History of Britain, A - Volume I: At the Edge of the World? 3000 B.C.--A.D. 1603Simon Schama's magesterial new book encompasses over 1,500 years of Britain's history, from the first Roman invasions to the early seventeenth century, and the extraordinary reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Schama, the author of the highly acclaimed Citizens and The Embarrassment of Riches, is one of the most popular and celebrated historians of our day, and in this magnificent work he brings history to dramatic life with a wealth of stories and vivid, colorful detail, reanimating familiar figures and events and drawing them skillfully into a powerful and compelling narrative. Schama's perspective moves from the birth of civilization to the Norman Conquest; through the religious wars and turbulance of the Middle Ages to the sovereignties of Henry II, Richard I and King John; through the outbreak of the Black Death, which destroyed nearly half of Europe's population, through the reign of Edward I and the growth of national identity in Wales and Scotland, to the intricate conflicts of the Tudors and the clash between Elizabeth I and Mary Queen of Scots. Driven by the drama of the stories themselves but exploring at the same time a network of interconnected themes--the formation of a nation state, the cyclical nature of power, the struggles between the oppressors and the oppressed--this is a superbly readable and illuminating account of a great nation, and its extraordinary history. |
From inside the book
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Page 93
The huscarls fought on foot , although many of them might come to the battle on horse , and they were protected by hide ... There may have been as many as 6000 horses , three for each knight : the destrier , the great warhorse charger ...
The huscarls fought on foot , although many of them might come to the battle on horse , and they were protected by hide ... There may have been as many as 6000 horses , three for each knight : the destrier , the great warhorse charger ...
Page 100
Down below , you can hear the Norman horses . You have never faced a charge of knights before . But then , they have to ride uphill . Perhaps that's why you think you hear them chanting psalms . If you were a Norman foot soldier you ...
Down below , you can hear the Norman horses . You have never faced a charge of knights before . But then , they have to ride uphill . Perhaps that's why you think you hear them chanting psalms . If you were a Norman foot soldier you ...
Page 101
Some of the horses made it all the way to the shield - wall , where they crashed against it like a reef . But most of the Norman horsemen , especially in the early stages of the battle , were not especially eager to make contact with ...
Some of the horses made it all the way to the shield - wall , where they crashed against it like a reef . But most of the Norman horsemen , especially in the early stages of the battle , were not especially eager to make contact with ...
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A history of Britain
User Review - Not Available - Book VerdictReaders should not be daunted by the ambitious timeframe of this first installment of Schama's (Rembrandt's Eyes) two-volume, popular history of Britain, which will accompany the History Channel's ... Read full review
Contents
AT THE EDGE OF THE WORLD? | 18 |
CONQUEST | 66 |
SOVEREIGNTY UNBOUND? | 114 |
Copyright | |
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Other editions - View all
A History of Britain - Volume 1: At the Edge of the World? 3000 BC ..., Volume 1 Simon Schama No preview available - 2009 |
A History of Britain - Volume 1: At the Edge of the World? 3000 BC-AD 1603 Simon Schama No preview available - 2011 |
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