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Kings and Queens: A Very Peculiar History
Which king's guards massacred his supporters by mistake? Who had an oversized tongue and slobbered when he ate? Who survived seven assassination attempts? It wasn't all thrones and scepters for British monarchs. Some were batty, others vicious, and some became much-loved icons. Meet these rulers, discover their bizarre habits, and enjoy quirky stories, fascinating facts, and fun lists.
192 pages, ebook
First published January 1, 2011
About the author
Antony Mason
142 books2 followersEighty books – seems a bit excessive, really, even to me. But this is the product of more than twenty years of writing. And I have to say that some authors in my field – illustrated non-fiction – have written twice, even three times, as many.
How did I get here? Well, I worked as an editor with a couple of small publishing companies in London for about ten years (1977–87), and then I turned freelance. Whenever any writing tasks were offered to me, I took them, and so gradually I made the conversion from editor to writer – although I still do both.
I think I always wanted to be a writer, penning short stories as a child. I also have an insatiable curiosity. This is how I’ve ended up in non-fiction, where my magpie instincts to investigate virtually any area of knowledge have served me well.
My primary skill – so I’m told – is to research a subject and then convert it into clear, accessible and engaging text for a general readership, or for children.
I also translate books from French, and write website content.
For a couple of years (2008–10) I was a tutor in writing at Goldsmiths, University of London, working as a Fellow of the Royal Literary Fund. Latterly I have been closely involved in the Intergenerational Foundation, which aims to remind government and policy-makers of the need to think for the long-term to ensure an honourable and sustainable legacy to future generations.
Since 2011 I have also been writing as the ‘Brussels expert’ for the Daily Telegraph and the Telegraph online travel website.
How did I get here? Well, I worked as an editor with a couple of small publishing companies in London for about ten years (1977–87), and then I turned freelance. Whenever any writing tasks were offered to me, I took them, and so gradually I made the conversion from editor to writer – although I still do both.
I think I always wanted to be a writer, penning short stories as a child. I also have an insatiable curiosity. This is how I’ve ended up in non-fiction, where my magpie instincts to investigate virtually any area of knowledge have served me well.
My primary skill – so I’m told – is to research a subject and then convert it into clear, accessible and engaging text for a general readership, or for children.
I also translate books from French, and write website content.
For a couple of years (2008–10) I was a tutor in writing at Goldsmiths, University of London, working as a Fellow of the Royal Literary Fund. Latterly I have been closely involved in the Intergenerational Foundation, which aims to remind government and policy-makers of the need to think for the long-term to ensure an honourable and sustainable legacy to future generations.
Since 2011 I have also been writing as the ‘Brussels expert’ for the Daily Telegraph and the Telegraph online travel website.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
January 21, 2015
There is a celeb mag I've run into on waiting room tables that always cracks me up when I hit the regular feature "They're Just Like Us!" Underneath photos of these poor celebrities trying to have a moment of normalcy in their real lives off-camera, there are taglines like, "They push their kids in the stroller to the park!", "They drink coffee at Starbucks!", "They shop at Target!" Um, yeah, we know! This book reminded me a bit of that feature, since its intent was to give a quick overview of British royalty as well as throw in some of the lesser-known tidbits and quirks of the rich and famous--some of which may even remind you, gentle reader, of yourself.
As history books go, this was a fun and easy romp down the halls of many centuries. I enjoyed the trivia, and I also thought it was cool to learn more--just a little, tiny bit more--about some of the early queens and kings whose family tree we tie into.
This book was donated to my little free library, thanks!
As history books go, this was a fun and easy romp down the halls of many centuries. I enjoyed the trivia, and I also thought it was cool to learn more--just a little, tiny bit more--about some of the early queens and kings whose family tree we tie into.
This book was donated to my little free library, thanks!
January 21, 2019
I loved this book, it’s a good over view of the whole history of Great Britain and it’s easy to read. When I go to England I will definitely take this little book with me!
September 1, 2019
Solid 4. Great little book. Tons of fun facts.
May 18, 2024
These books are cute and quick to read and supply a surprising amount of information. I know the monarchs in order now,ascending or descending, I'll recite it both ways! (from Edward the Confessor, that is..not the Egberts and Ethelreds) Isn't that incredibly nerdy?
