In this beautifully illustrated volume, Charles Phillips charts the complete history of the royal families of Britain. Beginning in earliest times with the legend of King Arthur, Eric Bloodaxe and the real-life history of Macbeth, he describes the lives and legends of the kings and queens of Britain, their consorts and children, and the pretenders, usurpers and regents who played a role in the making of the United Kingdom. Fact boxes highlight the essential events of each reign, as well as maps, charts and family trees. A valuable reference book for any historian, this guide will fascinate every reader interested in one of the longest-running monarchies in the world.

"A lavishly illustrated history of the royalty and their families from Saxon times to today." -- Provided by publisher.

This book provides a boldly original account of Middle English literature from the Norman Conquest to the beginning of the sixteenth century. It argues that these centuries are, in fundamental ways, the momentous period in our literary history, for they are the long moment in which the category of literature itself emerged as English writing began to insist, for the first time, that it floated free of any social reality or function. This book also charts the complex mechanisms by which English writing acquired this power in a series of linked close readings of both canonical and more obscure texts. It encloses those readings in five compelling accounts of much broader cultural areas, describing, in particular, the productive relationship of Middle English writing to medieval technology, insurgency, statecraft and cultural place, concluding with an in depth account of the particular arguments, emphases and techniques English writers used to claim a wholly new jurisdiction for their work. Both this history and its readings are everywhere informed by the most exciting developments in recent Middle English scholarship as well as literary and cultural theory. It serves as an introduction to all these areas as well as a contribution, in its own right, to each of them.

Who was the first king of England? Did Henry I assassinate his brother? How did 'Bloody Mary' reinstate Roman Catholicism? For more than 1,000 years the British monarchy has dramatically shaped national and international history. Kings and queens have conquered territory, imposed religious change and extracted taxation, each with their own motivations and ambitions. In this beautifully illustrated book, Cath Senker delves into the extraordinary history of the British monarchy and its host of kings, queens and pretenders. There have been benevolent rulers, violent ones, religious fanatics, brilliant economists, masters of diplomacy and the power hungry. But whether they have abused their power or used it for good, each monarch has played a part in the rich tapestry of British history, coping with both international and civil wars, rebellions and criticism. The Kings & Queens of Britain introduces this fascinating thousand-year history, providing rich biographical detail of Britain's remarkable monarchs.

This authoritative and accessible guide to the British monarchy spans the Romano-British rulers of 55 BC to the present day House of Windsor. Generously illustrated with maps, photos, paintings, and genealogies, it contains a wealth of information on the rulers of Britain, including their policies, personalities, key dates, and legacies. There are almost 600 entries, which are organised by regions up to 1066 and by royal lines thereafter. Feature articles throughout the guide provide in-depth information on key royal topics, including Coronations, Regalia, the Tower of London, and - new to this edition - Westminster Abbey and St Paul's Cathedral. Revised and updated to include recent events, such as the second marriage of Prince Charles, this new edition also contains a topical introductory article on the changing role of the monarchy. There is a useful glossary, a list of recommended further reading, and a new appendix of recommended web links, accessed and kept up to date via a companion website. Comprehensive and elegantly written, this fascinating guide to the British monarchy is an essential reference resource for teachers and students of British history, and for anyone with an interest in Britain's rulers through the ages.

Discover the vivid stories of Britain's iconic rulers, from 600 CE to the present day. From the Saxons to the Windsors, Britain's royal lineage is brought to life in the pages of this visual guide. Confused about which Henry had six wives and which was crowned at the age of eight? Kings and Queens of England and Scotland documents the public and private lives of the royal dynasties. Year-by-year chronologies reveal the major events of each monarch's reign, while family trees trace the royal lineage and claim to the throne of each royal house. This new edition features recent royal events, including the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, and a biography of King Charles III. With crisp biographies of each sovereign, illustrated with contemporary portraits, painting, or statues. Kings and Queens of England and Scotland is an essential handy reference for all history buffs, and includes the following: - Accessible guide to the monarchs of both England and Scotland with extensive royal history distilled into a handy, compact format. - Concise summaries of every English sovereign from Alfred the Great and his Saxon ancestors to King Charles III. - Family tree for each of the royal houses. - Contemporary portraits, paintings, or photographs with each monarch's profile. - Concise bullet-point summaries of key events in each monarch's reign. The ideal history book for history buffs of all ages, whether you are or know of a fan of royal history, or looking for the perfect gift book for history students - Kings and Queens of England and Scotland is your go-to guide for a complete history of the monarchy.

