Royal Family History / Genealogy Books

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The Kings and Queens of England $7.96 - Spanning ten dynasties and more than nine centuries, this marvelous reference provides tart, inclusive profiles of all the men and women who have occupied the English throne. 43 color illustrations. Hardcover.
The Mammoth Book of British Kings & Queens $15.16 - The Kings and Queens from Alfred the Great to Elizabeth II are told with interesting form, as well as the Kings and Queens of Ireland, Wales, Scotland and major chieftans who had their own kingdoms in Britain during the early Middle Ages. An outstanding book that is an absolute must to anyone who wants to research the history of Great Britain.
The National Portrait Gallery History of the Kings and Queens of England $14.98 - David Williamson, co-editor of Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage, draws on a deep knowledge of history to paint sensitive and vivid portraits of each monarch. His text is enlivened with anecdotes and complemented by a rich selection of images, chosen primarily from the wealth of the Collections of The National Portrait Gallery of London. Oversize format with 118 illustrations, 70 in color and 11 color family trees.
The Lives of the Kings & Queens of England $31.96 - This essential reference is a concise, accessible guide to the great dynasties of English royalty. A collection of biographical sketches that encompasses the period from the establishment of monarchical power by the early Norman kings through the reign of Elizabeth II, The Lives of the Kings and Queens of England tells the stories of many monarchs and their colorful livessome merry, some cruel, some heroic, others sinister. Lavishly illustrated and includes genealogy charts of each family.
Kings & Queens of England and Scotland $10.36 - A compact visual guide to the royal heritage of Great Britain and Scotland. From the first Saxon king to Charles, Prince of Wales, Kings & Queens of England & Scotland conveys the drama and history of Britain's royal lineage. Private lives, public perceptions, and pageants are all gloriously illustrated with portraits, family trees, and photographs of artifacts. Over 100 illustrations.
Kings, Queens, Bones and Bastards : Who's Who in the English Monarchy from Egbert to Elizabeth II $14.36 - Who founded Westminster Abbey? Which King had 15 illegitimate children? Who invented the "House of Windsor" as a royal name? Here are all the facts you need to know about English monarchs from Egbert to Queen Elizabeth II, plus thier spouses, consorts, lovers and bastard children. Short biographies are supplemented by a summary of the 9 dynasties, information on royal ceremonies, palaces, and key events such as the English Civil War, to provide a lively and popular history of the British Monarchy.
England and Its Rulers 1066-1272 : With an Epilogue on Edward I (1272-1307) $32.95 - ENGLAND AND ITS RULERS provides a detailed and authoritative account of English history from the period of 1066. It brings the chronicle sources to life and makes original assessments of the kings and political events. Examining a period in which England was dominated by successive waves of foreign rulers, the book illustrates how the Norman conquest was followed by the Angevin empire and then by the Poitevin ministers and favorites brought in by King John and Henry III.
Alfred the Great : War, Kingship and Culture in Anglo-Saxon England (The Medieval World) $32.46 - Alfred the Great, king of Wessex (871-99) and first king of the "Anglo-Saxons," is among the most important figures in English history. His victories over the vikings and his sweeping administrative and military reforms not only preserved his native Wessex from Scandinavian conquest, but began the process of political consolidation that would culminate in the creation of the English nation. (reigned 871-899)
Alfred the Great the King and His England $15.00 - This book is outstanding. It draw a vibrant picture of a king whose life is otherwise obscured by the mists of time. Duckett presents a picture of a man who is simultaneously legendary and very human. This book is a wonderful choice for anyone interested in medieval times or the roots of British culture. Duckett's writing style is clean and consice, free of the usual scholarly jargon. It is a must for any student of history, amature or professional. (reigned 871-899)
Alfred the Great : Asser's Life of King Alfred and Other Contemporary Sources $13.95 - by John Asser, Simon Keynes (Translator), Michael Lapidge (Photographer). Paperback - 368 pages Reprint edition
Harold : The Last Anglo-Saxon King $33.96 - Beautifully illustrated, the first full-length biography of Harold Godwinsson, the last Anglo-Saxon King of England whose death at the Battle of Hastings ushered in the Norman Conquest. (reigned from the death of Edward the Confessor in Jan. 1066 til the Battle of Hastings October 14, 1066)
William the Conqueror : The Norman Impact upon England $15.16 - If you are interested in the Norman history or in the Norman impact upon England or just simply in a very exciting ruler of the eleventh century, this is a must read. The book has appendices of family trees (which help immensely when trying to understand some of the political landscape). (reigned 1066-1087)
England Under the Norman and Angevin Kings, 1075-1225 $45.00 - This vivid and and comprehensive account of the politics, religion, and culture of England in the century and a half after the Norman Conquest lays bare the patterns of everyday life, and increases our understanding of medieval society at a time when England was more closely tied to Europe than ever before. Bartlett tries to cover practically every aspect of life during his period, from court politics to village religious life to sexual mores.
