A Brief History of Britain 1485–1660, The Tudor & Stuart Dynasties

A Brief History of Britain #2

by Ronald Hutton

From the death of Richard III on Bosworth Field in 1485 to the execution of Charles I, after the Civil Wars of 1642-48, England was transformed by two Dynasties.

Firstly the Tudors, who won the crown on the battlefield and changed both the nature of kingship but also the nation itself. England became a Protestant nation and began to establishment itself as a trading power; facing down impossible odds it defeated its enemies on land and sea. Yet after a century Elizabeth I died with no heir and the crown was passed to the Stuarts, who were keen to remould the kingdom in their own image.

Leading Historian, Ronald Hutton brilliantly recreates the political landscape over this early modern period and shows how the modern nation was forged in these anxious, transformative years. Combining skilful pen portraits of the leading figures, culture, economics and accounts of everyday life, he reveals insights in this key era in our nation's story.

This the second book in the four volume Brief History of Britain which brings together some of the leading historians to tell our nation�s story from the Norman Conquest of 1066 to the present-day. Combining the latest research with accessible and entertaining story telling, it is the ideal introduction for students and general readers.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Historical, Audiobook, British Literature, Medieval History, Tudor Period

353 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Ronald Hutton (born 1953) is an English historian who specializes in the study of Early Modern Britain, British folklore, pre-Christian religion and contemporary Paganism. A professor of history at the University of Bristol, Hutton has published fourteen books and has appeared on British television and radio.

Reviews

[Choko · Rating 5 out of 5]

*** 5 ***

I love this period of history and rate this not only on the great way the history is presented, but also on my personal satisfaction with what I get out of it:) Very subjective rating!

[Kelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Clear and concise.
This book gave an overview of historians from the 1900's, so gave a history of the historical writings about the time 1485-1660.
I liked that he gave a measured assessment rather than guesses as the monarchs personalities. Such as saying that James VI was probably seeking companionship in the wake of distance between his family members. Also he considered a different view of Elizabeth I as someone who was kept in the dark about policies and so wasn't prevaricating all of the time.

[Lois · Rating 1 out of 5]

Boring for the most part.
About 66% into the audiobook the author poorly words statements implying that it was wrong to label Irish folks 'savages' like Native Americans. He doesn't say it was wrong to label NA as savages. He does acknowledge that the British stole their land though.
It bothered me tremendously and is why I gave this a low rating.

[Andrew Pratley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent modern account of one of the more confusing & tumultuous periods in English History. Suitable for both the newcomer to the subject & those who desire a good refresher/update. I did this period for 'A' Level back in the 1970's. Since then I have read books on that enigmatic figure Oliver Cromwell, who still puzzles me a bit. Ronald Hutton's new multi-volume biography of the great man by all accounts including his own approaches the great man in a different way. I am therefore looking forward to reading them since if nothing else Hutton's writing is a pleasure to read as he expresses himself so clearly & economically. So, in sum, if you are going to read only one book on this period or if you want to refresh yourself before diving in further into the subject then this book is essential.

[Sasha Alessandro Volpi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very useful guide to modern Britain and his troubles between the war of the Roses and the Parlamentarian civil war.

[Andrew-Mario Hart-Grana · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is an excellent summary of the most recent research, combined with facts and the author's personal views, on one of the most fascinating periods of British history. Very well written, very inquisitive, leaving questions open to answers. Thought-provoking at times. With a number of suggestions of other authors and books to read as a more in-deep knowledge of this time. It is a must-read for anyone interested in this field.

[James Cay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second in a series of four and I really enjoyed this book. A different author to the first in the series, who nevertheless succeeds in striking a similar balance of details without becoming overly detailed or academic. Again, I feel I have learned a lot from the book. My only criticism is that in parts, the author moves from a chronological to a thematic structure which was a little hard to follow.

[Thorunn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mjög fróðleg bók, stundum of mikil upptalning á nöfnum á þeim sem voru að berjast í hinum ýmsum smástríðum, uppreisnum og borgarastyrjöldum.

En ég varð margs vísari um tímabilið þegar Elísabet I réð ríkjum, það var miklu meira í gangi þá en ég hafði haldið. Einnig vissi ég alls ekki mikið um undanfara borgarastyrjaldarinnar 1640-1650, það var fróðlegt.

Inn á milli voru einnig mjög góðir kaflar um lífið hjá venjulegu fólki og áhrifin sem veðurfarið, verðbólga og plágur höfðu.

[Kevin Pledge · Rating 3 out of 5]

on reflection this book was a little light on some aspects. I'm also not interested in who formed what opinion and when, which the author explains regularly.

[Fiona Ottley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Better, maybe his writing style (different author) or maybe that he didn't have as many monarchs to discuss.

[Elysium]

did not finish