Who invented the 'House of Windsor' as a royal name? Who founded Westminster Abbey? Which king had twenty-one illegitimate children? David Hilliam answers all of these questions and more. Here is a continuous history of the English monarchy, showing how the nine dynasties rose and fell. The book describes the most memorable features of the life and times of each king and queen - from Egbert, crowned in 802 and considered the first king of England, to Queen Elizabeth II - as well as recordi...

Which 'ill-prepared' monarch was on the English throne at the turn of the last millenium? How many English monarchs have been crowned on St George's Day? When, how and why did England 'lose' eleven days? "Monarchs, Murders & Mistresses" answers these questions and many more, presenting a royal event for each day of the calendar year in vivid detail with close-ups of the personalities involved. The book reveals the recurring occupational difficulties faced by the royal family over the centu...

Who invented the "House of Windsor" as a royal name? Who founded Westminster Abbey? Which King had 21 illegitimate children? This engaging volume offers a continuous history of the English monarchy that shows how nine dynasties rose and fell, and uncovers the more unusual incidents of royal history. From Egbert—crowned in 802—to Elizabeth II, the histories of each monarch's reign, as well as the extraordinary lives of their spouses, consorts, mistresses, and bastard children, are all addre...

The Little Book of Dorset is a funny, fast-paced, fact-packed compendium of the sort of frivolous, fantastic, or simply strange information which no-one will want to be without. The county's most unusual crimes and punishments, eccentric inhabitants, famous sons and daughters, royal connections, and literally hundreds of wacky facts about Dorset's landscape, fossil-rich coast, towns, and villages (plus some authentically bizarre bits of historic trivia), come together to make it e...

Coronations are very public occasions, typically seen as meticulously planned formal ceremonies where everything runs smoothly. But behind the scenes at Westminster Abbey lie extraordinary but true stories of mayhem, confusion and merriment. In this book we travel through over a thousand years of England's history to reveal the real character of its kings and queens. Also packed with facts about how the service, traditions and accessories have changed over the years, C...

Coronations are very public occasions, typically seen as meticulously planned formal ceremonies where everything runs smoothly. But behind the scenes at Westminster Abbey lie extraordinary but true stories of mayhem, confusion and merriment. In this book we travel through over a thousand years of England's history to reveal the real character of its kings and queens. Also packed with facts about how the service, traditions and accessories have changed over the years, C...

Which 'ill-prepared' monarch was on the English throne at the turn of the last millenium? How many English monarchs have been crowned on St George's Day? When, how and why did England 'lose' eleven days? Monarchs, Murders and Mistresses answers these questions and many more, presenting a royal event for each day of the calendar year in vivid detail with close-ups of the personalities involved. The book reveals the recurring occupational difficulties faced by the r...

The names of the 300 or so London underground stations are part of the everyday landscape for the Londoners, who strap-hang their way across the capital. We hardly ever question their meanings or origins - yet these well-known names are linked with fascinating stories of bygone times. Until the mid-19th century, London was almost unbelievably rural, with names belonging to a countryside we could never recognise or imagine today.Who in the twenty-first century, thin...

As modern tourist destinations, museums, and sites of archaeological and architectural study, medieval castles continue to captivate students of history and laymen alike. Medieval cathedrals, many refurbished and still in use, also inspire awe, inspiration, and historical interest. In this book, readers will be enthralled by the vivid imagery of the castles and cathedrals that remain all over Europe and the rich historical narratives their stories convey. This work will be a surefire hit w...

It’s no secret that the marriages of monarchs are often made in hell. Here are some of the most spectacular mismatches in five hundred years of royal history....In a world where many kings, queens, and princes lacked nothing but true love, marital mismatches could bring out the baddest, boldest behavior in the bluest of bloodlines. Margaret Tudor, her niece Mary I, and Catherine of Braganza were desperately in love with chronically unfaithful husbands, but at least...

Famous Affinities of History is a unique classic in the literature of history. This is the complete four volume edition. It has many romantic stories to tell of the part which women have played in determining the destinies of nations. Sometimes it is a woman's beauty that causes the shifting of a province. Again it is another woman's rich possessions that incite invasion and lead to bloody wars. Marriages or dowries, or the refusal of marriages and the lack of dowries, inheritance through ...

Justin Vovks In Destinys Hands is the heartbreaking story of five children of Austrias iconic empress, Maria Theresa, who watched as their royal worlds were ripped apart by tragedy and epic misfortunes. These are the stories of Joseph, whose disastrous reign forced Austria to the brink of civil war; Amalia, the brazen and scandalous duchess who married a boy-prince and died exiled and forgotten; Leopold, Maria Theresas unassuming second son, who was the envy of Europe until his tu...