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The Lives of the Kings and Queens of England, Revised and Updated
This essential reference is a concise, accessible guide to the great dynasties of English royalty. A collection of biographical sketches that encompasses the period from the establishment of monarchical power by the early Norman kings through the reign of Elizabeth II, The Lives of the Kings and Queens of England tells the stories of many monarchs and their colorful lives—some merry, some cruel, some heroic, others sinister. Antonia Fraser and a collection of distinguished contributors bring the people and events to life in this lavishly illustrated volume that is both engrossing history and an excellent reference tool.
This updated edition includes a new essay describing the recently tumultuous reign of the Windsors. Included are details of the weddings of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer, and of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson; the acrimonious collapse of the marriages; the effect the media have had on the royal family's image; and the fire at Windsor Castle. Such recent events as Diana's tragic death, the decommissioning of the Royal Yacht Britannia , and the launching of Queen Elizabeth's own website are also discussed.
Accompanying the text are 175 contemporary illustrations and drawings of the royal coats of arms, with their significance explained by J.P. Brooke-Little, Richmond Herald of Arms. This is a dazzling story of a thousand years of English history, as told through the lives and deeds of the nation's sovereigns.
This updated edition includes a new essay describing the recently tumultuous reign of the Windsors. Included are details of the weddings of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer, and of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson; the acrimonious collapse of the marriages; the effect the media have had on the royal family's image; and the fire at Windsor Castle. Such recent events as Diana's tragic death, the decommissioning of the Royal Yacht Britannia , and the launching of Queen Elizabeth's own website are also discussed.
Accompanying the text are 175 contemporary illustrations and drawings of the royal coats of arms, with their significance explained by J.P. Brooke-Little, Richmond Herald of Arms. This is a dazzling story of a thousand years of English history, as told through the lives and deeds of the nation's sovereigns.
384 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1975
71 people are currently reading
2662 people want to read
About the author
Antonia Fraser
176 books1,474 followersAntonia Fraser is the author of many widely acclaimed historical works, including the biographies Mary, Queen of Scots (a 40th anniversary edition was published in May 2009), Cromwell: Our Chief of Men, King Charles II and The Gunpowder Plot (CWA Non-Fiction Gold Dagger; St Louis Literary Award). She has written five highly praised books which focus on women in history, The Weaker Vessel: Women's Lot in Seventeenth Century Britain (Wolfson Award for History, 1984), The Warrior Queens: Boadecia's Chariot, The Six Wives of Henry VIII, Marie Antoinette: The Journey (Franco-British Literary Prize 2001), which was made into a film by Sofia Coppola in 2006 and most recently Love and Louis XIV: The Women in the Life of the Sun King. She was awarded the Norton Medlicott Medal by the Historical Association in 2000. Antonia Fraser was made DBE in 2011 for her services to literature. Her most recent book is Must You Go?, celebrating her life with Harold Pinter, who died on Christmas Eve 2008. She lives in London.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 130 reviews
February 5, 2012
Amusingly, and hardly surprisingly, this became much more conservative as it got closer to the current day. One author even goes so far as to look back longingly at the golden age of the past when people didn’t get divorced and newspapers didn’t print stories about the love lives of the royals. I guess this book knows its audience – I mean, you are probably most likely to read a book by this title if you think the monarchy is a good thing and are a conservative old fool in a nursing home (or a conservative old fool in waiting to go to a nursing home), whereas I was mostly reading it for amusing anecdotes. All the same, for every ten people cheering and waving flags there is always one like myself sniggering behind their hand and this I take as my role in writing this review.
I thought the person who wrote on the House of Windsor at the end got somewhat carried away. Not just with the nonsense that the current Queen has set up the royal family to make its way into the third millennium (can anyone really imagine England still being ruled by a King in a thousand years – what a particularly depressing thought that is), but also for the stuff about the Queen never having made a faux pas (a rather interesting observation to make about a woman who married Prince Phillip, I’d have thought). However, William or no William and whatever his thin wife is called, it is hard to see the Windsors plodding on for another thousand years. They are a particularly dim and dull-witted lot – and rather too proud in their low-brow tastes. But then again, just how could you convince someone that it would be a good idea to spend a life doing whatever it is that Charles has been doing, without them being dumb as dog's shit?
