A History of the Modern British Isles, 1529–1603: The Two Kingdoms

This volume examines the development of two sovereign nations over seventy–four momentous years, from the downfall of Cardinal Wolsey in England and the majority of James V in Scotland to the succession of James′s grandson to the throne of England in 1603. The author provides a narrative introduction to sixteenth–century English and Scottish history, focussing on the political and religious developments in both countries while considering also economic, social, cultural and educational change. The book incorporates recent work on topics such as Reformation settlements in both countries; the destruction of Anne Boleyn and Mary Queen of Scots; the characters of Mary Tudor, Elizabeth I and James VI; French intervention in Scotland; and the defeat of the Spanish Armada. Common issues explored include the tensions between centre and periphery; the relationship between monarch and subject; the developemnt of bureaucracies and ′reformed religion′; and shifting attitudes towards Ireland. Throughout the narrative, the author reflects on the reliability of historical evidence, highlighting key interpretative issues for readers new to the period.

List of Plates. Acknowledgements. A Note on Conventions. Introduction. 1. Sixteenth–century England. 2. Divorce, Schism and Statute: England 1529–36. 3. Pilgrimage, Dissolution and Reform: England 1536–40. 4. The Last Years of Henry VIII: England 1540–47. 5. Pre–Reformation Scotland, 1528–57. 6. The Reformation and the Reign of Queen Mary: Scotland 1557–67. 7. Protector Somerset: England 1547–49. 8. The Dudley Supremacy and the Reign of Jane Grey: England 1549–53. 9. Queen Mary′s Regime: England 1553–58. 10. The Third Kingdom: Ireland, and Beyond, 1529–60. 11. The Elizabethan Settlement: England 1558–63. 12. Unelizabethan England: England 1560–72. 13. The Elizabethan State: England in the 1570s and Beyond. 14. England′s Empire: Ireland, and Beyond, 1560–1603. 15. The Loss of Peace: England 1580–89. 16. A Nation at War: England in the 1590s. 17. The Jacobean Minority: Scotland 1568–85. 18. The Personal Rule of James VI: Scotland 1585–1603. 19. The Elizabethan Dusk: England 1599–1603. Further Reading. Chronology. Index.

Mark Nicholls is Deputy Keeper of Manuscripts at Cambridge University Libraray. He received an MA and PhD from the University of Cambridge and is the author of Investigating Gunpowder Plot (1991). He previously worked at the National Army Museum in Chelsea and edits the Journal of the Society for the Army Historical Research.

"Dr Nicholls has proved to be a resourceful choice ... he delivers an accurate, sensitive and engaging account, never allowing the reader to be lost in the quagmires of scholarly debate." History <!––end––> "The book is fluently written and well produced." English Historical Review "An impressive achievement ... well written: lucid, concise and stylistically unpretentious." Irish Historical Studies