The First English Empire: Power and Identities in the British Isles 1093-1343 [Paperback]

R. R. Davies (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 5, 2002 | ISBN-10: 0199257248 | ISBN-13: 978-0199257249

The future of the United Kingdom is an increasingly open question. This book traces the issue's roots to the Middle Ages, when English power and control came to extend to the whole of the British Isles. By 1300 it looked as if Edward I was in control of virtually the whole of the British Isles. Ireland, Scotland, and Wales had, in different degrees, been subjugated to his authority; contemporaries were even comparing him to King Arthur. This was the culmination of a remarkable English advance into the outer zones of the British Isles in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. The advance was not only a matter of military power, political control, and governmental and legal institutions; it also involved extensive colonization and the absorption of these outer zones into the economic and cultural orbit of an England-dominated world. What remained to be seen was how stable (especially in Scotland and Ireland) this English 'empire' would be; how far the northern and western parts of the British Isles could be absorbed in an English-centered polity and society; and to what extent the early and self-confident development of English identity would determine the relationships between England and the rest of the British Isles. The answers to those questions would be shaped by the past of the country that was England; the answers would also cast their shadow over the future of the British Isles for centuries to come.

Editorial Reviews

Review

`Review from previous edition a thoughtful analysis of Anglo-Norman kingship and its insatiably predatory aristocracy . . . a masterly account.' Times Literary Supplement

`A lively account of English Medieval History . . . an exciting read.' Church Times

About the Author

A former President of the Royal Historical Society, R. R. Davies is Chichele Professor of Medieval History at All Souls College, Oxford, and Chairman of the Modern History Faculty, University of Oxford. His books include The Revolt of Owain Glyn Dwr, Domination and Conquest: The Experience of Ireland, Scotland, and Wales 1100-1300, and Conquest, Coexistence, and Change: Wales 1063-1415.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (September 5, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0199257248
• ISBN-13: 978-0199257249
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #954,650 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must read, August 18, 2002

By 

"artmoreau" (Moline, IL USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The First English Empire: Power and Identities in the British Isles 1093-1343 (Ford Lectures) (Hardcover)

Davies continues his excellence in scholarship and fresh perspective on the interaction of Norman/"English" influences on the existing cultures of the British Isles during the immediate two centuries following the invasion. It elegantly reflects that this process of "integration" of Wales, Ireland and Scotland was not natural or inevitable and could only be accomplished by force - or a forceful ruler (Henry I, Henry II. Edward I). In fact, the process of integration may have fostered the development of cultural unity that could only be overcome by force. It sheds an exceptional light on the question of "natural" British unity. As with all of Davies works, his writing style can hold the reader's attention while still being well-documented in facts.