I wanted to read this to see what might be said about those Shakespearian characters from Richard II through to Richard III. I was surprised that Shakespeare seems to have kept quite well to the overall story.
I was also surprised at how many of these monarchs had their last words recorded. Often these were almost meaningless in terms of their lives, one (can’t remember which now – probably one of the Georges) died talking about the Church – not really one of his key interests while he was alive. It is even recorded that George II died on the toilet, a victim to constipation – well and the stodgy English diet, I assume - or presume.
I have read some of the longer versions of these, particularly for James I and Charles I. The longer versions are much more interesting and, obviously enough, contain much more detail. I've always found the homosexual antics of James I particularly amusing, especially given he gave his name to the ever popular version of the Bible – or is it just me who sees this as being somewhat amusingly ironic?
But this is a rogues’ gallery of people who other then through winning the lottery of birth would never have been remembered for anything of consequence. They have been, despite all advantage, remarkably consistent in their bovine intelligence.
All the same, hard to imagine a tabloid being able to eke out an existence without the constant stream of stories this particularly dysfunctional family provides.
I thought the person who wrote on the House of Windsor at the end got somewhat carried away. Not just with the nonsense that the current Queen has set up the royal family to make its way into the third millennium (can anyone really imagine England still being ruled by a King in a thousand years – what a particularly depressing thought that is), but also for the stuff about the Queen never having made a faux pas (a rather interesting observation to make about a woman who married Prince Phillip, I’d have thought). However, William or no William and whatever his thin wife is called, it is hard to see the Windsors plodding on for another thousand years. They are a particularly dim and dull-witted lot – and rather too proud in their low-brow tastes. But then again, just how could you convince someone that it would be a good idea to spend a life doing whatever it is that Charles has been doing, without them being dumb as dog's shit?
I wanted to read this to see what might be said about those Shakespearian characters from Richard II through to Richard III. I was surprised that Shakespeare seems to have kept quite well to the overall story.
I was also surprised at how many of these monarchs had their last words recorded. Often these were almost meaningless in terms of their lives, one (can’t remember which now – probably one of the Georges) died talking about the Church – not really one of his key interests while he was alive. It is even recorded that George II died on the toilet, a victim to constipation – well and the stodgy English diet, I assume - or presume.
I have read some of the longer versions of these, particularly for James I and Charles I. The longer versions are much more interesting and, obviously enough, contain much more detail. I've always found the homosexual antics of James I particularly amusing, especially given he gave his name to the ever popular version of the Bible – or is it just me who sees this as being somewhat amusingly ironic?
But this is a rogues’ gallery of people who other then through winning the lottery of birth would never have been remembered for anything of consequence. They have been, despite all advantage, remarkably consistent in their bovine intelligence.
All the same, hard to imagine a tabloid being able to eke out an existence without the constant stream of stories this particularly dysfunctional family provides.
September 17, 2010
I'm still trying to find a very good reference guide for British monarchs - this isn't it. Though on line reviews of the book are usually favorable one person said this just doesn't work for someone who reads a lot on the subject and they we're right. They did avoid a lot of controversy and tried to see both good and bad in some reigns which I think is just too unbiased. Some reigns were utter failures. I don't know who wrote the section on the Tudors, but it was pretty bad. Especially the section on Edward VI was the atrocious - claiming he was born via C-section! I think that would have killed Jane Seymour quickly in those days and she would haven't survived the time she did. The person also made other generalizations that were misinformed and vague. The editors of the book did not do a good job of proofreading. Il saw stupid mistakes all over the place which shouldn't be present in a final version for publishing. The kid in me always likes the pictures and although this book has many, it sometimes used pictures that did not use the best representations of the figures they were discussing. Though I do have to give credit for the author of the section on the Hanovers - it was better than other references I've read.
