The post The Kings and Queens of England appeared first on The History Press.

It is a route waymarked with such towering personalities as Macbeth, Robert the Bruce and Mary Queen of Scots, but directed also by a host of less well-known figures such as David I, who extended his kingdom almost to the gates of York, and James IV, builder of the finest navy in northern Europe. Their will and ambition, successes and failures not only shaped modern Scotland, but have left their mark throughout the British Isles and the wider world.

The post The Kings and Queens of Scotland: Classic Histories Series appeared first on The History Press.

Tudor monarchs have consistently attracted more popular and scholarly attention than any other royal dynasty in British history.

The peculiar origins of the Tudor family and the improbable saga of their rise and fall and rise again in the centuries before the Battle of Bosworth have, however, received far less attention.

Based on original sources from Britain and France, The Making of the Tudor Dynasty sets the record straight by providing the only authoritative account of the ancestors of the Tudor family in North Wales at the start of the thirteenth century; their royal English and French connections in the fifteenth century; their unique role in the Wars of the Roses; and Henry Tudor’s victory at Bosworth Field in 1485.

Tudor monarchs have consistently attracted more popular and scholarly attention than any other royal dynasty in British history. The peculiar origins of the Tudor family and the improbable saga of their rise and fall and rise again in the centuries before the Battle of Bosworth have, however, received far less attention.

Based on original sources from Britain and France, The Making of the Tudor Dynasty sets the record straight by providing the only authoritative account of the ancestors of the Tudor family in North Wales at the start of the thirteenth century; their royal English and French connections in the fifteenth century; their unique role in the Wars of the Roses; and Henry Tudor’s victory at Bosworth Field in 1485.

The post The Making of the Tudor Dynasty: Classic Histories Series appeared first on The History Press.

In particular he looks at their achievements in England and Italy and their claim to a permanent legacy, as witnessed in feudalism, in castles, churches and settlement and in place-names. But equally from the political stage. The reality is that, even within this short time-span, the Normans changed as time and place dictated from Norse invaders to Frankish crusaders to Byzantine monarchs to Feudal overlords. In the end their contribution to medieval culture was largely as a catalyst for other, older traditions.

The Normans were a relatively short-lived phenomenon. They emerged early in the tenth century but had disappeared off the map by the mid-thirteenth century. Yet in that time they had conquered England, Ireland, much of Wales and parts of Scotland. They also founded a new Mediterranean kingdom in southern Italy and Sicily, as well as a Crusader state in the Holy Land and an outpost in North Africa. Moreover, they had an extraordinary ability to adapt as time and place dictated, from Norse invaders to Frankish crusaders, from Byzantine overlords to feudal monarchs. Drawing on archaeological and historical evidence, Trevor Rowley offers a comprehensive picture of the Normans and argues that despite the short time span of Norman ascendancy, it is clear that they were responsible for a permanent cultural and political legacy.

The post The Normans: Classic Histories Series appeared first on The History Press.

The Knights Templar were among the most famous of Christian military orders. Created after the First Crusade of 1096 and endorsed by the Catholic Church in 1129, the Order grew rapidly in membership and power. Templar knights were some of the best equipped, trained and disciplined fighting units of the Crusades. But when the Holy Land was lost and the Templars suffered crushing defeats, support for the Order faded and rumours about their secret initiation ceremony created mistrust. When the Order suddenly disappeared, disbanded by the Pope, it gave rise to speculation and legends that have kept the name ‘Templar’ alive. From Abbasids to Zion, The A–Z of the Knights Templar is an invaluable reference of the places, people and themes of the Crusades, the Knights Templar and their legacy.

The post The A-Z of the Knights Templar: Classic Histories Series appeared first on The History Press.

The Battle of Hastings is arguably the best-known and perhaps the most significant battle in English history. Its effects were deeply felt at the time, causing a lasting shift in cultural identity and national pride. In this detailed and engaging account, Jim Bradbury places the 1066 battle in its broader context and examines its far-reaching effects. He explores the full military background to the battle and investigates both our knowledge of what actually happened and the role that it plays in national myth. At its core, The Battle of Hastings offers a move-by-move reconstruction of the conflict, including the advanced planning, the site itself, the composition of the two armies and the use of archers, feigned flights and the death of Harold Godwineson. This is a book that anyone interested in England’s most famous battle will find indispensable.

The post The Battle of Hastings: Classic Histories Series appeared first on The History Press.

The post Sabotage and Subversion: Classic Histories Series appeared first on The History Press.

The post The Crusades: Classic Histories Series appeared first on The History Press.

The post The Vikings: Classic Histories Series appeared first on The History Press.

The post The Young Victoria: Classic Histories Series appeared first on The History Press.