The Oxford Illustrated History of Tudor & Stuart Britain - Hardcover

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 019820325X ISBN 13: 9780198203254

Publisher: Oxford University Press, 1996

Synopsis

Britain under the reign of the Tudors and Stuarts was a country marked by extraordinary and dramatic change. These are the centuries of the Reformation, civil wars, and two revolutions; a time of upheaval that saw two monarchs, two wives of a king, and two Archbishops of Canterbury tried and executed; and a time of religious controversy that resulted in the torture or burning of hundreds of ordinary people. But this was also the time that marked the emergence of Britain as the most liberal and mature of European states, a politically significant era where monarchs based in southeast England imperfectly sought to extend their authority over the whole of the British archipelago. In this exciting and richly illustrated new work, eighteen leading scholars explore the political, social, religious, and cultural history of this tumultouous time.
The Oxford Illustrated History of Tudor and Stuart Britain chronicles the explosion of literacy and the printed word, transformations in landscapes and townscapes, new forms of wealth, new structures of power, and new forms of political participation that freed minds and broadened horizons in the generations from 1485 to 1689. We see the consolidation of England under the reign of the Tudors, with particular contributions in setting the pattern of local government from Henry VIII's two great ministers, Thomas Wolsey and Thomas Cromwell. And we witness the rise of litigation and the creation of the aristocracy alongside the inexorable increase in prominence of the English parliament, and, of course, the creation of the Church of England and the firestorm that the Reformation wrought. Here are the marital difficulties of Henry VIII, the events which brought Charles I to the scaffold, and the circumstances that drove James II to ignominious flight, as well as keen insights into the culture and society of average people and members of the royal courts.
From the maneuverings of rulers and powerbrokers, both religious and secular, to the profound social and cultural changes that affected the lives of ordinary men and women throughout Britain--indeed, throughout the world--The Oxford Illustrated History of Tudor and Stuart Britain offers the most authoritative history of this great age ever published for the general reader. For every student, scholar, and anglophile who ever wondered what it would be like to visit the royal court, this will be an indispensable volume.

About this title

About the Author

About the Editor:
John Stephen Morrill is Reader in the Faculty of History at the University of Cambridge. The author or editor of 14 books, he is Vice President of the Royal Historical Society.

Reviews

YA. A collection of essays by the leading experts on 16th- and 17th-century Great Britain. Each chapter examines a different topic, such as education, the theater, religion, and the mind-sets of both the ordinary people and the nobility. The last five chapters place the discussions in perspective through a detailed survey of the major events of the two centuries. The text is well written but scholarly; the book contains over 280 well-placed color plates, contemporary prints, photographs, and maps that help to illuminate the information. The comprehensive bibliography will be of great value to those who wish to do further research.?Robert Burnham, R. E. Lee High School, Springfield, VA
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Both Cressy (Religion and Society in Early Modern England, Routledge, 1996) and Morrill (editor of The Birth of the Elizabethan Age, Blackwell, 1993) provide current scholarly insights into early modern England. Cressy writes for the specialist, while Morrill writes for the educated reader. Cressy's study of the life cycle in Tudor-Stuart England should be read by all serious students of the period interested in history from the bottom up. This work remains entertaining while depicting the pace of social change in the ordinary activities of real people and the divisive social issues that caused conflict among the 16th- and 17th-century English. Cressy provides solid evidence of the key importance ritual played as society coped with implementing the Reformation, and he demonstrates his scholarly depth by a judicious recognition of the diversity of experiences and viewpoints found in early modern England. Morrill has assembled an impressive list of scholars to provide both a chronological and a topical overview of the period. To broaden his work's appeal, he includes a high-quality collection of color plates and appropriate maps; he also offers useful study helps in his chronology, glossary, and in-depth bibliography. Recommended for academic reading and reference collections in liberal arts colleges.?Susan A. Stussy, Kansas City, Kan.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Publication date: 1996
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 019820325X
• ISBN 13: 9780198203254
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 487
• Editor: Morrill John