January 17, 2017
This was a really informative and enjoyable read. Story being the essence of history (of good history, at any rate), this collection of biographical essays chronicling the lives of each of England's rulers (post 1066 - pre Norman monarchs are not dealt with here) makes for a very engaging and illuminating tour of English history as a whole. I got this volume at a used library sale a number of years ago and have frequently skimmed various parts. But after watching The King’s Speech and being also in the midst of working my way through Shakespeare's historical plays (to which this makes an excellent companion), I decided to dive in and read it cover to cover.
The big names are of course especially fascinating subjects, of whom there are too many among such a lineage to even begin commenting upon. But as with any drama, the minor players often manage to steal the show: Robert Curthose, The Empress Matilda, Eleanor of Aquitaine, Edward the Black Prince, John of Gaunt, and Warwick “The Kingmaker,” to name a few standouts.
Being essentially the chronicle of a family over the course of a thousand years, the dramatical effect is heightened and thought-provoking lessons and examples (a few positive, but many negative) abound. Poor husband-wife and parent-child relations sure do explain a lot that goes on in history. Among the many sad examples in this lineage, those that are chronicled regarding the Hanoverians are perhaps most horrific. A thoughtful parent also shouldn’t fail to note, how often strong (to the point of overbearing) fathers produce weak, and at times even effeminate sons (William II from William I, Edward II from Edward I, Edward VIII and George VI from George V), some of whom manage to rise above their oppressive legacy (George VI, most famously), while others of course do not. Conversely, the unexpected arising of strong, capable, and even morally upright offspring from less than promising parentage testifies to the often surprising goodness of God’s providence, and should provide encouragement to historical pessimists (Edward III from Edward II, Edward VI and Elizabeth I from Henry VIII, George V from Edward VII). In other words, we can take heart, as well as be warned, that DNA is not conclusive in determining one’s destiny. If one takes the long view, and learns to think generationally, he should expect the Lord to orchestrate surprising changes of fortune, both for weal and for woe.
The other thing that I was especially struck by in the course of this reading was the realization of how deeply embedded within the English tradition is respect for the rule of law, which has obvious bearing upon a solid understanding of American history as an extension of English history. English monarchs who have flouted such regard and arrogantly sought to place themselves above the law as having absolute authority have never been tolerated, as per the examples of King John (of Magna Carta fame), Richard II, the middle Stuarts, and (from the American point of view, at least) George III (though in that last case more blame probably rests upon his advisers and upon Parliament than upon the King personally, who was essentially a good man, though a rather unstable one).
I also picked up this volume recently, which is a great supplement to the subject. The biographical information on each monarch is much less detailed than in the book reviewed here, but it does include some additional tidbits that these authors overlooked, and overall it is more extensive in its presentation: pre-Norman history all the way back to ancient times, the Scottish royal house, notable castles, palaces and residences, etc.
The big names are of course especially fascinating subjects, of whom there are too many among such a lineage to even begin commenting upon. But as with any drama, the minor players often manage to steal the show: Robert Curthose, The Empress Matilda, Eleanor of Aquitaine, Edward the Black Prince, John of Gaunt, and Warwick “The Kingmaker,” to name a few standouts.
Being essentially the chronicle of a family over the course of a thousand years, the dramatical effect is heightened and thought-provoking lessons and examples (a few positive, but many negative) abound. Poor husband-wife and parent-child relations sure do explain a lot that goes on in history. Among the many sad examples in this lineage, those that are chronicled regarding the Hanoverians are perhaps most horrific. A thoughtful parent also shouldn’t fail to note, how often strong (to the point of overbearing) fathers produce weak, and at times even effeminate sons (William II from William I, Edward II from Edward I, Edward VIII and George VI from George V), some of whom manage to rise above their oppressive legacy (George VI, most famously), while others of course do not. Conversely, the unexpected arising of strong, capable, and even morally upright offspring from less than promising parentage testifies to the often surprising goodness of God’s providence, and should provide encouragement to historical pessimists (Edward III from Edward II, Edward VI and Elizabeth I from Henry VIII, George V from Edward VII). In other words, we can take heart, as well as be warned, that DNA is not conclusive in determining one’s destiny. If one takes the long view, and learns to think generationally, he should expect the Lord to orchestrate surprising changes of fortune, both for weal and for woe.