(there are several errors in this one, probably mostly typos but enough to notice)
(there are several errors in this one, probably mostly typos but enough to notice)
July 1, 2022
Very brief overview of the various monarchs. It would have been better if there weren’t some glaring typos (some repeated on the same page) - for example saying Malcolm II when they mean Malcolm III which is very confusing and obviously wrong.
August 28, 2023
I love this little book. Coupled with a few other books recounting the
British monarchy, I’ve been able to cobble together a rudimentary understanding of
British history. That said, I feel more confident about taking a “deep dive” into particular eras.
British monarchy, I’ve been able to cobble together a rudimentary understanding of
British history. That said, I feel more confident about taking a “deep dive” into particular eras.
March 23, 2017
Brilliant little hardback book that I picked up on a whim from the bargain section at Barnes & Noble. Very handy illustrated reference guide to the entire history of royalty in Great Britain. I was not only amazed at how much I learned from this book, but also a little shocked about the sheer number of startling facts that I had never heard in my life. Considering how many British books, both classic and modern, that I tend to read, I have a feeling that I will be referencing this little gem quite often!
June 8, 2020
A very quick overview. Small pocketbook very easy and fun to read
July 24, 2020
A fun, educational little book. Best for digesting small chunks at a time. I remember best that way.
October 9, 2020
How can I not love something brief but easy to remember.
April 8, 2021
I love these short yet informative books.
September 11, 2024
A light read of factoids about all the British monarchs in chronological order.
August 4, 2016
This petite book written in small, easily digestible sections and lists, is a great refresher on the history of the British monarchy. I plan on returning to it often when allusions to this monarch or that pop up in literature. Plus, I now have a handy guide to the Kings "Ethel" - priceless.
Each ruling house is discussed. I find I have rekindled my fondness for the German House of Hanover. After all, Good Ol' King George III was unable to keep hold of the American colonies and that worked out pretty well. Plus, from age 50 onward, he ended every sentence with the word 'peacock' and mistook a tree for the King of Prussia. He was succeeded by another interesting fellow, George IV, known as "the Prince of Whales" who, known for being a glutton, typically had for breakfast an appetitif of laudanum, a beef pie made with 5-6 steaks and 2-3 pigeons, champagne, port, Moselle and claret. I now can picture Elvis and George IV dining together on Fool's Gold Loaf at the great banquet table in the sky.
Of course, the book wraps up with today's ruling dynasty, also of German descent, from the House of Saxe-Coburg Gotha (they changed their name to "Windsor" during WWI to sound less German). Notoriously in this line, Kaiser Wilhelm II was at his dying grandmother's side - that is, Queen Victoria - a few years before he became Britain's public enemy number 1 during WWI.
I appreciated that the author also gives brief props to the Royal Mistresses, whose company was generally preferred over many a queen, and who were bestowed glamorous titles in return for their affections. Many of them bore monarchical love children - respect to them! Good old Henry I had 20-25 illegitimate children with 6 mothers. Even Princess Diana, Camilla and Sarah Ferguson are all descendants of Louise de Kérouaille, Charles II's mistress! Of course, Edward VIII abdication in favor of American divorcee Wallis Simpson is mentioned as well (ah l'amour!) The next time I hear "Keep calm and carry on" I will pause to think that this slogan may have a different meaning for many a royal.
In addition to kings and queens, the author discusses all manner of things associated with British royalty: Royal seals, flag origins, castles and royal palaces, the Crown Jewels, succession, coronation, commonwealths, territories (marked in pink on British school maps) and the like. The author provides a tight timeline of who ruled when, and poems to remember the order of monarchy should you care to memorize them.
This book is chock full of interesting facts, some of which are rather obscure. One such fact is that up until Princess Margaret was born in 1930, all births were required to be witnessed by the Home Secretary since the second wife of James II gave birth to a son suspected not to have been her biological child (I am sure Queen Victoria was not amused). I personally loved the fact that George V had a pet parrot who ate at the breakfast table and that Henry III's pet polar bear (a gift from the King of Norway) was allowed to go fishing in the Thames. Who knew?
