A History of England

Revolution, the fourth volume of Peter Ackroyd's enthralling History of England begins in 1688 with a revolution and ends in 1815 with a famous victory.

From one of our finest historians comes an outstanding exploration of the British monarchy from the retreat of the Romans up until the modern day…

In 1945, German soldier Bert Trautmann escapes from capture by the Red Army only to be caught by the British Army and endure 'a fate vorse than death' - playing for Manchester City. In 1961, Commando comic launches, providing English football fans with enough of the basics of the German language to get by, namely schnell, achtung and 'for you Tommy, ze war is over.' In 1990, England play West Germany in the World Cup semi-final and go out on penalties.

From one of our finest historians comes an outstanding exploration of the British monarchy from the retreat of the Romans up until the modern day. This compendium volume of two earlier books is fully revised and updated. The monarchy is one of Britain's longest surviving institutions – as well as one of its most tumultuous and revered. In this masterful book, David Starkey looks at the monarchy as a whole, charting its magnificent history from Roman times, to the Wars of the Roses, the chaos of the Civil War, the fall of Charles I and Cromwell's emergence as Lord Protector – all the way up until the Victorian era when Britain's monarchs came face-to-face with modernity.

From William Shakespeare's series of history dramas to Sir Walter Scott and George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire, not to mention the smash-hit TV show Game of Thrones, the British civil war of 1455 to 1485 has inspired writers more than any other.