History of Britain, A - Volume I: At the Edge of the World? 3000 B.C.--A.D. 1603Simon Schama's magesterial new book encompasses over 1,500 years of Britain's history, from the first Roman invasions to the early seventeenth century, and the extraordinary reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Schama, the author of the highly acclaimed Citizens and The Embarrassment of Riches, is one of the most popular and celebrated historians of our day, and in this magnificent work he brings history to dramatic life with a wealth of stories and vivid, colorful detail, reanimating familiar figures and events and drawing them skillfully into a powerful and compelling narrative. Schama's perspective moves from the birth of civilization to the Norman Conquest; through the religious wars and turbulance of the Middle Ages to the sovereignties of Henry II, Richard I and King John; through the outbreak of the Black Death, which destroyed nearly half of Europe's population, through the reign of Edward I and the growth of national identity in Wales and Scotland, to the intricate conflicts of the Tudors and the clash between Elizabeth I and Mary Queen of Scots. Driven by the drama of the stories themselves but exploring at the same time a network of interconnected themes--the formation of a nation state, the cyclical nature of power, the struggles between the oppressors and the oppressed--this is a superbly readable and illuminating account of a great nation, and its extraordinary history. |
From inside the book
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Page 117
... died before him ) , not everyone thought his death was accidental . Accompanying William II on the hunt was his brother Henry , the youngest of the Conqueror's sons , who , at the fatal moment , found himself nicely placed in the New ...
... died before him ) , not everyone thought his death was accidental . Accompanying William II on the hunt was his brother Henry , the youngest of the Conqueror's sons , who , at the fatal moment , found himself nicely placed in the New ...
Page 230
... died every day within the square mile of the city itself . As fast as people died , new cemeteries were dug with mass pits . At East Smithfield they were stacked in haste , five rows deep . While the ancient hospital cemetery at ...
... died every day within the square mile of the city itself . As fast as people died , new cemeteries were dug with mass pits . At East Smithfield they were stacked in haste , five rows deep . While the ancient hospital cemetery at ...
Page 395
... died , reality caught up with him and instead of spending his last days in his luminous ante - chamber to paradise , he spent them in the darkness of a prison , locked away for his faith . One son became a Gunpowder Plotter , saving his ...
... died , reality caught up with him and instead of spending his last days in his luminous ante - chamber to paradise , he spent them in the darkness of a prison , locked away for his faith . One son became a Gunpowder Plotter , saving his ...
Other editions - View all
A History of Britain - Volume 1: At the Edge of the World? 3000 BC ..., Volume 1 Simon Schama No preview available - 2009 |
A History of Britain - Volume 1: At the Edge of the World? 3000 BC-AD 1603 Simon Schama No preview available - 2011 |
Common terms and phrases
Abbey Alfred Angevin Anglo-Saxon Anne Archbishop Archbishop of Canterbury army barons battle became Becket bishops Black Death body Britain British brother Bruce campaign Canterbury castles Catherine Catholic Cecil century Christian chronicler Church Cnut coronation court Crown Dal Riata died Dudley Duke Earl earls of Mercia East Anglia Edward Edward the Confessor Eleanor Elizabeth empire England English face father France French fyrd Godwine Gwynedd Harold Harthacnut heir Henry Henry II Henry's horses huscarls Ireland John king king's kingdom knew knights land London lord magnates marriage married Mary Mary's medieval Montfort Norfolk Norman Normandy Northumbria numbers parliament perhaps Plantagenet political pope priests prince Protestant queen realm Reformation reign Richard Robert Roman Rome royal Saxon Scotland Scots Scottish seemed Simon survived thegns Thomas thought throne tomb took Tostig Tower troops Tudor Viking village Wales Walsingham Welsh Wessex Westminster William