Series:

Brief Histories

3 total works

Cover of A Brief History of the English Reformation

Religion, politics and fear: how England was transformed by the Tudors.

The English Reformation was a unique turning point in English history. Derek Wilson retells the story of how the Tudor monarchs transformed English religion and why it still matters today. Recent scholarly research has undermined the traditional view of the Reformation as an event that occurred solely amongst the elite. Wilson now shows that, although the transformation was political and had a huge impact on English identity, on England's relationships with its European neighbours and on the foundations of its empire, it was essentially a revolution from the ground up. By 1600, in just eighty years, England had become a radically different nation in which family, work and politics, as well as religion, were dramatically altered.

Praise for Derek Wilson:

'Stimulating and authoritative.' John Guy.

'Masterly. [Wilson] has a deep understanding of . . . characters, reaching out across the centuries.' Sunday Times.

Cover of A Brief History of Circumnavigators
"Going round the world" is an idea that has excited people ever since it was realized that the earth was a sphere. The appeal has something to do with encompassing all the known environment and exploring the unknown, not only on the surface of the planet but within the spirit of the explorer. The story of circumnavigation is thus a long saga of human adventure, travel and discovery. Beginning with the fateful day in 1521 when Ferdinand Magellan was speared to death on Mactan and Juan de Elcano took up the challenge of bringing his surviving companions home, the story continues through four centuries crammed with astonishing exploits by men and women of many nations. Some of the names that feature are well-known, others less so.

Cover of A Brief History of Henry VIII

A Brief History of Henry VIII

by Mr Derek Wilson

Published 12 February 2009

Henry VIII changed the course of English life more completely than any monarch since the Conquest. In the portraits of Holbein, Henry Tudor stands proud as one of the most powerful figures in renaissance Europe. But is the portrait just a bluff?

In his brilliant new history of the life of Henry VIII, Derek Wilson explores the myths behind the image of the Tudor Lion. He was the monarch that delivered the Reformation to England yet Luther called him 'A fool, a liar and a damnable rotten worm'. As a young man he gained a reputation as an intellectual and fair prince yet he ruled the nation like a tyrant. He treated his subjects as cruelly as he treated his wives.

Based on a wealth of new material and a lifetime's knowledge of the subject Derek Wilson exposes a new portrait of a much misunderstood King.

PRAISE FOR DEREK WILSON'S PREVIOUS WORKS:

The Uncrowned Kings of England:

'Stimulating and authorative' - John Guy

'Masterly. [Wilson] has a deep understanding of . . . characters, reaching out accross the centuries' - Sunday Times

Hans Holbein: Portrait of an Unknown Man:

'Fascinating' Sarah Bradford, Daily Telegraph

'Highly readable . . . The most accurate and vivid portrayal to date' Alison Weir