The other thing that I was especially struck by in the course of this reading was the realization of how deeply embedded within the English tradition is respect for the rule of law, which has obvious bearing upon a solid understanding of American history as an extension of English history. English monarchs who have flouted such regard and arrogantly sought to place themselves above the law as having absolute authority have never been tolerated, as per the examples of King John (of Magna Carta fame), Richard II, the middle Stuarts, and (from the American point of view, at least) George III (though in that last case more blame probably rests upon his advisers and upon Parliament than upon the King personally, who was essentially a good man, though a rather unstable one).
I also picked up this volume recently, which is a great supplement to the subject. The biographical information on each monarch is much less detailed than in the book reviewed here, but it does include some additional tidbits that these authors overlooked, and overall it is more extensive in its presentation: pre-Norman history all the way back to ancient times, the Scottish royal house, notable castles, palaces and residences, etc.
December 10, 2020
Condensing the lives of more than nine centuries' worth of monarchs into one single volume of under 400 pages is no small task. What this collection of concise portraits of every single English king and queen regnant from William the Conqueror to Elizabeth II by various authors lacks in depth, it makes up for in breadth. The authors try to convey a balanced account of both the most celebrated and the most maligned among their subjects and generally succeed in this venture. An informative, short and to the point overview of the subject.
December 21, 2011
It's very entertaining to learn about the highlights of the lives of every king and queen in England as written by a modern writer with a modern sense of humor. It also makes me feel really smart to be able to talk about the accomplishments made by random kings and queens like Edward III (Reign: 1327-1377) or Queen Anne (Reign: 1702-1714). There were gradual advances toward the establishment and reliance on parliament and a prime minister. It's also amazing how many gay kings there were. Within each dynasty they seemed to alternate between competence and incompetence. Probably the most successful kings were Edward III, Henry V, Elizabeth I, and George III. There are lots of funny anecdotes like how William I (The Conqueror) was so fat he couldn't fit in his coffin. It's interesting that all of the current queen's children ended up in divorce which suggests that arranged marriages or pressure from parents on way or the other is never a good idea.
August 5, 2008
Profiles of the personalities of each monarch from William the Conqueror to Elizabeth II. Historical details themselves, such as the American Revolution, are mentioned briefly in context of the overall reign (Cromwell is omitted entirely, for those wondering). I was pleasantly surprised at how much I learned; never did I find the material dry or boring - definitely recommended!
October 25, 2020
Really good primer of British royal history and arcs across the different Houses (Tudor, Stuart, Hanover, Windsor, etc.). Written 20 years ago but I think the last two decades (with the exception of a number of royal weddings and births) have been relatively placid compared to the dramas and calamities witnesses by this longstanding “firm.” Enjoyable read!
April 12, 2024
Enjoyable read despite the fact that, like most other books on this subject matter, it starts in 1066. How about some true ENGLISH kings? The Norman and German houses are alright but are only a part of the story. A very well trodden part.
September 8, 2019
I learned very much from this book about the monarchs that I was less familiar with. A great overall brief exposure to the whole history of the British monarchy. I'm glad I read it.
March 30, 2021
A really interesting collection of essays about the British royal dynasties, part history, and partly just gossip. I enjoyed it and listened to it in part because it's read y one of my favorite narrators, Donada Peters.
