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Shortest History
The Shortest History of The Crown
'There have been scores of books about the monarchy but few, if any, as fearless and perceptive as this is... Bates tells it like it is, covering every aspect with rare humour and intelligence. I couldn't recommend it more highly.' LITERARY REVIEW on ROYALTY INCAmidst the turbulence and invasions, upheaval and dissent that characterise British history, one thing has remained remarkably stable. Although there are other monarchies, Britain's Crown stands out due to the continuity of its traditions, and its ability to adapt.There's a reason why schoolchildren still learn about the Kings and it's their power struggles and subtle compromises that have shaped the nation we inhabit today. When members of the Royal family go on 'walkabouts', they do so because monarchs stretching back to King Alfred understood the need to be seen by their subjects, and the dire consequences of remaining aloof (or abroad). When they give interviews, or accept taxes, they do so as part of a long series of engagements with other, almost-equally powerful Church, Parliament, the nobility.In this sprightly commentary on the Crown's 1,800-year-long story, Stephen Bates provides a dazzling insight into Royal custom and ritual, whilst depicting the individuals behind the myth with compassion and wit. And as our ageing Queen prepares to pass the baton, he asks us all to could we ever do without the Crown?
- GenresHistoryNonfiction
314 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 4, 2022
31 people are currently reading
239 people want to read
About the author
Stephen Bates
51Ìýbooks5ÌýfollowersStephen Bates has worked as a journalist for the BBC, the Telegraph, the Mail and, for 23 years, as political correspondent at the Guardian. He is the bestselling author of Church at War and God's Own Country.
Penny Loaves and Butter Cheap, Stephen Bate's kaleidoscopic picture of Britain in 1846 is in all good bookshops and available in ebook now.
Penny Loaves and Butter Cheap, Stephen Bate's kaleidoscopic picture of Britain in 1846 is in all good bookshops and available in ebook now.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
May 11, 2023
While these kinds of whistle stop tour books covering the Royals are hardly a new or original concept, Stephen Bates has managed to produce a very engaging and informative read.
Other similar books covering the Royals are often laiden with unnecessary opinion, conjecture and occasionally downright slander. The Shortest History of the Crown is simply a succinct and entertaining book.
Other similar books covering the Royals are often laiden with unnecessary opinion, conjecture and occasionally downright slander. The Shortest History of the Crown is simply a succinct and entertaining book.
August 24, 2023
A great overview. Looking forward to Ian Dale's deeper dive later in the year. Definitely going to buy more of these as never got too bogged down in detail - a good read that allows you to go away and read up on specific parts of history in more detail if you want.
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August 9, 2023The Shortest History of the Crown
Author: Stephen Bates
History
Pan Macmillan India
MRP: Rs. 599/-
Than you Pan Macmillan India for a media copy of the book.
As a passionate book blogger, my fascination with the Netflix original series "The Crown" started with its gripping storytelling, impeccable performances, and stunning production values. The show's ability to bring history to life, specifically the British monarchy, captivated me from the very beginning. I found myself engrossed in the intricate details of royal lives, the politics, and the challenges faced by the monarchy over the years.
"The Crown" sparked my interest in exploring the historical context further, prompting me to seek out books that delved deeper into the subject. When I heard about "The Shortest History of the Crown" by Stephen Bates, my excitement knew no bounds. Pan Macmillan India sending over a review copy felt like an extraordinary privilege. As I delved into "The Shortest History of the Crown," I was immersed in a rich tapestry of events that shaped the British monarchy. Bates' writing style, which balances historical accuracy with an engaging narrative, made the book a joy to read. From the early days of monarchy to the modern era, I journeyed through the lives of iconic monarchs, their challenges, and the significant moments that shaped the nation's history.
The Shortest History of the Crown by Stephen Bates offers a concise yet compelling overview of the British monarchy from its origins to the present day. Spanning over 1500 years of history, Bates skillfully condenses each reign into a succinct narrative, capturing the essence of personalities and key events.
The book progresses chronologically, beginning with early Anglo-Saxon warrior kings and tracing the monarchy's evolution into a constitutional figurehead. Bates highlights how the relationship between monarchs and their subjects has changed over time. Divine right and absolutism have gradually given way to a monarchy that derives authority from parliamentary consent and public approval.
Bates takes us on a riveting journey through the centuries, spotlighting the triumphs and tribulations of rulers like Alfred the Great, Richard the Lionheart, Henry VIII, Elizabeth I, Victoria and others. He adeptly analyzes how the monarchy adapted and transformed in response to upheavals like the Reformation, civil wars, changing economic structures and public perceptions.
The book highlights the monarchy's astounding longevity and traces how it ceded absolute power to Parliament over time. Bates argues this flexibility allowed it to retain ceremonial authority and survive seismic political changes that toppled other European dynasties.