Henry Second (English Monarchs Series) $15.96 - Henry II (1133-1189) was an enigma in his own time and has continued to excite widely divergent judgments ever since. His quarrel with Archbishop Becket, his troubled relationships with his sons and with his wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine, and other dramatic incidents of his reign present rich material for historical novelists, playwrights, and filmmakers, but with no unanimity of interpretation. This masterful biography provides a comprehensive reappraisal of Henry II, the man and king. (reigned 1154-1189)
Richard I (Yale English Monarchs) $35.00 - Richard the Lionheart's life and personality may be the stuff of legend, but they are hidden by the mists of time -- or rather the paucity of relevant documents. Gillingham does a brilliant job of breathing as much life as possible into rather arid fragments without stepping beyond what is warranted by the evidence. All in all, a good story well told with insightful analysis based on the record. (reigned 1189-1199)
The Three Edwards $36.96 - Costain does a great job with this overview of the first named Edwards to lord it over the English throne. From the fierce but just Edward I ("Hammer of the Scots") to the effete and ineffectual Edward II to the long-reigning and erratic Edward III, the author sustains our interest with anecdotes and thorough reporting of the times. (reigned 1272-1307, 1307-1327, 1327-1377)
The Wars of the Roses $11.20 - On one side of the bloody dynastic struggle that plagued England between 1455 and 1487 stood the House of Lancaster, headed by the inept King Henry VI (reigned 1422-1471). The opposing team was led by King Henry's cousin, the duke of York, whose lineage gave him a better claim to the throne than his ineffectual relative. As the author states in her introduction, the full story begins in 1400 begins with a murder and ends in 1471 with another murder. Weir writes a history of people who come alive on her pages. The characters history has given her are ambitious, incompetent, promiscuous, indolent, and lustful. The tale history has given her is one of these characters acting outside the law, each for his/her own purposes and, in so doing it is an early story of violent "politics of destruction" in the literal sense. This story changed forever the history of England.
Edward IV (Yale English Monarchs Series) $19.00 - In his own time Edward IV was seen as an able and successful king who rescued England from the miseries of civil war and provided the country with firm, judicious, and popular government. The prejudices of later historians diminished this high reputation, until recent research confirmed Edward as a ruler of substantial achievement, whose methods and policies formed the foundation of early Tudor government. (reigned 1461-1483)
The Wives of Henry VIII $13.60 - The six-week New York Times bestselling history of the legendary six wives of Henry VIII--from an acclaimed biographer. "Admirably succeed(s) in bringing to life the six women who married England's ruler. . . ."--New York Times Book Review. (reigned 1509-1547)
Divorced, Beheaded, Survived : A Feminist Reinterpretation of the Wives of Henry VIII $12.00 - A fascinating, revisionist look at 16th century English politics (both public and private), examining the lives of Henry VIII's six wives as active personalities rather than merely as seductresses, unattractive hags, or ciphers.
The Rise and Fall of Anne Boleyn: Family politics at the Court of Henry VIII $11.96 - This book is a highly original and thoughtful analysis of Anne Boleyn and the events that eventually led to her execution. As Warnicke herself states, this is not a traditional biography but a study of Anne in the midst of her family networks and court politics. It is especially significant in replacing the stereotype of the aggressive and manipulative Anne with a more complex woman who did what she could for herself and her family with her limited choices.