April 13, 2016
A sort of Cliff Notes for history of the British monarchy. Each king and queen is subject to a profile of main accomplishments and personality, usually with a choice quote. My ignorance was only mildly assuaged, but there was a nice sense of continuity over the centuries (with only gap the effective rule of Oliver Cromwell). The noble ones who loved their subjects interspersed with the ones who were power mad, or just mad, and other who only wanted to make and spend their money on luxury or sin. Almost always a war going on, and some kings felt obliged to lead their armies or at least make that illusion. Elizabeth I stands out as special presiding over a stable period fit for Shakespeare to thrive. The club of royal families of Europe that continually intermarried obviously made for some thorough genetic mixing. As parliament, cabinet, and a prime minister were added over the years, the power of the monarchy declined. The absurdly long reign of Victoria presided over the epoch of the peak in reach of the British Empire. Now it’s “Hey majesty’s a pretty nice girl, but she doesn’t have a lot to say” (Sir McCartney). At least she doesn’t say, “Let them eat cake.” The swift run of this litany by audiobook was kind of exhilarating and its punchiness of absurd little facts in between momentous events made me smile a lot. I can’t really recommend it for much. For example, I know I was told what the term “War of the Roses” referred to and how it is that Mary I invented the bloody mary, but it didn’t stick without more story.
July 31, 2016
This was a little more in depth than The Tudor Treasury, which was good but sometimes it was a bit dense, but maybe that's just me! Also I liked that it went beyond just the Tudor Monarchs because I wanted to read about James I and VI too as he's Mary, Queen of Scots' son, so that was pretty interesting. I would definitely recommend this if you're looking to read up on British Monarchs, as it goes from 1066 right up to Elizabeth II.
July 17, 2015
This book is not written by Antonia Fraser, merely edited by her. It is not anywhere close to her usual standards of writing. If you're an Antonia Fraser fan, I suggest skipping this one.
January 8, 2018
Good reference book.
February 18, 2024
Rating: 2.5 stars
A freebie on Audible, I picked this one up as an alternative to listening to my usual history podcasts to fall asleep to. I have read this before... in fact I think I only removed the physical copy from my bookshelf last year to donate to charity, so it was vaguely familiar, but equally I've read lots of the different books on this topic by various authors, as it's endlessly fascinating to me!
You can certainly tell this is an older audiobook because of the recording quality; it's clear and the narrator is very good, but the length if pauses between paragraphs is very long and there's a distinct crackly undertone to the sound. The narrator also pronounces certain words in an odd way, 'joust' being one example (I've only ever heard it said as "jowst", but she pronounces it like "juiced"). I get different strokes for different folks, but this did bug me a bit after a while.
The book is split into the usual dynastic groupings, with a different author taking on each period. While it is fairly detailed and yet concise, I do think it is a shame that Antonia Fraser didn't take this task on herself; she's a great historian in her own right and I think having her perspective one each ruler would be very interesting. As it is, it's a little bit all over the place; some authors focus more on the historic events, others the people, and each author seems to have a clear 'favourite' so you don't get a consistent approach to each examination.
The age of the book does also let it down. Initially published in 1975, this version has been updated to bring us up to 1999, but it's still comes across as rather traditional history. All if the featured authors are male (as far as I know), and the gender biases of the time do come through quire clearly in places; none of the Queens get a particularly glowing reception, and something about their chapters just seems 'off' to me when compared with the various Kings.
If nithing else, I can recommend this as good for those who struggle to fall asleep - in the nicest possible way, it did the job I asked it to - it's engaging enough that my brain wants to listen and understand rather than start whirring with all my worries, but it's not over-stimulating so sleep comes far more naturally. And it is worth a listen if you have an interest in the subject, but there are definitely better versions out there.
A freebie on Audible, I picked this one up as an alternative to listening to my usual history podcasts to fall asleep to. I have read this before... in fact I think I only removed the physical copy from my bookshelf last year to donate to charity, so it was vaguely familiar, but equally I've read lots of the different books on this topic by various authors, as it's endlessly fascinating to me!
You can certainly tell this is an older audiobook because of the recording quality; it's clear and the narrator is very good, but the length if pauses between paragraphs is very long and there's a distinct crackly undertone to the sound. The narrator also pronounces certain words in an odd way, 'joust' being one example (I've only ever heard it said as "jowst", but she pronounces it like "juiced"). I get different strokes for different folks, but this did bug me a bit after a while.
The book is split into the usual dynastic groupings, with a different author taking on each period. While it is fairly detailed and yet concise, I do think it is a shame that Antonia Fraser didn't take this task on herself; she's a great historian in her own right and I think having her perspective one each ruler would be very interesting. As it is, it's a little bit all over the place; some authors focus more on the historic events, others the people, and each author seems to have a clear 'favourite' so you don't get a consistent approach to each examination.
