Stuart Britain: A Very Short IntroductionFirst published as part of the best-selling The Oxford Illustrated History of Britain, John Morrill's Very Short Introduction to Stuart Britain sets the Revolution into its political, religious, social, economic, intellectual, and cultural contexts. It thus seeks to integrate what most other surveys pull apart. It gives a graphic account of the effects of a century-long period during which population was growing inexorably and faster than both the food supply and the employment market. It looks at the failed attempts of successive governments to make all those under their authority obedient members of a unified national church; it looks at how Charles I blundered into a civil war which then took on a terrifying momentum of its own. The result was his trial and execution, the abolition of the monarchy, the house of lords, the bishops, the prayer book and the celebration of Christmas. As a result everything else that people took for granted came up for challenge, and this book shows how painfully and with what difficulty order and obedience was restored. Vividly illustrated and full of startling detail, this is an ideal introduction to those interested in getting into the period, and also contains much to challenge and stimulate those who already feel at home in Stuart England. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable. |
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accession Anglican Anthony Van Dyck Archbishop arms army army’s assembly attempt authority Barebones Parliament became bishops BRITAIN Buckingham campaign Catholic Charles I’s Charles II Charles’s Christian Church of England clergy constitutional courts Cromwell’s Crown decade Dissenters Dutch duties early seventeenth century early Stuart economic elite English Civil War Exclusion crisis failure families farmers favour gentlemen gentry God’s groups Houses II’s impose income intellectual Ireland James James II James’s John king king’s late seventeenth century Laud London Long Parliament Lords majority marriage military moderate monarchy moral national Church Oliver Cromwell parish parliamentary peace political population Prayer Book Protestant Puritans radical reform region religion religious toleration Restoration revenues revolution royal royalist Rump Scotland Scots second Civil secularized settlement Shaftesbury sides social society Spain St Paul’s Cathedral taxation taxes threat throne Tory–Anglican towns trade Tudor wealth Whigs William William Laud worship