The British Revolution, 1629-60

British Studies Series

by Allan I. Macinnes

During the mid-seventeenth century, the Stuart dynasty faced revolution in their three kingdoms - Scotland, Ireland and England - which was marked by constitutional defiance, civil war, regecide, republicanism and the eventual restoration of monarchy. Opposition in all three kingdoms to the Stuarts as an imperial dynasty drew upon and shaped different perceptions of Britain.

Allan Macinnes' wider contextualising of a British revolution - which challenges the anglocentric dominance of British History - takes account of apocalyptic visions, baronial politics and commercial networks, as well as confessional allegiances, representative images and written texts. This comprehensive survey is essential reading for all those studying this period of political crisis, which ultimately contributed to the definition of both the national interest of England and the national survival of Scotland and Ireland.

337 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Allan I. MacInnes is a Scottish historian. He worked at the universities of Glasgow and Aberdeen before his appointment as Professor of Early Modern History at Strathclyde University. He is a published author and expert on the period up to and including the Union of the Crowns.

Reviews

[Johnnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book I've read on the British civil wars.

Despite the name, the Scots and Irish get most attention - their struggle to be valued participatory polities of the combined Stuart imperium. Therefore the author calls Scots and Irish 'british', while referring to Anglocentric behaviour as 'gothic'.

It also draws upon the links with European and early global colonial developments really well.

A good balance between narrative and discussion. Background knowledge would help, but its probably still fairly accessible to others with encyclopedias at hand.