The Stuarts (A Royal History of England) [Paperback]

Antonia Fraser (Editor), Maurice Ashley (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 6, 2000 | ISBN-10: 0520228006 | ISBN-13: 978-0520228009 | Edition: First edition.

The Stuarts begins with James VI of Scotland, who inherited the crown through his mother, Margaret Tudor, and ends in 1714, with the reign of Queen Anne, whose thirteen children all tragically predeceased her, thus ending the Stuart line.
About the series A Royal History of England:
From the beginning of monarchical power in Norman times to the present queen, the British royal family has experienced many scandals, triumphs, and changes in public image, but few of their reigns can be described as uneventful. With contributions by specialist authors and contemporary illustrations of royal heraldry and coats of arms, Antonia Fraser has edited a definitive and entertaining history of one of the most powerful monarchies in the world.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

This five-volume series covers several centuries of English history, from the Battle of Hastings in 1066 to the death of Princess Diana, the fire that decimated Windsor Castle, and the Queen Mother's 99th birthday in 1999. Each volume offers loads of illustrations, both artworks and photos, as well as informative though not overly detailed text. Better for casual readers and students through high school.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Antonia Fraser is editor of the best-selling updated edition of The Lives of the Kings and Queens of England (California, 1999), as well as several other best-selling histories including The Gunpowder Plot. Text by Maurice Ashley.

Product Details

• Paperback: 104 pages
• Publisher: University of California Press; First edition. edition (November 6, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0520228006
• ISBN-13: 978-0520228009
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 7.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,173,452 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars no, good history, June 28, 2007

By 

Book Woman (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Stuarts (A Royal History of England) (Paperback)

The previous reviewer probably did not read the actual book, only the Book Description on the Amazon Website which incorrectly states that the mother of King James I of England was Margaret Tudor. Antonia Fraser, as her many readers know, would never allow a mistake like this to make it into print. (Ms. Fraser is actually the editor of this book, which was written by the late Maurice Ashley.) The very first paragraph of the introduction states that James VI of Scotland and I of England was the son of Mary, Queen of Scots, and goes on to give excellent, concise descriptions of the unique characteristics of each of the six Stuart monarchs (seven if you count William III, husband of Mary II), along with wonderful illustrations in both color and black-and-white. This book is actually the fourth in a series of six books called A Royal History of England which summarizes each English reign from 1066 to the present day. Highly recommended for anyone who wants an overview of the English monarchy rather than in-depth biographies.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Royal History of England: The Stuarts 1603 to 1714, March 8, 2008

By 

J. Cameron-Smith "Expect the Unexpected" (ACT, Australia) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Stuarts (A Royal History of England) (Paperback)

This book, edited by Antonia Fraser, is the fourth book in a six book series: 'A Royal History of England'. This book is worth buying for its illustrations alone: including some reproductions of magnificent colour portraits which helps to bring these long dead historical figures to life in the eyes and minds of the reader.

Because this book is concerned with the royal history of England, it starts with James I of England and his accession to the English throne when Elizabeth I died in 1603. James was the son of Mary, Queen of Scots, and was a direct descendant of Henry VII. James I was also James VI of Scotland, where the Stuarts (Stewarts) had reigned since 1371.

The book provides a good overview of each of the Stuart monarchs and provides a useful starting point for someone seeking to follow the chronology of the Stuarts. From the accession of James I in 1603 to the death of Anne in 1714, this book lists significant events during an era that saw momentous change.
Four generations of Stuarts reigned during this period:

James I (1603 - 1625)
Charles I (1625 - 1649) (James I's son)
Charles II (1660-1685) (Charles I's son)
James II (1685- 1668) (Charles II's brother)
William III (1688 - 1702) and Mary II (1688 - 1694) (Mary was James II's daughter)
Anne (1702 - 1714) (James II's daughter)

Readers wanting more detailed information will need to look to other sources, but this is a great starting point.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Beware: excerpt from longer book!, January 16, 2009

By 

JLR "hangin out" (Nashville, TN USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Stuarts (A Royal History of England) (Paperback)

I bought this book along with another in the series to bridge my British Royal history knowledge gap. I also purchased The Lives of the Kings and Queens of England, Revised and Updated edited by Antonia Fraser and found the text in this book is identical to that volume. I think there are additional photos in this book, but it is not something completely new. If you have The Lives of the Kings and Queens of England, do not bother with this volume.