Peppered with juicy tidbits about royal lives and colorful contemporary accounts, the brisk narrative moves swiftly between medieval intrigue, Tudor tyranny, Hanoverian hegemony and more. The chatty, irreverent tone makes digesting complex historical shifts easy.
Well-researched and highly readable, The Shortest History of the Crown renders the epic, messy evolution of Britain's monarchy in crisp, entertaining style. Bates distills the rollercoaster journey of an ancient institution navigating upheaval and scandal with wit and wisdom. A must-read for history buffs and royalty watchers alike!
Throughout, Bates balances judicious analysis with lively storytelling. He brings kings and queens to life with vivid details and judicious quotations from contemporary sources. The book is richly illustrated with paintings, artifacts, and photographs that enhance the vividness of the historical tableau.
While Bates is balanced in his judgments, he does not shy away from condemning monarchs who abused their power or failed in their duties. His accounts of figures like Richard III and Charles I are unflinching. At the same time, he gives credit to monarchs who helped expand rights and liberty.
The Shortest History of the Crown succeeds as an accessible, engaging introduction to the British monarchy. Bates distills a huge swath of history into a digestible narrative that remains nuanced and insightful. This brisk, enjoyable read provides an excellent overview for general readers interested in Britain's royal heritage.
Author: Stephen Bates
History
Pan Macmillan India
MRP: Rs. 599/-
Than you Pan Macmillan India for a media copy of the book.
As a passionate book blogger, my fascination with the Netflix original series "The Crown" started with its gripping storytelling, impeccable performances, and stunning production values. The show's ability to bring history to life, specifically the British monarchy, captivated me from the very beginning. I found myself engrossed in the intricate details of royal lives, the politics, and the challenges faced by the monarchy over the years.
"The Crown" sparked my interest in exploring the historical context further, prompting me to seek out books that delved deeper into the subject. When I heard about "The Shortest History of the Crown" by Stephen Bates, my excitement knew no bounds. Pan Macmillan India sending over a review copy felt like an extraordinary privilege. As I delved into "The Shortest History of the Crown," I was immersed in a rich tapestry of events that shaped the British monarchy. Bates' writing style, which balances historical accuracy with an engaging narrative, made the book a joy to read. From the early days of monarchy to the modern era, I journeyed through the lives of iconic monarchs, their challenges, and the significant moments that shaped the nation's history.
The Shortest History of the Crown by Stephen Bates offers a concise yet compelling overview of the British monarchy from its origins to the present day. Spanning over 1500 years of history, Bates skillfully condenses each reign into a succinct narrative, capturing the essence of personalities and key events.
The book progresses chronologically, beginning with early Anglo-Saxon warrior kings and tracing the monarchy's evolution into a constitutional figurehead. Bates highlights how the relationship between monarchs and their subjects has changed over time. Divine right and absolutism have gradually given way to a monarchy that derives authority from parliamentary consent and public approval.
Bates takes us on a riveting journey through the centuries, spotlighting the triumphs and tribulations of rulers like Alfred the Great, Richard the Lionheart, Henry VIII, Elizabeth I, Victoria and others. He adeptly analyzes how the monarchy adapted and transformed in response to upheavals like the Reformation, civil wars, changing economic structures and public perceptions.
The book highlights the monarchy's astounding longevity and traces how it ceded absolute power to Parliament over time. Bates argues this flexibility allowed it to retain ceremonial authority and survive seismic political changes that toppled other European dynasties.
Peppered with juicy tidbits about royal lives and colorful contemporary accounts, the brisk narrative moves swiftly between medieval intrigue, Tudor tyranny, Hanoverian hegemony and more. The chatty, irreverent tone makes digesting complex historical shifts easy.
Well-researched and highly readable, The Shortest History of the Crown renders the epic, messy evolution of Britain's monarchy in crisp, entertaining style. Bates distills the rollercoaster journey of an ancient institution navigating upheaval and scandal with wit and wisdom. A must-read for history buffs and royalty watchers alike!
Throughout, Bates balances judicious analysis with lively storytelling. He brings kings and queens to life with vivid details and judicious quotations from contemporary sources. The book is richly illustrated with paintings, artifacts, and photographs that enhance the vividness of the historical tableau.
While Bates is balanced in his judgments, he does not shy away from condemning monarchs who abused their power or failed in their duties. His accounts of figures like Richard III and Charles I are unflinching. At the same time, he gives credit to monarchs who helped expand rights and liberty.
The Shortest History of the Crown succeeds as an accessible, engaging introduction to the British monarchy. Bates distills a huge swath of history into a digestible narrative that remains nuanced and insightful. This brisk, enjoyable read provides an excellent overview for general readers interested in Britain's royal heritage.