The age of the book does also let it down. Initially published in 1975, this version has been updated to bring us up to 1999, but it's still comes across as rather traditional history. All if the featured authors are male (as far as I know), and the gender biases of the time do come through quire clearly in places; none of the Queens get a particularly glowing reception, and something about their chapters just seems 'off' to me when compared with the various Kings.
If nithing else, I can recommend this as good for those who struggle to fall asleep - in the nicest possible way, it did the job I asked it to - it's engaging enough that my brain wants to listen and understand rather than start whirring with all my worries, but it's not over-stimulating so sleep comes far more naturally. And it is worth a listen if you have an interest in the subject, but there are definitely better versions out there.
May 1, 2022
The Lives of the Kings and Queens of England provides brief biographical sketches of nine centuries worth of English monarchs. The book starts with William the Conqueror's 1066 invasion and briskly move through the ongoing reign of Queen Elizabeth II. Readers looking for reference material on the island's Anglo-Saxon days do be aware that they will need to look elsewhere.
There is as much, if not more, attention paid to the familial and personal aspects of England's kings and queens as there is to their domestic and foreign policies. Do not crack open its pages expecting any depth on a particular individual or time period; doing justice from the eleventh through twenty-first centuries would be an impossible task in fewer than four hundred pages.
It would be a challenge to find a better editor for all of this material than Antonia Fraser, whose deep knowledge of British history is difficult to match among contemporary writers. The Lives of the Kings and Queens of England is laid out in chronological order and divided into sections based on the various dynastic houses (the Tudors, Stuarts, and so forth). The book opens with the Norman kings and concludes with the Windsors, with different experts on these eras selected to write each section.
This book is a great launching pad for further reading on topics like the establishment of Magna Carta, William and Mary's Glorious Revolution of 1688, or the slew of wars it cursorily discusses within the context of the various sovereigns' empires. The various authors did excellent work providing just enough information to keep the story moving and whet readers' appetites for more while still maintaining brevity.
The Lives of the Kings and Queens of England is worthwhile for readers looking to dip their toe into British monarchical history but inadequate for much else.
-Andrew Canfield Denver, Colorado
There is as much, if not more, attention paid to the familial and personal aspects of England's kings and queens as there is to their domestic and foreign policies. Do not crack open its pages expecting any depth on a particular individual or time period; doing justice from the eleventh through twenty-first centuries would be an impossible task in fewer than four hundred pages.
It would be a challenge to find a better editor for all of this material than Antonia Fraser, whose deep knowledge of British history is difficult to match among contemporary writers. The Lives of the Kings and Queens of England is laid out in chronological order and divided into sections based on the various dynastic houses (the Tudors, Stuarts, and so forth). The book opens with the Norman kings and concludes with the Windsors, with different experts on these eras selected to write each section.
This book is a great launching pad for further reading on topics like the establishment of Magna Carta, William and Mary's Glorious Revolution of 1688, or the slew of wars it cursorily discusses within the context of the various sovereigns' empires. The various authors did excellent work providing just enough information to keep the story moving and whet readers' appetites for more while still maintaining brevity.
The Lives of the Kings and Queens of England is worthwhile for readers looking to dip their toe into British monarchical history but inadequate for much else.
-Andrew Canfield Denver, Colorado
July 29, 2024
This short anthology of biographies of the kings and queens of England, edited by Lady Antonia Fraser, is an enjoyable overview of the history of the country as seen through the prism of its sovereigns since the Norman Invasion of 1066. I particularly enjoyed the earlier biographies, since I wasn’t especially conversant with the kings prior to the Tudors, except for Shakespeare’s historical plays which of course do contain some historic truth but also much fiction. The conclusion is that English (later British) sovereigns were creatures of their time: benighted and brutal, coarse and pious, diligent and libertine. I found the biographies of the Windsor monarchs very accurate (although of course abbreviated) and respectful even in the case of rakes like Edward VIII. The conclusion is that, for the past 250 years the Royal Family has produced two types of children: the dutiful, religious and family oriented (George III, Victoria, George V, George VI, Elizabeth and to a lesser extent Charles III) and the fun-loving, cynical, sometimes libertine (George IV, William IV, Edward VII, Edward VIII, princess Margaret, prince Andrew). The book shows that monarchy is an essential component of the British constitution to this day, rather than a colorful ornament easily discarded.