Profiles notable monarchs, past and present, from around the world.

A magnificent tribute to the life and reign of Queen Elizabeth II, and a celebration of the British royal family. This book is a stunning visual guide to the world's most famous royals, from the Queen's Norman predecessors to her great-grandchildren. It features events such as the royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, and profiles on key people such as Princess Diana and Prince Harry. This new edition is revised to include the most recent events and milestones, such as the retirement of the Duke of Edinburgh, the birth of Charlotte, Louis, Archie, and other new family members, Harry and Meghan's wedding, and their decision to step back as senior members of the royal family. Including rare, restricted, and exclusive photos, this book examines the Queen's life in detail from her childhood to today, but also goes back through more than 1,000 years of history to tell the story of the House of Windsor and the entire succession of kings and queens of England and Scotland. With dazzling galleries of royal artefacts and photographic tours of sumptuous royal residences, this is the perfect book for fans of the Queen and royal family, fans of the Netflix series The Crown, or anyone interested in the history of the British monarchy.

The rich pageant of Britain's history emerges nowhere more colorfully than in the story of its kings and queens. This spectacular book offers the most authoritative account of the British monarchy ever published for the general reader. With over 400 illustrations--a third of them in color--it traces the crown's full history from Anglo-Saxon times to the present. The authors present a vivid picture of the lives of individual monarchs as well as of the monarchy as a political and social force. They begin the story in the fifth century with the rise of recognizable kingdoms in Scotland, Wales, and England and conclude with a discussion of the crown's constitutional role, which emerged in Queen Victoria's reign, and how this has affected the symbolic and popular monarchy of today. Along the way, we gain a clear view of how key traditions evolved: the right of succession, coronations and marriages, oaths of loyalty and military service, the granting of lands and titles, and the propagation of a powerful image of royalty. The book not only explains the monarch's political struggles and styles of governing; it is filled with fascinating details that give the story life. We learn, for instance, that Elizabeth I's famous journeys to various corners of her realm were not simply to show her off to her subjects: "The standard of Tudor sanitation," the authors note, "meant that the royal palaces became unbearable after several weeks of occupation and the court's absence for several months in the summer gave an opportunity to clean up." We discover that Victoria's coronation was "a splendid mixture of majesty and muddle": when it came time for the Archbishop to bestow the ceremonial ring, the already befuddled cleric placed it on the Queen's wrong finger, "causing considerable delay and] some pain." And we read George VI's touching wedding message to his daughter (the present queen): "Your leaving us has left a great blank in our lives but do remember that your old home is still yours." Supporting the text and carefully selected pictures are sidebars on each of the monarchs and on key general themes; color maps; an illustrated section on royal residences and tombs; a consolidated list of monarchs; genealogies; annotated lists of further reading; and a full index with personal dates.

From the House of Wessex to the House of Windsor, follow the pageant of personalities that have made Great Britain what it is today. Fascinating biographies of the British monarchs from the time of Roman Brittania to present day answer your every question about the country’s aristocracy. Details of the kings’ and queens’ personalities are the focus, with a timeline across the bottom relating the major events of their reigns. Also included is a section devoted to royal edicts. All the Edwards, Richards, Henrys, and Williams are represented, along with outstanding personalities such as Lady Jane Grey and Oliver Cromwell—a king in all but name. This is essential reading for all Anglophiles, so brew a pot of tea and dig into the history!