Search results for ""Author John Morrill""

First 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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This is the first truly scholarly edition of all the recorded writings and recorded speech acts of Oliver Cromwell (1599-1658) and consists of more than 1,000 texts. Oliver Cromwell, one of Britain's greatest and most controversial generals, rose from lowly provincial origins to preside over the trial and execution of a king, to undertake the most complete conquest of Ireland and Scotland ever achieved, and to spend the last five years of his life as head of state, as Lord Protector of Britain and Ireland. A passionate speaker who claimed to be called by God to overthrow tyranny in church and state, and a powerful advocate for a very broad religious liberty and equality, his speeches and letters reveal the public and the private man more completely than for almost any other early modern political leader. This new edition not only publishes a number of new items, but also edits a large number from recovered originals not previously edited. Every item has its own detailed introduction explaining the status of the text and its context or contexts, but also very full annotation - identifying for example almost every person, place and event mentioned in the text and also - where there is no holograph but also variant copies - all significant differences between variant early copies.

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