Customer Reviews

Monarchy From the Middle Ages to Modernity

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Monarchy is an enjoyable romp through the history of the British Monarchy, from Henry VII to Elizabeth II. During this period the institution changed from a quasi-absolute power base, with Henry VII inspired by the autocratic French Monarchy, where he lay waiting in exile for years before the Battle of Bosworth, to a curbed, circumscribed home for confused for faith based do-gooders (Prince Charles).

Starkey's judgements are frequently lavish, well informed and brash to the point of annoyance. He is particularly interested in establishing a rank of intellect amongst the Monarchs of England - for instance Henry the VII had a 'second rate' mind. All this is based on the assumption that Starkey is secure in his own first rate intellect, but the price of media history is usually paid in the form of dodgy scholarship (other notable British historians - Simon Schama, Andrew Roberts, Niall Ferguson have fallen victim to this at times). Can Starkey really claim to know the mindsets and motivations of the protagonists of Britain's royal story as they plunge into civil wars, revolutions and social and industrial change? Was Charles II's only rigid quality his 'male member' as Starkey puts it, or George V so 'limited' he couldn't co-ordinate the war effort? - for that role had long since passed to the office of the Prime Minister and the War Office, irrespective of Churchill's qualities for the role.

Starkey's vision of the Monarchy is a vivid and enjoyable one, and readers of all levels of knowledge will enjoy this telling of the royal story. But not everyone will agree with the author's implied vision that the Monarchy is an indispensable institution that could flourish once again if only the intellects forged out of a (sometimes shifting) hereditary principle could be galvanised once again. There is too much social and economic change that is given short shrift in this book to set the last 500 years of British Monarchy truly in context.

If you ever thought history was boring - think again. Dr Starkey brings events and characters to life in his retelling of the happenings which made the Monarchy what it is today. He shows how the nature of the Monarchy was shaped and moulded over time, and shows how those characters who weilded the power changed and reshaped it into a working and profitable entity which functions to the benefit of the emerging Great Britain.

The path from the 15th to the 19th century was far from smooth and full of drama and excitement, driven by larger than life characters. This is an exciting read - a real page turner, and at last a book where the people in it can be followed in spite of their seemingly constant changing of names.

This is history made exciting.