Product Description

To coincide with the Channel 4 series to be aired at the end of this year -- David Starkey's 'Monarchy' charts the rise of the British monarchy from the War of the Roses, the English Civil War and the Georgians, right up until the present day monarchs of the 20th Century. David Starkey's magisterial new book Monarchy charts the rise of the British crown from the insurgency of the War of the Roses, through the glory and dangers of the Tudors, to the insolvency of the Stuarts and chaos of the English Civil War, the execution of Charles I, the rule of a commoner who was 'king in all but name', the importing of a German dynasty, and the coming-to-terms with modernity under the wise guidance of another German, Victoria's Prince Consort Albert. An epilogue brings to story up to the present and asks questions about the future. The crown of England is the oldest surviving political institution in Europe. And yet, throughout this book Starkey emphasises the Crown's endless capacity to reinvent itself to circumstances and reshape national polity whilst he unmasks the personalities and achievements, the defeats and victories, which lie behind the kings and queens of British history. Each of these monarchs has contributed, in their own way, to the religion, geography, laws, language and government that we currently live with today. In this book,Starkey demonstrates exactly how these states were arrived at, how these monarchs subtly influenced each other, which battles were won and why, whose whim or failure caused religious tradition to wither or flourish, and which monarchs, through their acumen and strength or single minded determination came to enforce the laws of England. With his customary authority and verve, David Starkey reignites these personalities to produce an entertaining and masterful account of these figures whose many victories and failures are the building blocks upon which Britain today is built. Far more than a biography of kings and queens, 'Monarchy' is a radical reappraisal of British nationhood, culture and politics, shown through the most central institution in British life.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #150399 in Books
• Published on: 2006-10-16
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 319 pages

Review
'this book!is vivid, lucid and engaging!his judgements delivered with quasi-Pontifical assurance are often acute!a very enjoyable book.' Daily Telegraph 'David Starkey tours England's monarchical horizon with gusto.' Sunday Times 'Excellent!the really crucial events in the history of the British Monarchy since the Middle Ages are assessed with authority, wisdom and wit!This is Starkey at his fluent and entertaining best.' Sunday Telegraph 'Combines compelling narrative and lucid analysis to guide us with a sure hand through two centuries of domestic turmoil unparalleled in any other period of English history!nowhere is there to be found a better short summary of the Glorious Revolution of 1688!Starkey's book will undoubtedly make him and his publishers a tidy profit.' The Spectator 'I found myself compelled by David Starkey's vivid recreation of the hazardous uncertainty of Elizabeth's early life, her successive exclusions from the centre of power, the studiedly ambiguous answers she offered her interrogators, her inevitable implications in conspiracies and narrow escapes from execution.' Times Literary Supplement 'Combines a relaxed and unfussy style with a thorough knowledge of the period and a sharp eye for detail. Elizabeth's life makes for a compelling story and Starkey tells it well.' Spectator 'Taken together!these two books supply the best short history of England written since J.R. Green in the 1870s!all of the familiar stories are here, from Alfred and his cakes, to the passion and elevation of St Diana of Knightsbridge!this is an enterprise of surpassing excellence. For those who wish for a panoramic view of English history!this is a study!that can be highly recommended.' Times Literary Supplement

Sunday Telegraph
'Excellent...This is Starkey at his fluent and entertaining
best.'

Allan Massie, Daily Telegraph
'Starkey is never dull...this book...is vivid, lucid and
engaging...a very enjoyable book.'

Customer Reviews

A Gripping Tale of The Transfer of Power through the Ages
David Starkey provides a gripping tale of the various claims to the English and later British throne that there has been throughout the century. What Starkey achieves so well in this book that he does not merely catalogue every King and Queen from King Henry VII to Queen Victoria but rather how the power of the monarchy passed to each Dynasty in turn. A great read and one which is highly recommended for anyone reading about the English monarchy for the first time.

A detailed glimpse on the politics and polcies that shaped our Kings and Queens.
David Starky's Monarchy - from the middle ages to modernity, is just what it says on the 'tin'... This book explains in sometimes mind boggling detail the true politics and practices that put our monarchs on the throne... someone always had an ulterior motive...(usually power or money or religion) nothing new there!! for those of you that thought that our Royals always inherited the throne by birthright think again!!. This book also has lots of detail about the life and times of England... very interesting and well worth reading.

Wonderful intro to this period
I can seldom remember enjoying a history book more - it is a wonderful sweep through the tudors to the present day, and would heartily recommend it for anyone interested in history but without an academic background- it reads so well.
My only concern is that David Starkey wrote a wonderful introduction to the origins of the monarchy (literally the book of series 1 of monarchy)but has jumped several hundered years, how I would have liked him to introduce me to the early mediaeval period. I also wonder where the promised Henry VIII biogrpahy has gone - it was listed for publishing later this year but is no longer listed - that was going to be the highlight of my year!