Fast Facts On The Kings And Queens Of England

They walked us through the foggy, dreary and dank centuries of the Dark Ages where they fought their bloody dynastic wars right up and into the artistic enlightenment of the Renaissance with their courts of finery and pageantry. They rode atop their mighty steeds adorned in shiny shimmering armor and endangered their lives for the sake of a lady's colors at the tiltyard tournament Jousts. They waltzed us through the more delicate Victorian era of refinement into the sophisticated Edwardian period with their lavish living and carefree lifestyles. They rose above the ashes and destruction of the World Wars and moved bravely forward, becoming a part of the fast modern age of technology. All through time since the days of Camelot they played their own separate roles that contributed to the molding and creating of their island kingdom. They were tall, they were short, they were mean, and they were kind. Some were considered to be great, some not so great. Some were powerful leaders while others were weak. Some were greedy not caring about the people, yet there were those who accomplished good deeds for the people and the country. Some died peaceful deaths and then there were those that died violent deaths either by sword in battle, an executioner's axe or even other more horrific ways of demise. Now it is for us to take the time and tear away those dusty shrouds of history and become better acquainted with those faces that stare back at us from their immortal portraits that hang high upon their castle and palace walls. To do so we bring all these Monarchs back alive within our imaginations where we can relive their lives better appreciating all the wonderful beauty, splendor and legends they left behind for us to share, those immortal "Kings and Queens of England".

They walked us through the foggy, dreary and dank centuries of the Dark Ages where they fought their bloody dynastic wars right up and into the artistic enlightenment of the Renaissance with their courts of finery and pageantry. They rode atop their mighty steeds adorned in shiny shimmering armor and endangered their lives for the sake of a lady's colors at the tiltyard tournament Jousts. They waltzed us through the more delicate Victorian era of refinement into the sophisticated Edwardian period with their lavish living and carefree lifestyles. They rose above the ashes and destruction of the World Wars and moved bravely forward, becoming a part of the fast modern age of technology. All through time since the days of Camelot they played their own separate roles that contributed to the molding and creating of their island kingdom. They were tall, they were short, they were mean, and they were kind. Some were considered to be great, some not so great. Some were powerful leaders while others were weak. Some were greedy not caring about the people, yet there were those who accomplished good deeds for the people and the country. Some died peaceful deaths and then there were those that died violent deaths either by sword in battle, an executioner's axe or even other more horrific ways of demise. Now it is for us to take the time and tear away those dusty shrouds of history and become better acquainted with those faces that stare back at us from their immortal portraits that hang high upon their castle and palace walls. To do so we bring all these Monarchs back alive within our imaginations where we can relive their lives better appreciating all the wonderful beauty, splendor and legends theyleft behind for us to share, those immortal "Kings and Queens of England."

From the reign of Alfred the Great - the first king of Wessex to call himself 'king of England' - in the ninth century, to the shock of Norman invasion in the 11th, and from the brutal vicissitudes of late medieval kingship to the comfortable ceremonial of modern-day constitutional monarchy, the story of England's kings and queens is to a large degree that of England herself. The Kings and Queens of England offers elegant portraits of 59 English monarchs from Harold II to Henry VIII, and from Æthelred the Unready to Elizabeth II. Each sovereign is concisely and memorably profiled and the impact of his or her rule on wider English history clearly described and analysed. For every king and queen there is a detailed timeline of key events, and the narrative is further amplified by display quotations, feature boxes, panels of key biographical facts, and - last but not least - by 150 lavish full-colour images. Author Ian Crofton recounts a 1000-year tale of murder, invasion, usurpation, adultery, divorce, civil war and revolution in a manner that is as entertaining as it is informative. The Kings and Queens of England is the perfect choice for anyone looking for an illustrated and accessible history of the English monarchy from the Anglo-Saxon era to the present.

With stunning colour illustrations of the 59 English kings and queens from Alfred the Great to Elizabeth II, Illustrated Kings and Queens of England is packed with interesting facts about the wonderful English monarchy. Each monarch is accompanied by a vintage etching, lovingly restored to perfect condition and carefully tinted.

This best-selling title is a handy-format, fully comprehensive guide to the rulers of the British nations and their chequered histories, from pre-Roman times to the present day. From King Kenneth I and Henry VIII through to Princess Diana, the Queen Mother and Queen Elizabeth II, Kings and Queens: The Concise Guide reveals the lives and personalities of each monarch - the good, bad, lazy, greedy, downright wicked, sometimes mad and occasionally brilliant - and examines the ways in which they have shaped history. Including family trees, key facts and further details, as well as timelines to help place each monarch in their historical context, the book covers the major social, political and commercial events of each monarch's reign. The author also provides additional information on the spirit, traditions and innovations of the nation at the time, including politics, arts, architecture and fashions. It is a magnificent visual feast in an appealing format, which guarantees to bring history alive for readers of all ages, through exciting narrative, famous paintings and rare archive photographs.

Kings and Queens of England and Britain takes its readers on a journey from the Saxons right up to the current day monarch Queen Elizabeth II. It is the second title in White on Black's tea card genre and arms its readers with highlights of each King or Queen's reign. You will find out who was the first English Monarch to have a proper portrait on his coins, who kept a "drunken Elephant," which King wore high-heeled shoes, who had the most illegitimate children, who competed at Wimbledon, who is behind the "Royal Oak" pubs and who used their Royal Navy severance pay to fund the tackling of community issues. The book is crammed full of these and other interesting facts which gives the reader a fantastic oversight on the character of each monarch. As is now tradition with the White on Black brand - the author will donate £1 from every book sale to this very deserving British Charity - The Prince's Trust.

Key facts and major events for the reign of each monarch along with biographies of monarchs from Saxon to modern times.