Overall, there is a lot of history crammed into this little book and its a succinct and amusing survey of a very old monarchy.
It is a handy reference guide and a fun (and funny) read.
Each ruling house is discussed. I find I have rekindled my fondness for the German House of Hanover. After all, Good Ol' King George III was unable to keep hold of the American colonies and that worked out pretty well. Plus, from age 50 onward, he ended every sentence with the word 'peacock' and mistook a tree for the King of Prussia. He was succeeded by another interesting fellow, George IV, known as "the Prince of Whales" who, known for being a glutton, typically had for breakfast an appetitif of laudanum, a beef pie made with 5-6 steaks and 2-3 pigeons, champagne, port, Moselle and claret. I now can picture Elvis and George IV dining together on Fool's Gold Loaf at the great banquet table in the sky.
Of course, the book wraps up with today's ruling dynasty, also of German descent, from the House of Saxe-Coburg Gotha (they changed their name to "Windsor" during WWI to sound less German). Notoriously in this line, Kaiser Wilhelm II was at his dying grandmother's side - that is, Queen Victoria - a few years before he became Britain's public enemy number 1 during WWI.
I appreciated that the author also gives brief props to the Royal Mistresses, whose company was generally preferred over many a queen, and who were bestowed glamorous titles in return for their affections. Many of them bore monarchical love children - respect to them! Good old Henry I had 20-25 illegitimate children with 6 mothers. Even Princess Diana, Camilla and Sarah Ferguson are all descendants of Louise de Kérouaille, Charles II's mistress! Of course, Edward VIII abdication in favor of American divorcee Wallis Simpson is mentioned as well (ah l'amour!) The next time I hear "Keep calm and carry on" I will pause to think that this slogan may have a different meaning for many a royal.
In addition to kings and queens, the author discusses all manner of things associated with British royalty: Royal seals, flag origins, castles and royal palaces, the Crown Jewels, succession, coronation, commonwealths, territories (marked in pink on British school maps) and the like. The author provides a tight timeline of who ruled when, and poems to remember the order of monarchy should you care to memorize them.
This book is chock full of interesting facts, some of which are rather obscure. One such fact is that up until Princess Margaret was born in 1930, all births were required to be witnessed by the Home Secretary since the second wife of James II gave birth to a son suspected not to have been her biological child (I am sure Queen Victoria was not amused). I personally loved the fact that George V had a pet parrot who ate at the breakfast table and that Henry III's pet polar bear (a gift from the King of Norway) was allowed to go fishing in the Thames. Who knew?
Overall, there is a lot of history crammed into this little book and its a succinct and amusing survey of a very old monarchy.
It is a handy reference guide and a fun (and funny) read.
January 3, 2017
This little book looks like a childrens' book, but it's actually aimed at adults who, like me, don't know much about British royalty, want to find out more, but cannot follow long histories of kings and queens. This book runs through each king and queen, pulling up important tidbits from each reign, and highlighting interesting quirks.
I appreciated the effort put into making this easy to read and remember. The book is well categorised, with each chapter covering a dynasty of leaders, and beginning with a list of the leaders covered in that chapter. At the end, there's a helpful timeline covering both England and Scotland to help you put things into place. There are pop up boxes and illustrations scattered throughout to help change things up a bit. I still cannot remember what each king and queen did, but I do have a better idea of the general gist of things.
I appreciated the effort put into making this easy to read and remember. The book is well categorised, with each chapter covering a dynasty of leaders, and beginning with a list of the leaders covered in that chapter. At the end, there's a helpful timeline covering both England and Scotland to help you put things into place. There are pop up boxes and illustrations scattered throughout to help change things up a bit. I still cannot remember what each king and queen did, but I do have a better idea of the general gist of things.
January 6, 2017
Interesting, informative and humorous but with all the dates and numerals I would have appreciated a little more care with how they were handled. At times it was quite confusing to decipher if a time frame was meant to describe the time a person reigned or lived and such.
