History of England Vol.2: The Tudors and the Stuart Era

by George Macaulay Trevelyan

Trevelyan's classic work analyzes the social development of England in relation to economic conditions, political institutions, and overseas activities.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Reference, British Literature

320 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1926

About the author

George Macaulay Trevelyan, OM, CBE, FRS, FBA, was an English historian. Trevelyan was the third son of Sir George Trevelyan, 2nd Baronet, and great-nephew of Thomas Babington Macaulay, whose staunch liberal Whig principles he espoused in accessible works of literate narrative avoiding a consciously dispassionate analysis, that became old-fashioned during his long and productive career. Contemporary E. H. Carr considered Trevelyan to be one of the last historians of the Whig tradition.

Many of his writings promoted the Whig Party, an important aspect of British politics from the 1600s to the mid-1800s, and of its successor, the Liberal Party. Whigs and Liberals believed the common people had a more positive effect on history than did royalty and that democratic government would bring about steady social progress.

Trevelyan's history is engaged and partisan. Of his Garibaldi trilogy, "reeking with bias", he remarked in his essay "Bias in History", "Without bias, I should never have written them at all. For I was moved to write them by a poetical sympathy with the passions of the Italian patriots of the period, which I retrospectively shared."

Reviews

[Carol Storm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enormous fun to read -- a must for anyone who wants to write historical romance set in England.

[Robert Hult · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most comprehensive book I have ever read on a country. Nicely illustrated and completely readable.

[Robert Spencer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not only a classic of history, but also of historiography, G.M. Trevelyan's History of England was first idolised and then later criticised for its portrayal of England (and Great Britain) during the period of the British Empire.

Trevelyan portrays Britain as a country blessed by progress. He sees England leading the world in terms of democracy, religious toleration, industry and trade, as well as in many other ways. When the book was published people loved it and basked in its warm glow.

Later, when Herbert Butterfield published "The Whig Interpretation of History" many people felt that Trevelyan's work was too comfortable, too optimistic, looking at the world through red white and blue spectacles. In fact, it could be suggested that many of the post-modernist trends which later developed in history mark a clear reaction against Trevelyan's way of thinking.

I enjoy it immensely and can read it over and over.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Long but very readable concise (800+ pages) hisory of England. The emphasis is on the social and political history with kings and battles relegated to asides. Highly critical of centuries of mismanagement of Ireland but more forgiving of colonial rule elsewhere, but then it was written in the 1920s.

[A · Rating 4 out of 5]

Big history of England, g- good for looking up items/periods where one is a little weak. Fair.

[Edwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have the edition which was printed in 1941. The maps are large and it is certainly excellent for reading. I indeed admire the fact that this one single volume book tells about from Roman Britain to the modern one. It is comprehensive but not quite so that you do not get bored while reading. Personally, I wouldn't mind a lot of details since I am studying this subject and I am quite interested but again, I do understand why this method of writing was chosen.

[Jonathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The English historian G.M. Trevelyan published this book in 1926, nearly a century ago, before the British Empire had itself become history. Despite seeming old fashioned, to the point of "political incorrectness" at times, I found this book a great help to understanding Tudor and Stuart Eras. Its greatest strength is the breadth of the narrative; political, social, military, economic, international aspects the times are presented in a coherent way.

[B.W. Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A classic

[John Maclean · Rating 3 out of 5]

A disappointment. Trevelan's "History of England" is called a classic but is really an outdated survey, modestly written and modestly informative. Not bad, but look elsewhere for better.

[Vincent Courvoisier · Rating 4 out of 5]

History of England Volume 2 by G.M. Trevelyan is a great book and should be provided for students learning about England. The title is describing the book in the least word. The author Trevelyan is a historian author from England. The first volume describing the moments before the point of the book start. The book is easy to read without added information before you read or read the prior books. The author's intention in the book is to teach us about English history. He sets the background of the book and after talk about Henry ll with his reign and chronically go forward in time.
Some limitations are not going outside a war causing to demonstrate both sides of a war. He has to stay on the English side of the war. As far did I read, I saw no important aspects missing and that would cause it to become a great book to learn off of. Also, this provides becoming an accurate book of information. The concept is well defined. There are footnotes along the book to help clarify the subject. There diagrams for the maps of King/Queen ruled to represent the land and causing you to picture it. The language is clear with the index accurate to the page. The author uses primary sources. The book genre is history with the history provided like in the other books in the collection.
This book is written in a third person and it is the easiest way to create something from history because the first person has to be you. The author was not King during the time and the second person would not fit at all. The author created for formal history students or who wants to read her book causing to be suitable. I believe the author has to concede chapter because it would describe in the topic of Downfall of a King and the death of a person. This a great book with fulfilling facts on the English and a great example to be seen with another student who is having difficulty with their history. The History of England is a great book and shows around what is happening not just telling the information.

[A · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this would be a good, overview narrative history of the period listed, but it is more of a running commentary on the history, that we are supposed to already know. This stretched me a bit, as I am not always first hand familiar with the ways of Charles, James II, Pitt and Marlborough, but .... for what it is, this account is outstanding. I found myself buying the author's perspective frequently and when i didn't, the matter was left open in a good open way. Well organized and just enough background (history) to keep a person like me engaged.

[Jackson Cyril · Rating 4 out of 5]

Matchless prose and great wit.