Description:
The monarchy is one of Britain's longest surviving institutions--as well as one of its most tumultuous and revered. In this masterful book, David Starkey looks at the monarchy as a whole, charting its history from Roman times, to the Wars of the Roses, the chaos of the Civil War, the fall of Charles I, and Cromwell's emergence as Lord Protector--all the way up until the Victorian era when Britain's monarchs came face-to-face with modernity.
This brilliant collection of biographies of Britain's kings and queens provides an in-depth examination of what the British monarchy has meant, what it means now, and what it will continue to mean. Bringing to life a cast of colorful characters, Starkey's trademark energy and authority make him the perfect guide on this epic, accessible, and compelling journey, as he offers us a vivid portrait of British culture, politics, and nationhood through an institution that has defined the realm for nearly two thousand years.
Brief description:
David Starkey is Honorary Fellow of Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge, and the author of many books including 'Elizabeth'; 'Six Wives: The Queens of Henry VIII' and 'Monarchy: England and Her Rulers from the Tudors to the Windsors'. He is a winner of the WH Smith Prize and the Norton Medlicott Medal for Services to History presented by Britain's Historical Association. He is a well-known TV and radio personality. He was made a CBE in 2007. He lives in London.