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A Brief History of the British Monarchy
The British monarchy is at a turning point. Concise and engaging, this book charts the very beginnings of British reign through to the longest serving monarch, Queen Elizabeth II - and looks forward to the reign of King Charles III.
Much more than a linear history, this is the intertwined story of royalty and state, of divisions, invasions, rivalries, death and glory; the story of nation fates deeply tied with the personal endeavours of monarchs through the ages. Black expertly weaves together thematic chapters from the origins of monarchy, medieval times and sixteenth-century developments, to the crises of the seventeenth-century, settlement and imperialism, and the challenges of the modern age. Exploring the House of Wessex, the Norman Conquest, Henry VIII and the Tudors, Victorianism and key events such as abdication of Edward VIII, this book is a necessary and comprehensive guide to the British Monarchy and how it has shaped history - and our lives today.
Much more than a linear history, this is the intertwined story of royalty and state, of divisions, invasions, rivalries, death and glory; the story of nation fates deeply tied with the personal endeavours of monarchs through the ages. Black expertly weaves together thematic chapters from the origins of monarchy, medieval times and sixteenth-century developments, to the crises of the seventeenth-century, settlement and imperialism, and the challenges of the modern age. Exploring the House of Wessex, the Norman Conquest, Henry VIII and the Tudors, Victorianism and key events such as abdication of Edward VIII, this book is a necessary and comprehensive guide to the British Monarchy and how it has shaped history - and our lives today.
- GenresHistoryNonfiction
248 pages, Paperback
Published June 4, 2024
8 people are currently reading
69 people want to read
About the author
Jeremy Black
433 books197 followersJeremy Black is an English historian, who was formerly a professor of history at the University of Exeter. He is a senior fellow at the Center for the Study of America and the West at the Foreign Policy Research Institute in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US.
Black is the author of over 180 books, principally but not exclusively on 18th-century British politics and international relations, and has been described by one commentator as "the most prolific historical scholar of our age". He has published on military and political history, including Warfare in the Western World, 1882–1975 (2001) and The World in the Twentieth Century (2002).
Black is the author of over 180 books, principally but not exclusively on 18th-century British politics and international relations, and has been described by one commentator as "the most prolific historical scholar of our age". He has published on military and political history, including Warfare in the Western World, 1882–1975 (2001) and The World in the Twentieth Century (2002).
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
July 12, 2024
I have been reading historical fiction lately, and this stimulated a desire to read more about certain aspects of the real history. In 234 pages, the author could obviously just scratch the surface of such a subject, and so it proved to be a suitable place to start before digging deeper (not that I plan to).
The potted history of each king or queen is given, and sometimes I recognised things I had learnt way back in primary school - The Domesday Book, Magna Carta, Gunpowder Plot, etc. Now, of course, we have Wikipedia which lets us learn about these in more detail if we wish. There are also various quotations about the character of some of the monarchs, by people of their time, which add a level of interest. They aren't always complimentary. Usually the dates of reign were given in the first line under the monarch's name, but not always, and sometimes I had to search in previous paragraphs for the information, or imply the dates from the end of the previous monarchy. I think it would be an improvement to put the dates in brackets immediately after the name, in the heading.
I have no idea of the accuracy of all that has been written, not being an expert in history at all.
On reflection, my one criticism above is rather minor, and I have upgraded the rating to 3.8, four stars, for a work which meets its purpose of providing an overview.
The potted history of each king or queen is given, and sometimes I recognised things I had learnt way back in primary school - The Domesday Book, Magna Carta, Gunpowder Plot, etc. Now, of course, we have Wikipedia which lets us learn about these in more detail if we wish. There are also various quotations about the character of some of the monarchs, by people of their time, which add a level of interest. They aren't always complimentary. Usually the dates of reign were given in the first line under the monarch's name, but not always, and sometimes I had to search in previous paragraphs for the information, or imply the dates from the end of the previous monarchy. I think it would be an improvement to put the dates in brackets immediately after the name, in the heading.
I have no idea of the accuracy of all that has been written, not being an expert in history at all.
On reflection, my one criticism above is rather minor, and I have upgraded the rating to 3.8, four stars, for a work which meets its purpose of providing an overview.
November 10, 2024
More an exploration of the governance of Monarchy rather than blow by blow summary of interesting events.
For instance, the American War of Independence is mentioned only in passing, during the George III chapter. Ok, but not what I was hoping for
For instance, the American War of Independence is mentioned only in passing, during the George III chapter. Ok, but not what I was hoping for
February 23, 2025
A very interesting read
Lists every British monarch up until queen Elizabeth 2 with a brief history of each monarch
Lists every British monarch up until queen Elizabeth 2 with a brief history of each monarch
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews