Medieval England

Richard II was young, handsome, and elegant. Last living child of the brilliant Black Prince, he came to the throne bearing the hopes of his people on his shoulders. His court glittered; his tastes were refined; his portraits shone with gold. Regal, composed, aloof, he was the very picture of majesty. He became a murderous, capricious tyrant. His favorites plotted against his family. He rewrote the laws of England to give himself absolute power. He raised an army against his own subjects. His subjects deposed him.

August 22, 1485, Bosworth, Leicestershire. By noon the King of England, Richard III, will be dead and his naked body will be on route to Leicester. This is the story of Richard's final 24 hours, told in a compelling minute-by-minute countdown, which ends with this final heroic battle charge and his death on the field at Bosworth.

Treason. Considered by kings, queens, and emperors the most hideous crime of all. And as such some of the most vengeful punishments known to man were reserved for those convicted of it. Yet over the course of history, there have been no shortages of men and women who have been convicted or accused of it. Some have willingly committed the act; others were forced into it, and many more were wrongfully convicted by paranoid leaders determined to assert their authority.

Mary Stuart was born into a powerful royal dynasty that was at war with the rest of Europe and with itself. Mary’s ascent to the throne was disarmingly easy and she reached adulthood completely unprepared for the plots and betrayals she would be subject to. As the head of a resolutely unstable country, Mary struggled to maintain her grip on the precarious crown on her head and was removed from the throne by an armed rebellion.

The Wars of the Roses were a series of civil wars in England fought between the House of Lancaster and the House of York between 1455 and 1485. As family feuds go, the Wars of the Roses were historically significant in changing the trajectory of power in England. This audiobook tells the compelling story of this tumultuous period in English history in succinct yet informative detail that is both educational and entertaining.

Featuring royal residences and aristocratic splendors such as Blenheim Palace and Highclere Castle - the setting for Downton Abbey - this wonderful publication delves into the history of some of Britain's most famous historic houses. Secrets of the Manor House provides a fascinating insight into life at these splendid properties down the centuries and profiles the celebrated personalities who have left their mark on these architectural masterpieces.

This is the classic - and somewhat clichéd - image of the Vikings, and their fearsome reputation was in many respects well deserved, the Norse sagas charting their deeds in all their lurid glory. But over the past century, thanks to a wealth of new archaeological evidence, a much more nuanced picture of the Vikings has emerged, providing profound insights into one of the most astonishing, misunderstood, and adaptable of European civilizations.

Though it's often forgotten today, Robert the Bruce was a bit shiftier, if only out of necessity. Robert the Bruce has become a figure of Scottish national legend, renowned as the man who threw off the shackles of English oppression. Prior to 1306, this Anglo-Scottish nobleman did little to cover himself in glory or to earn a reputation as a hero of the national cause. A member of one of Scotland's leading noble families, Bruce inherited his grandfather's claim to the right to be king of the Scots.

From their very beginnings, England and Scotland fought each other. Emerging as unified nations from the early medieval period, their shared border and related aristocracy created endless causes of conflict. Every century from the 11th to the 16th was colored by such violence, and there were periods when not a decade went by without some act of violence marring the peace. Out of all of this, the most bitterly remembered conflict is Edward I's invasion during the late 13th century.

Great Britain is an ancient land steeped in history and tradition. Its rolling countryside is dotted with prehistoric burial mounds and stone circles. Brooding castles hold tales of bloodshed and honor. Medieval churches have elaborate stained glass windows and gruesome carvings, reflecting a mixture of hope and darkness.

Sex: It was just another commodity that the medieval royals had on tap. Not content with the wealth, power and a lifestyle to match, they also seemed to have an unlimited amount of sex available. If anyone in power today were to behave in the manner that some of those that wore the crown did, then there would be a revolution quicker than you could say, "undress, wench".

Immortalised in the plays of Shakespeare, Henry V is the most famous and celebrated of all England’s medieval monarchs. Although his most famous battles and conquests took place in France, Henry, as was common amongst medieval aristocracy, was introduced to battle at an early age when he fought with his father, Henry IV, at the battle of Shrewsbury in 1403. On his accession to the throne, Henry turned his attention towards foreign affairs and the English position in France.

Today, "the Anarchy" is used to describe the period in English history from the death of Henry I in 1135 to the Treaty of Winchester signed by King Stephen and his successor Henry II in 1153. Despite the name, it was an episode of civil war rather than of lawlessness and is interesting for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that it was the first time in English history that a woman claimed the throne of England in her own right.

Windsor Castle is one of the most significant residences of the British Monarchy ever conceived, and it has continued to maintain that perfect balance between ancient traditions and modern needs. Built by a conqueror to defend his new domains, it now hosts tourist groups from around the world. The castle has often served as a refuge, with its early battlements offering shelter to royals for centuries, while the castle helped shield others from the attacks of French kings and the Nazis.

William the First, who was also called William the Conqueror, and in some cases, William the Bastard, was the first Norman emperor of England, ruling from 1066 till his death in 1087. Around this time, many wars and battles were waged over the kingdom and distribution of territories in Europe. France, the Anglo-Saxons, and Scandinavian troops were engaged in raids, struggles, and battles to claim their lands and gains. I invite you to learn more about this first king of England, who lived almost 1,000 years ago.

Sex! The Tudor's loved it. It was often considered a sport, just like hunting and jousting. The court was always awash with rumours and innuendo. For many at the royal court promiscuity was a way of life and marriage was normally no barrier. However, on occasion, events would occur that would be considered shocking for even this, most liberal, of royal courts. This is the second audiobook in the series and we look at more of the sex scandals that were to shake the royal court.

Scotland was eventually victorious in their war for independence, but what were the causes for the war, and why should an already independent nation need to reestablish its sovereignty? Scots today view Edward I as a cruel tyrant and cannot bear for his name to be spoken, some going so far as to write plays as a testament to his cruelty, while many English view him as a national hero. He was known as the "Hammer of the Scots" for his treatment and ferocity in his Scottish campaign.

Love history? Know your stuff with History in an Hour. During the year 1066, England had three different kings and fought three huge battles in defence of the realm, including the bloody Battle of Hastings. The result was the Norman Conquest which defined England during the Middle Ages. 1066 in an Hour will guide you through the politics and personalities of the Norman invasion. It will help you understand why William the Conqueror was victorious and introduce you to the new king and subsequent ancestor to the Plantagenets and Tudors.

Knowing everything we do about siege warfare and the medieval way of conquering and being conquered, this book sheds more light on the series of wars that formed the initiative to become independent as a Scottish nation. There is much confusion about the Scottish wars of independence, and in this book, we will clarify some of that. In the late 13th and early 14th centuries, the Wars of Scottish Independence were a series of army fights performed between the Kingdom of Scotland and the Kingdom of England. These are significant events in Scottish history.