History of Great Britain
To start off my classes at Harlaxton, I got to enjoy a guest lecture on the history of Great Britain! Along with this post I have attached a timeline I made, giving the dates of every era in Great Britain’s long history. Along with the eras I was told about many country-altering events, many of which I decided to look into further.
To start my research I began at the beginning of England’s Monarchy, with King William I the Conqueror, who existed during the Early Medieval Era. According to royal.uk, William’s claim to the throne came from a promise, given to him by Edward the Confessor in 1051. He was officially crowned on Christmas Day, 1066. His rule brought along major changes for Great Britain. William focused on removing officials from positions such as bishop or abbot, with Norman and French clergy to prevent political resistance. These actions established the qualifications of those within significant positions of the Monarchy. King William’s decisions lead to country-wide political separation, with many finding the King’s actions as “greedy” and others stating his revolutionary transformation of the country would not be forgotten.
Thousands of years later, within the Stuart era, a series of three crucial civil wars tore apart England. According to English Heritage, from 1642 - 1651 conflicts between King Charles I and Parliament came to a head, after many years of struggles between powers and control. These wars completely separated many parts of England, dividing families and towns alike. The ending of the wars and assassination of King Charles I saw a complete shift of power, with Parliament becoming the main leader of the land, with the ability to override the king in some cases.
Just after the civil wars came King Charles II. royal.uk states that also within the Stuart era, King Charles II came into power in 1651. Known for helping to restore the Monarchy, there were many lasting conflicts during Charles’ time. Mainly, conflicts with Scotland, disagreeing over the role of a monarch, and what the position symbolizes and affects.
In my short time in England I have already been in awe of the rich history within this country. From learning about the history of Harlaxton manor, to spotting graves from the 1600’s next to a cathedral; I look forward to be learning more of Great Britain’s rich past.
If you are interested in learning more of Great Britain or London’s thousands years of history, I have found some recommended documentaries:
A History of Britain by Simon Schama
Enjoy a 4 episode mini-series covering 2,000 years of England and London's history!
Thank for the image, it really helps me put everything into perspective!
ReplyDelete