Mistress Anne $11.96 - A portrait of Anne Boleyn
The Children of Henry VIII $12.00 - Focuses on the children of Henry VIII who reigned successively after his death in 1547: Edward VI, Mary I ("Bloody Mary") and Elizabeth I. The three shared little--living in separate homes--except for a familial legacy of blood and terror. This is exciting history and fascinating reading about a family of mythic proportions.
Bloody Mary $15.16 - This is an engrossing character study of Mary Tudor, her mother and father, Katherine of Aragon and Henry VIII, and even her brother Edward VI. Carolly Erickson goes beyond the stereotype and searches for Mary Tudor's real character in Bloody Mary. An in-depth view of the beliefs of Mary's educators gives the reader a fascinating glimpse of Mary's motives and the ideas that shaped her life. (reigned 1553-1558)
Elizabeth I, Red Rose of the Red Rose of the House of Tudor (Royal Diaries) $8.76 - Through Elizabeth's diary, author Kathryn Lasky brings the Tudor world to life: glittering banquets of peacock, eel, and swan; palaces so stinky that "everyone goes about with their noses buried in pomander balls to hide the stench"; and archery contests, where Elizabeth excels. An epilogue, with Tudor family trees, paintings, and background information enhances this already excellent and entertaining book. (reigned 1558-1603)
Marriage With My Kingdom : The Courtships of Elizabeth I $12.76 - Elizabeth was shrewd enough to know that she couldn't have a husband and rule England as well. A compelling treatise on Queen Elizabeth. (reigned 1558-1603)
Two Queens in One Isle : The Deadly Relationship of Elizabeth I & Mary Queen of Scots $19.95 - By focusing on Elizabeth and Mary, and the national and international events that influenced them and their actions, both independant and in relation to one another, Alison Plowden beautifuly illuminates "the deadly relationship" between Elizabeth and Mary. Her writting reads like a novel, rending the history alive and vibrant. An excellent book. (Eliz. reigned 1558-1603)
Mary Queen of Scots $15.16 - A biography of Mary Queen of Scots captures the essence of the impulsive and beautiful Scottish queen who lost a throne for love and whose power struggle with Elizabeth I of England ended with her beheading. In lucid prose, Antonia Fraser examines and interprets the complex drama of one of history's most compelling figures, her transformation, significance, and paradoxical victory.
George III's Children $18.36 - In depth review of this royal family. (reigned 1760-1820)
Kings & Queens of Europe : A Genealogical Chart of the Royal Houses of Great Britain and Europe $15.16 - Not a book, but an elegantly illustrated wallchart shows the lineage and coats of arms of all of Great Britain and Europe's royal lines from the tenth century to the present, from Aethelred to Diana, and includes important information about each figure.
Robert the Bruce : King of Scots $10.36 - Drawing from various historical and literary sources, including a number of contemporary chronicles on both the English and Scottish sides, Scott takes us from the death of Alexander III to the intervention and interposition of Edward I; from Stirling to Falkirk; from the death of Wallace to that of Longshanks himself. And then in riveting detail, the campaigns of the Bruce.
The Magna Charta Sureties, 1215 : The Barons Named in the Magna Charta, 1215 and Some of Their Descendants Who Settled in America During the Early colonial Years $20.00 - An outstanding genealogy record of the descendants of the Magna Carta Surities, traced to Colonial times. Excellent reference book on this topic.
William Marshal : The Flower of Chivalry $9.60 - William Marshall, Earl of Pempbroke, was named in the preamble of the Magna Charta as an advisor to King John. Georges Duby, one of this century's great medieval historians, has brought to life with exceptional brilliance and imagination William Marshal, adviser to the Plantagenets, knight extraordinaire, the flower of chivalry. Considered by many to be the greatest knight of all time.
