CONTENTS

Foreword – David Musgrove, editor of BBC History Magazine

Introduction – Michael Wood

1016	The Danish Conquest of England – Sarah Foot
1066	William and the Normans arrive – Nicholas Higham
1141	Stephen and Matilda fight a civil war – Edmund King
1171	Henry II invades Ireland – John Gillingham
1215	Magna Carta is forced on John – David Carpenter
1295	Edward I goes on the warpath – Michael Prestwich
1348	The Black Death hits Britain – W. Mark Ormrod
1381	Peasants rise in revolt – Caroline Barron
1415	Henry V takes the field at Agincourt – Ralph Griffiths
1483	Richard III snatches the crown – Christine Carpenter
1534	Henry VIII tries to take control of Britain – John Guy
1588	The Armada is repelled – Pauline Croft
1638	Scots revolt against Charles I – Rab Houston
1662	Charles II pays a heavy price for his Restoration – John Morrill
1745	The Jacobites rebel – Daniel Szechi
1776	America declares independence from the motherland – Jeremy Black
1832	The Reform Bill is passed – Catherine Hall
1851	The Great Exhibition transforms Britain – Peter Mandler
1916	The Somme, and Lloyd George founds his coalition – Gerard DeGroot
1956	Suez signals the dying days of empire – Pat Thane

Afterword: Evolution of the Nation – Christopher Lee

Further Reading

Contributors