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Title: Britain in Revolution 1625-1660 by Austin Woolrych ISBN: 0-19-820081-1 Publisher: Oxford University Press Pub. Date: 01 February, 2003 Format: Hardcover Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $35.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 4 (1 review)
Rating: 4
Summary: Woolrych Provides a Clear, Detailed View of a Confusing Time
Comment: Britain in Revolution by Austin Woolrych covers the time period from 1625 through 1660. This begins with the tail-end of the reign of James I (of "King James Version" fame). Charles I is regent when the civil wars begin. Woolrych spends much time on the civil wars, detailing troop movements; politics amongst England, Scotland, and Ireland; and of course battles. Maps (in the back matter) are provided. These give the reader a better sense of what happened where.
Woolrych then progresses through the various forms of war government (both during and after the civil war) that the parliament contrives. None of them are very effective. It seems the main problem was that there were too many inflexible wills amongst the many groups, all of which were defined on primarily religious grounds. Woolrych provides excellent detail of these groups and their particularities. Lack of compromise amongst these groups eventually led Oliver Cromwell to say, "Enough!" and sack them all.
Woolrych paints Cromwell in a flattering light. Woolrych's Cromwell is not a zealot, he's not vindictive, he's not a military dictator. He's a guy committed to the idea of "commonwealth": committed to the idea of a non-Catholic, non-Church-of-England Republic working. Much happened with Cromwell at the helm -- and had he had a few more years before his death, posits Woolrych, things may have been very different. During the commonwealth, Britain was, for the most part, a united kingdom. There were problems with Ireland, but there were always (and still are) problems with Ireland in the context of the UK. But in several naval battles, Britain rose to power in the international scene. Virtually every important foreign government recognized Cromwell's government. Cromwell negotiated as a mediator in several skirmishes (wars) such as in Denmark. Anyway, Woolrych's point is that Cromwell was an effective leader nationally and internationally, providing reason to view the Protectorate as at least a limited success.
After Cromwell dies, however, the whole thing falls apart. The power-hungry parties that only Cromwell was able to subdue (largely due to the relationship between Cromwell and the Army) quickly rose up and scuttled the term of Richard Cromwell as Lord Protector. From there, it was all downhill, and in a matter of months, Charles II returned from exile back to the throne, welcomed by virtually everyone. This is in large part due to George Monck -- an interesting character whom it would be fun to read more about.
Should you read this book? If you've ever wondered what happened in England that led the parliament to revolt, behead the king, and go it on their own -- the answer is a resounding "YES!". Though you must realize that the book is fairly detailed -- this is history, not a fictionalized story or narrative, and sometimes the details do seem to bog one down.
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Title: The Causes of the English Revolution, 1529-1642: Revised Edition by Lawrence Stone ISBN: 0415266734 Publisher: Routledge Pub. Date: 14 December, 2001 List Price(USD): $25.95 |
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Title: The Reformation: A History by Diarmaid MacCulloch ISBN: 0670032964 Publisher: Viking Books Pub. Date: 03 May, 2004 List Price(USD): $34.95 |
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Title: Washington's Crossing (Pivotal Moments in American History) by David Hackett Fischer ISBN: 0195170342 Publisher: Oxford University Press Pub. Date: 01 January, 2004 List Price(USD): $35.00 |
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Title: Empire: The Rise and Demise of the British World Order and the Lessons for Global Power by Niall Ferguson ISBN: 0465023282 Publisher: Basic Books Pub. Date: 01 April, 2003 List Price(USD): $35.00 |
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Title: The Coming of the Third Reich by Richard J. Evans ISBN: 1594200041 Publisher: The Penguin Press HC Pub. Date: 05 February, 2004 List Price(USD): $34.95 |
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