Still I think this is a handy little book to get a quick impression of the English/British kings and queens. Since I only picked this up to gain some more insight after reading The Other Boleyn Girl , it was sufficiently detailed for me and suited my needs quite well. :)
Still I think this is a handy little book to get a quick impression of the English/British kings and queens. Since I only picked this up to gain some more insight after reading The Other Boleyn Girl , it was sufficiently detailed for me and suited my needs quite well. :)
July 31, 2015
'Kings & Queens of Great Britain" is a very handy book covering every ruling monarch of Great Britain in about a paragraph. True, you could look this information up online. However, if you're in need of a quick summary, this book saves time. It provides an overview of succession, and also mentions important battles, palaces, Crown jewels, etc.
The version I have is up-to-date to Prince George. Wish I would have had this guide for some of my college history courses. Good to know trivia.
The version I have is up-to-date to Prince George. Wish I would have had this guide for some of my college history courses. Good to know trivia.
August 21, 2015
Really cool book. Gives little quick snippets about each King and Queen in Great Britian, in the order they served. If you are looking to really learn about a certain king or queen, go somewhere else. But if you want a feel for each one or just want to find out how the monarchy has changed through the centuries, this is the book for you. Very interesting. Thank you Antony Mason.
February 24, 2015
Very funny! I learn a lot of things on kings and queens even random facts that were very funny!
January 9, 2015
A very amusing little book. It was interesting to discover the kinds of animals that some royalty kept
January 23, 2016
Great for a quick overview. Easy to follow along down through the history. A fun read!
May 20, 2017
This was a quick, easy read that very quickly gives you the history of the British monarchy. It was quite enjoyable!
February 6, 2017
A fun, quick book I read when I had short breaks between activities. The briefness of the passages made it easy to digest the information and still learn something.
March 30, 2017
For about 12 centuries, the English have been ruled by monarchs, and eventually this form of government spread to all of the British Empire. That’s a lot of history, and many kings and queens to take account of. This small volume with cartoony illustrations gives the reader an overview of those people and what they did.
There’s a brief discussion of monarchs before the official first king of the majority of England, Alfred the Great, starting in 871 C.E. This includes the legendary King Arthur who may or may not have been based on an actual person. After that is a chronological listing of English kings and queens, with a paragraph or page for each, with chapters cutting away to the Scottish monarchs. (The Irish kings do not get the same courtesy.) With King James I & VI, the lines are consolidated, and after that they’re all British kings and queens.
This is very much a highlights-only history book, with only the most famous bits of each reign mentioned for most of the monarchs. There are, however, frequent sidebars on such subjects as palaces, revolutions, jewels, the Magna Carta and mistresses. The serious scholar of British history is unlikely to learn anything new. The book finishes up with a glossary, timeline, and index to make it easier to find the particular monarch you’re looking for. It’s current as of January 2015.
Due to some salacious subject matter, I’d rate this as suitable for senior high students on up. (There’s also a lot of violence; many of these people left the throne via murder.) This would make a nice gift for your Anglophilic friend or relative, or Game of Thrones fans who have somehow never read the history that show is loosely based on.
There’s a brief discussion of monarchs before the official first king of the majority of England, Alfred the Great, starting in 871 C.E. This includes the legendary King Arthur who may or may not have been based on an actual person. After that is a chronological listing of English kings and queens, with a paragraph or page for each, with chapters cutting away to the Scottish monarchs. (The Irish kings do not get the same courtesy.) With King James I & VI, the lines are consolidated, and after that they’re all British kings and queens.
This is very much a highlights-only history book, with only the most famous bits of each reign mentioned for most of the monarchs. There are, however, frequent sidebars on such subjects as palaces, revolutions, jewels, the Magna Carta and mistresses. The serious scholar of British history is unlikely to learn anything new. The book finishes up with a glossary, timeline, and index to make it easier to find the particular monarch you’re looking for. It’s current as of January 2015.
Due to some salacious subject matter, I’d rate this as suitable for senior high students on up. (There’s also a lot of violence; many of these people left the throne via murder.) This would make a nice gift for your Anglophilic friend or relative, or Game of Thrones fans who have somehow never read the history that show is loosely based on.
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December 9, 2018For a short book it was quite good. Gave a general background on the kings and queens of Scotland and Britain.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews