Product Description

A reference on British royalty, from the legendary King Alfred the Great onwards, including the monarchies of England, Scotland, Wales and the United Kingdom over a thousand years. Portraits are woven into a history of division and eventual union of the British Isles -and even the royals we think most familiar are shown in a sometimes surprising light. This paperback, a revised and shortened version of "The Mammoth Book of British Kings and Queens", includes biographies of the royals of recorded British history, plus a general overview of the semi-legendary kings and queens of pre-history and the Dark Ages.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #146631 in Books
• Published on: 2002-09-01
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 464 pages

Review
The sweeping and complex pageant of British history is well presented in this revised, abridged edition of The Mammoth Book of British Kings and Queens, which is still a substantial work in its own right. Starting with an overview of Celtic, Roman and Dark Age Britain, the various royal houses - Norman to Windsor - are viewed chronologically, with accounts of individual monarchs from the legendary reign of King Arthur right through to modern times and Elizabeth II. In addition to the familiar English rulers, Ashley includes details of the Scottish and Welsh dynasties, giving a detailed summary of the life and reign of each monarch, their successes and failures and the climate of the times they lived in. Helpful fact boxes and a wide selection of portraits and photographs make this an accessible and user-friendly book, as valuable for those who only need to check the odd fact as for those who want to read right the way through. Various appendices include at-a-glance chronologies (even including the rulers of the Isle of Man), family trees and an interesting list of royal consorts. The author's long-term fascination for the near thousand monarchs who have shaped the history of Britain over the course of two thousand years ensures a lively read. His enthusiasm never flags, and neither will the reader. (Kirkus UK)

Synopsis
A reference on British royalty, from the legendary King Alfred the Great onwards, including the monarchies of England, Scotland, Wales and the United Kingdom over a thousand years. Portraits are woven into a history of division and eventual union of the British Isles -and even the royals we think most familiar are shown in a sometimes surprising light. This paperback, a revised and shortened version of "The Mammoth Book of British Kings and Queens", includes biographies of the royals of recorded British history, plus a general overview of the semi-legendary kings and queens of pre-history and the Dark Ages.

About the Author
Mike Ashley is the author and editor of over sixty books that in total have sold over a million copies worldwide. He lives in Chatham, Kent.