March 3, 2021
In the Introduction, Antonia Fraser quotes Ralph Waldo Emerson, saying, "There is no history, only biography," which sums up this book nicely, as it is concerned just with the biographies of the monarchs of England, not with the history around them, and the quote does make a good point that human history is simply made up of biographies of people. But this book is just about the people who worn the British crown from William I to Queen Elizabeth II.
I loved the section on the Plantagenets, the Tudors are always a favorite, but already knowing so much, I spotted what was glossed over, and then we get to the Stuarts, which somehow gets boring, which it shouldn't be, due to all the death and pomp - but no indication from this book that the monarchy might have been in real trouble there for a minute thanks to Cromwell. Nope, all is fine, and due to Anne I's tragedy of all 17 children dying at birth or shortly before, we get the Georges.
I don't think the book meant to be funny here, but I fond it quite humorous how several generations of fathers and sons spent all their time bickering with each other, fathers calling their sons feckless, sons calling their fathers old and out of touch, then growing up and being called out of touch by the son that they in turn called feckless.
Luckily, the last round of sons have a real problem with producing living legitimate heirs, and we get Victoria. Again the book focuses on just her rather than spending too much time on world events, but, whereas earlier the book criticized monarchs, here we start to see a do-no-wrong attitude, with no comment on how bad she was at parenting and how that ended up having a real impact on the world stage.
Then we get to the 20th century - and - oh good lord - according to this text, the monarchy did no wrong ever, all the common people loved them, the press are just big old meanies with their modern attitudes of demanding transparency, and Elizabeth II is a goddess on earth.
So, all the monarchs are here if you need to consult a who's who of when different monarchs reigned, but the text is just a wee bit biased in their favor. Entertaining - but not the most reliable or thorough of source material.
January 13, 2022
There really is no wonder that so many works of historical fiction have been based around the lives of various Kings and Queens of England! (For example, the wonderful Wolf Hall trilogy) I had thought that perhaps these non fiction accounts of the English monarchy from the Normans through to the current Elizabeth II might be a bit dry . . . but far from it! Nearly every individual biography is filled with drama of one sort or another! There is intrigue, greed, arrogance, defection, conspiracy, affairs, pride (often unwarranted!), foolishness and, on the other hand, loyalty, compassion, wisdom, sincerity and so on. Enough to make a whole series of soap operas!
I really enjoyed every one of these mini biographies, despite the complexity of sorting one king from another, who was related to who, who married who, and who was on who's side! Not only have I learnt a lot about the monarchy, I have also really enjoyed these intriguing, often larger than life and stranger than fiction, stories! ****
I really enjoyed every one of these mini biographies, despite the complexity of sorting one king from another, who was related to who, who married who, and who was on who's side! Not only have I learnt a lot about the monarchy, I have also really enjoyed these intriguing, often larger than life and stranger than fiction, stories! ****
October 11, 2021
Extremely bad history book. It is composed of short biographies of English monarchs. One may think they lived and operated in a vacuum. There is not the slightest consideration of technological, economical, societal and other factors. The industrial revolution is not mentioned. The black plague is briefly mentioned. Dynasties, battles and religious differences are discussed in some detail, but these discussions are pointless without any mention of the societies in which the dynasties quarraled, or the technology used in the battles. The reader may think that Edward the 7th lived and operated in the same conditions as Henry the 7th some 350 years earlier. The colorful detailes of the private lives of the monarchs (William the 1st was obese, Edward the 2nd homosexual etc.) hardly compensate for these flaws.