January 7, 2025
Like its title, this book gives you bite-sized versions of the bios of every king of England up to the modern age. Some have larger sections than others (which is fair enough as some lived a lot longer and had far more significant reigns!). There were a few spelling mistakes here and there, but other than that, I found it enjoyable and concise. It's definitely a great starting point if you want to learn a little about royals in England. If that's what you're looking for, definitely check this book out. :-)
July 25, 2023
Generally informative and readable but unfortunately riddled with basic errors, especially in the accompanying diagrams (Edward 1 completely omitted, Henry VIII's third wife named "James Seymour", George V's death stated as 1935, plus many more ... ), which undermined the book's whole credibility in my opinion.
May 17, 2023
Loved this little read. Only criticism was that when the author got to QEII it felt almost as if they focused on Megan/Harry and others around the Queen, more than the Queen herself. Whereas the discussions of previous monarchs it felt like they solely focused on the individual themselves.
February 22, 2023
Best snapshot but detailed look on the English monarchy that I’ve read.
May 31, 2023
Great book.
June 12, 2023
Though short, it is a fascinating look into the history of the crown and how it has evolved.
December 8, 2023
I usually struggle with non fiction but i absolutely adore this
(no i am not a royalist i just enjoy the drama of it all)
(no i am not a royalist i just enjoy the drama of it all)
October 31, 2023
This is indeed a short history of The Crown, but Stephen Bates manages to gives us a concise summary of the Kins and Queens of England and Britain from the early Anglo-Saxons to King Charles III. There are brief descriptions of the various monarchs, and the important elements of their reigns. Each chapter and section has a diagram showing the path to the crown (even though there were a couple of typos in them), not always straightforward. This was helpful especially with the earlier kings and dynasties such as the Plantagenets and the Tudors.
Stephen Bates did not dwell too much on the individual personalities of the monarchs unless it was critical, for example Charles I and James II, both who were strong believers in the God given divine right of Kings and strong practicing Catholics. As a result of these beliefs, both men lost their crowns1 In addition Stephen Bates rarely gives his opinion (although he did with Henry VIII, calling him a monster), rather he places each monarch in their times and judges their actions by that.
The roles of The Crown and Parliament have evolved and changed and this has been interwoven successfully highlighting the lose of power to The Crown and the rise of power to Parliament. Alongside of this Stephen Bates has also highlighted how this evolution and change has now set the British Crown apart from those remaining monarchies in Europe. He also highlighted the way that the nobility in England was willing to accept middle class people marrying into titles or buying titles (money always has talked). This wouldn’t have happened in countries such as France and Germany and again this highlights how different the British system is and perhaps this one of the reasons why the British Crown is held in such high regard by a significant portion of the population.
Stephen Bates concludes with a thought has to how King Charles III will be able to balance the way Queen Elizabeth II managed to balance the need for discretion with her own opinions, which for 70 years she kept to herself. In contrast Charles has made no secret of his opinions over the years, but it is different being Prince of Wales to King Charles III.
Stephen Bates did not dwell too much on the individual personalities of the monarchs unless it was critical, for example Charles I and James II, both who were strong believers in the God given divine right of Kings and strong practicing Catholics. As a result of these beliefs, both men lost their crowns1 In addition Stephen Bates rarely gives his opinion (although he did with Henry VIII, calling him a monster), rather he places each monarch in their times and judges their actions by that.
The roles of The Crown and Parliament have evolved and changed and this has been interwoven successfully highlighting the lose of power to The Crown and the rise of power to Parliament. Alongside of this Stephen Bates has also highlighted how this evolution and change has now set the British Crown apart from those remaining monarchies in Europe. He also highlighted the way that the nobility in England was willing to accept middle class people marrying into titles or buying titles (money always has talked). This wouldn’t have happened in countries such as France and Germany and again this highlights how different the British system is and perhaps this one of the reasons why the British Crown is held in such high regard by a significant portion of the population.
Stephen Bates concludes with a thought has to how King Charles III will be able to balance the way Queen Elizabeth II managed to balance the need for discretion with her own opinions, which for 70 years she kept to herself. In contrast Charles has made no secret of his opinions over the years, but it is different being Prince of Wales to King Charles III.
January 8, 2024
I love this series, and read this as a novelty around the King’s Coronation.
I think this, as ever, was a perfect mix of the macro and micro to understand what is necessary about the topic without becoming bogged down in the detail.
I think this, as ever, was a perfect mix of the macro and micro to understand what is necessary about the topic without becoming bogged down in the detail.
July 31, 2023
A good summary of the crown through history.
October 5, 2023
The writing is very good.
The title gives it away but it is indeed a very short history of the crown, leading to sentences that contain a lot of information.
I expected a more relaxed read.
The title gives it away but it is indeed a very short history of the crown, leading to sentences that contain a lot of information.
I expected a more relaxed read.
December 9, 2023
Great book for an introduction into the history of the British monarchy despite a few errors.
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