05/03/2018

Kings and Queens by Neil Grant

I’ve had this book, Kings and Queens by Neil Grant, in my wish list and my husband bought it for me as a Christmas gift, along with a few other books. Initially I thought I’m going to keep this illustrated guide as a reference book. But, after reading about a few monarchs, I’ve decided to read all of it.

It has 250 pages, but it’s a very easy read. I like that it has all the monarchs of the British Isles and Ireland, starting from Roman times to the present day. It’s easy to use too, as it has 5 sections. The booklet includes details like birth, parents, accession to the throne, coronation, authority, personal status, death date and burial place for each monarch.

I did learn a lot of things, like how the Scottish kings were passing the crown from a family to another. Most of them would die in the next couple of years or so. I think it would take me a while to learn all of their names. The Roman rule was nicely presented too.

The English kings are the ones I’m familiar with. Starting from 1066 with William the Conqueror, I do know quite a few of them. Each monarch has a few details about some important events, wars, conspiracies, or personal tragedies. These details have to be taken with a pinch of salt. Historians can be biased. In Mary I’s description, he says that she persecuted and burned 280 protestants. Also mentions that there was a revolt during her reign. Elizabeth I had a difficult childhood and was kept a prisoner under Mary. Well, that is true. But, Mary had a difficult childhood too, was made illegitimate (like Elizabeth) for a while by her father. Furthermore, Elizabeth I kept a queen in prison for decades: Mary Queen of Scots, her cousin, that would end up being executed under Elizabeth’s rule. While the book states true facts (as they were known at the time when the book was published), is also biased.