January 9, 2023
I don't recommend reading this book. For those who know a lot about the British royal history, this book is superficial. For those, who do not know much about it....... this book is still too superficial. There are random facts and there is a lot of name dropping - duke this, and duke that - as if you should already know who they are and what is their historical importance. Good luck with keeping up with the narrative! It gets two stars because there were maybe a few moments I actually did find a bit interesting.
May 25, 2023
I got this book from the library to do some research on the British monarchy. I am not a monarchist by any stretch of the imagination, but consider myself anglophile. I have two coffee mugs with amusing caricatures of the monarch since William the Conqueror; one ends with Elizabeth and the other with Charles. I used this book to try to understand their meanings. I think I figured most out but in the process of reading about them I was disgusted by much of their behavior and cannot understand why people would want a monarch, even if not absolute.
August 27, 2024
I've been meaning to read this book for ages! I was finally motivated by reading through the centuries this year with the LitLife challenge. I have a much better understanding of the history of England's monarchs and how the various houses came to be. I don't think this is the best source for details of the different royal families.
The first two dynasties (the Normans and the Angevins) were VERY dry reading. It picked up with the Plantagenets and it was easy to keep going through to the House of Hanover. The Windsors were okay, but I wonder what the author would think of the monarchy now.
The first two dynasties (the Normans and the Angevins) were VERY dry reading. It picked up with the Plantagenets and it was easy to keep going through to the House of Hanover. The Windsors were okay, but I wonder what the author would think of the monarchy now.
November 22, 2020
I’m obsessed with this book. I love history but the blood, gore, and torture of the Dark Ages has always been a little hard to stomach. This book doesn’t focus on those specific aspects at all, giving only a fun and fascinating run down of each monarch. Mainly it focuses on dates, conflicts (because English royalty lol), marriages, births, along side some very intriguing bits of palace gossip. I’ll definitely read this again.
February 22, 2022
I have never been overly interested in the kings and queens of England but thought this was a gap in my knowledge of history, so this book was a great overview of each potentate starting with William the Conqueror (1066) up to Elizabeth II. Antonia gives a fair overview of any strengths and weaknesses in each ruler. Unfortunately when it comes to the current queen she refuses to identify any weaknesses other than that of her children. Perhaps time will give perspective.
January 24, 2018
I love this book. I re-read it all the time, usually when I'm trying to get to sleep. I know that sounds like the opposite of a good recommendation, but there's something restful and comforting about reading a short but excellently written and edited biographical sketch of some British monarch. If you're interested in the subject it's a great handy reference. And good for insomnia.
February 2, 2018
Wow! A lot of stuff in here that I did not know.
Books like this are what make me love History so much. Antonia Fraser knows how to write a fact based book without having it sound like some text book the teacher is pushing on you in junior high school.
If you are a history lover like me and are curious to know how Great Britain became Great Britain, this is a great place to start!
Books like this are what make me love History so much. Antonia Fraser knows how to write a fact based book without having it sound like some text book the teacher is pushing on you in junior high school.
If you are a history lover like me and are curious to know how Great Britain became Great Britain, this is a great place to start!
December 16, 2020
A compendium of the rulers of England beginning with William the Conqueror. Compendium may not quite be the right word. There isn't a lot of depth, but you're given enough of each ruler in order to get a general grasp of who they were and what they did to pin them to memory. Great if you're just starting out with British history.
September 2, 2021
This was very interesting. I didn’t know much about the English dynasties. Is it sad that there is comfort knowing the world has survived really terrible rulers many times? And, people have given their lives for really awful rulers who used them for their own purposes without guilt. History does repeat itself.
March 3, 2022
Enjoyable enough though it does contain some historical inaccuracies which some of my fellow reviewers have already remarked upon.
I felt that it was to quick in describing some of the monarchs but that is probably because I can never get enough of Henry VIII (and more specifically, connected with Henry, Anne Boleyn), Elizabeth I, the Four Georges etc
I felt that it was to quick in describing some of the monarchs but that is probably because I can never get enough of Henry VIII (and more specifically, connected with Henry, Anne Boleyn), Elizabeth I, the Four Georges etc
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