Louis XIV $23.96 - Setting in motion events that would ultimately bring his nation to military and fiscal ruin-and his dynasty to a bloody end-Louis XIV also established France as the preeminent and, to this day, unchallenged seat of high culture in Europe. As a leader he simultaneously squandered a dominion's political capital and established a nation's spiritual hegemony. As a man he married brilliance and arrogance, shrewdness and excess.
The Fleurs De Lis of the Kings of France, 1285-1488 $36.95 - by William M. Hinkle
The House of Medici : Its Rise and Fall $12.00 - This is a great read for those seeking insight into the dynasty of the Medici. It is a great book for the casual reader, especially as an introduction to Italian Renaissance society. The family's rise and subsequent fall are chronicled over several centuries in this intriguing history. In addition, it provides a great deal of content concerning some of the period's most famous artists and politicians.
Catherine De'Medici (Profiles in Power Series) $18.24 - Catherine de'Medici was an interesting woman--a member of the Florentine Medici, but an insignificant one. All that changed when she married the man who was to become Henry II, King of France. Although she may have been a peripheral member of the Italian aristocracy, Catherine was of pre-eminent importance to French history.
Royal Families of Medieval Scandinavia, Flanders, and Kiev $12.99 - Excellent genealogy of the Royal Families of these countries.
Heimskringla: History of the Kings of Norway $21.56 - by Snorri Sturluson, Lee M. Hollander (Translator), Sturluson Snorri. Paperback (March 1991)
King Harald's Saga $8.76 - When his half-brother, King Olaf the Saint, was killed in battle, Harald Sigurdssen fled Norway at the age of 15. Harald traveled throughout Russia and Europe, became a mercenary soldier of the Varangian Guard in Byzantium, and eventually returned to Norway to claim the throne. Over the next twenty years he became known as Harald Hadradi (Harald the Ruthless). He ruled Norway with an iron hand, made constant war on Denmark, and won renown as the most feared warrior in Europe. At age 51 Harald undertook his most daring endeavor--the invasion of England. In 1066 he landed an army in Northern England, and did battle with the Saxons at Stamford Bridge. What might have been had the Battle of Stamford Bridge gone differently? Nineteen days later at Hastings William the Conqueror would have faced Vikings under Harald Hadradi, not Saxons under Harold Godwinson.
Romanovs : Autocrats of All the Russias $17.60 - For three centuries -- beginning with the accession of Mikhail Feodorovich Romanov in 1613--the Romanov Dynasty ruled Russia. Its reign ended with the execution of Nicholas II and Alexandra in the early 20th century. This book is accessible (ie, those with little background in Russian history will find it intriguing and highly readable) and informative.
Tsar : The Lost World of Nicholas and Alexandra $23.96 - It's easy now to indulge in nostalgia about the era of the Romanovs, and the sheer lushness of this gorgeous book is enough to encourage the indulgence. Even the text, highly readable and informative, is a little rose-tinted in places, but perhaps the authors can hardly be blamed when the gentlemanly cruelties of the old regime look so innocent next to the quintessentially totalitarian 20th-century hell that replaced them. (Nowhere was the true nature of the new "people's" dispensation revealed more vividly than in the lurid, incompetent savagery with which Nicholas II and his family were dispatched, a story reconstructed in considerable detail here.)
Nicholas & Alexandra : The Last Imperial Family of Tsarist Russia $60.00 - This magnificent, compelling volume reveals in unparalleled detail the luxurious world and private lives of Nicholas II, the last tsar of Russia, his wife, Alexandra, and their five children. It accompanied the largest collection of Imperial family treasures ever to leave Russia, exhibited through Dec. 31, 1998, at the First USA Riverfront Arts Center, Wilmington, Delaware. 644 color illustrations.
Imperial China 900-1800 : F.W. Mote $31.96 - F. W. Mote, Professor Emeritus at Princeton University, has produced by far one of the most comprehensive and authoritative renditions on Chinese history ever published in English. What makes this book so great is that it combines many disparate texts (often in Chinese) into one comprehensive, chronological volume that is accessible to everyone with but a modest interest in Chinese history. It is hard to find other more complete works in English on such a vast and eventful span of China's history.