Crown & Sceptre
A New History of the British Monarchy, from William the Conqueror to Elizabeth II
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4.3 • 29 Ratings
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- $16.99
Publisher Description
An in-depth look at the British monarchy that's "a superb synthesis of historical analysis, politics, and top-notch royal gossip" (Kirkus Reviews).
Since William the Conqueror, duke of Normandy, crossed the English Channel in 1066 to defeat King Harold II and unite England's various kingdoms, forty-one kings and queens have sat on Britain's throne. "Shining examples of royal power and majesty alongside a rogue's gallery of weak, lazy, or evil monarchs," as Tracy Borman describes them in her sparkling chronicle, Crown & Sceptre. Ironically, during very few of these 955 years has the throne's occupant been unambiguously English—whether Norman French, the Welsh-born Tudors, the Scottish Stuarts, and the Hanoverians and their German successors to the present day.
Acknowledging the intrinsic fascination with British royalty, Borman lifts the veil to reveal the remarkable characters and personalities who have ruled and, since the Restoration of the monarchy in 1660, more ceremonially reigned. It is a crucial distinction explaining the staying power of the monarchy as the royal family has evolved and adapted to the needs and opinions of its people, avoiding the storms of rebellion that brought many of Europe's royals to an abrupt end. Richard II; Henry VIII; Elizabeth I; George III; Victoria; Elizabeth II: their names evoke eras and the dramatic events Borman recounts. She is equally attuned to the fabric of monarchy: royal palaces; the way monarchs have been portrayed in art, on coins, in the media; the ceremony and pageantry surrounding the crown.
Elizabeth II is already one of the longest reigning monarchs in history. Crown & Sceptre is a fitting tribute to her remarkable longevity and that of the magnificent institution she represents.
"Crown & Sceptre brings us in short, vivid chapters from William the Conqueror to Elizabeth herself, much of it constituting a dark record of bumping off adversaries, rivals and spouses, confiscating vast estates and military invasions…. [A] lucid, character-rich book." —Minneapolis Star-Tribune
"Borman's deep understanding of English royalty shines." —Chris Schluep, Amazon Editors' Picks, The Best History Books of February 2022
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Historian and novelist Borman (Henry VIII and the Men Who Made Him) delivers an elegant and evenhanded chronicle of the British monarchy. Spanning from the Norman Conquest in the 11th century to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's decampment to America in 2020, Borman's capsule histories highlight achievements (e.g., Elizabeth I's defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588), as well as scandals (e.g., Prince Andrew's friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein), and lucidly explain court dynamics and political, religious, and military matters. Documenting the fates of Henry VIII's six wives, Borman eschews sensationalism to track Henry's "transition from carefree kingship to active monarchy" and the effects of his marriages on England as a whole. A brief chapter on "England's shortest-reigning monarch," Lady Jane Grey, who was queen for nine days after the death of Edward VI in July 1553, analyzes the Tudor era's anxieties over female sovereigns, which helped shape the subsequent reigns of Mary I and her half-sister, Elizabeth I. Delving into the mystery of who killed the two sons of Edward IV in 1483, Borman suggests that Richard III may have been framed for the murders by Henry Tudor. Enlightening and accessible, this is a superb introduction to one of the world's most enduring monarchies.
Customer Reviews
Crown and Sceptor
Excellent read. Very exciting and enlightening for a biography type book I am surprised, however, that almost nothing was said about Prince William and Kate. He should be Britain’s king instead of Charles. William and Kate would be much better got the UK and for survival of the monarchy. You should have said that.