England became a Protestant nation. Her reign saw the flowering of the Renaissance in England, the growth of trading, slaving and piracy as well as the tragic story of Mary, Queen of Scots.
Elizabeth united England as never before but it was her successor, James VI of Scotland who became the first ruler of Great Britain as it was called for the first time.
Jame's son, Charles I, decided he could rule without benefit of Parliament; and then religion, Scotland and Ireland began to lead towards bitter Civil War which would bring the irresistible rise of Oliver Cromwell and eventually end with the removal not just of the King but of the monarchy itself.
3 pages, Audio CD
First published January 1, 1996
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About the author
Christopher Lee
329 books34 followersChristopher Lee was a British writer, historian, and broadcaster, best known for creating and writing the acclaimed BBC Radio 4 documentary series This Sceptred Isle. His career spanned journalism, academia, military service, and historical writing.
After an early life at sea, he studied history at London University before joining the BBC as a defence and foreign affairs correspondent, with postings in Moscow and the Middle East. He later transitioned into academia, becoming the first Quatercentenary Fellow in Contemporary History at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, and conducting research at Birkbeck College. He also served in the Royal Navy's Joint Intelligence Reserve Branch, reaching the rank of captain.
Lee’s This Sceptred Isle, originally broadcast in 1995, chronicled British history from Roman times to the 20th century and was expanded with additional series covering the 20th century and the British Empire. His historical works include 1603, Nelson and Napoleon, and Monarchy, Past, Present… and Future?, as well as an abridgment of Winston Churchill's A History of the English-Speaking Peoples. He was also a prolific radio playwright, penning over 100 plays and series for BBC Radio 4.
Beyond writing, he served as a defence and foreign affairs adviser to the British Forces Broadcasting Service for 30 years and was involved in policy analysis.
He divided his time between Sussex and Florence, Italy, and was married to portrait painter Fiona Graham-Mackay. Lee passed away in 2021 at the age of 79.
After an early life at sea, he studied history at London University before joining the BBC as a defence and foreign affairs correspondent, with postings in Moscow and the Middle East. He later transitioned into academia, becoming the first Quatercentenary Fellow in Contemporary History at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, and conducting research at Birkbeck College. He also served in the Royal Navy's Joint Intelligence Reserve Branch, reaching the rank of captain.
Lee’s This Sceptred Isle, originally broadcast in 1995, chronicled British history from Roman times to the 20th century and was expanded with additional series covering the 20th century and the British Empire. His historical works include 1603, Nelson and Napoleon, and Monarchy, Past, Present… and Future?, as well as an abridgment of Winston Churchill's A History of the English-Speaking Peoples. He was also a prolific radio playwright, penning over 100 plays and series for BBC Radio 4.
Beyond writing, he served as a defence and foreign affairs adviser to the British Forces Broadcasting Service for 30 years and was involved in policy analysis.
He divided his time between Sussex and Florence, Italy, and was married to portrait painter Fiona Graham-Mackay. Lee passed away in 2021 at the age of 79.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
September 19, 2018
This one moved on through the execution of the King and the Civil War at a slightly more leisurely pace than the previous volumes.
October 10, 2008
This is one of my favorite periods of British history. So I probably didn't learn all that much new from this installment of This Sceptred Isle, but I appreciated its entertaining overview.
April 20, 2016
Interesting but it covers so much so quickly that it can't go into detail.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews