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Rebellion: The History of England from James I to the Glorious Revolution (The History of England, 3) Paperback – September 8, 2015

by Peter Ackroyd (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 1,617 ratings
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Peter Ackroyd has been praised as one of the greatest living chroniclers of Britain and its people. In Rebellion, he continues his dazzling account of the history of England, beginning with the progress south of the Scottish king, James VI, who on the death of Elizabeth I became the first Stuart king of England, and ending with the deposition and flight into exile of his grandson, James II.

The Stuart monarchy brought together the two nations of England and Scotland into one realm, albeit a realm still marked by political divisions that echo to this day. More importantly, perhaps, the Stuart era was marked by the cruel depredations of civil war, and the killing of a king. Shrewd and opinionated, James I was eloquent on matters as diverse as theology, witchcraft, and the abuses of tobacco, but his attitude to the English parliament sowed the seeds of the division that would split the country during the reign of his hapless heir, Charles I. Ackroyd offers a brilliant, warts-and-all portrayal of Charles's nemesis, Oliver Cromwell, Parliament's great military leader and England's only dictator, who began his career as a political liberator but ended it as much of a despot as "that man of blood," the king he executed.

England's turbulent seventeenth century is vividly laid out before us, but so too is the cultural and social life of the period, notable for its extraordinarily rich literature, including Shakespeare's late masterpieces, Jacobean tragedy, the poetry of John Donne and Milton and Thomas Hobbes's great philosophical treatise, Leviathan. In addition to its account of England's royalty, Rebellion also gives us a very real sense of the lives of ordinary English men and women, lived out against a backdrop of constant disruption and uncertainty.

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Previous page
  1. Book 3 of 6
    The History of England
  2. Print length
    528 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    St. Martin's Griffin
  5. Publication date
    September 8, 2015
  6. Dimensions
    5.45 x 1.4 x 8.25 inches
  7. ISBN-10
    1250070244
  8. ISBN-13
    978-1250070241
  9. See all details
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  1. In the latter half of 1679, the terms of ‘Whig’ and ‘Tory’ became common currency.
    Highlighted by 191 Kindle readers
  2. The diminution in the importance of honour marks one of the first changes to the old Tudor system.
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  3. It was said, unfairly, that they loved God with all their soul and hated their neighbour with all their heart.
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“Splendid . . . Ackroyd keeps things moving briskly along by alternating between weighty matters of state and vignettes of everyday life. An accomplished novelist, he has an eye for the revelatory digression.” ―The New York Times Book Review

“An exhilarating experience. Readers will come away from this book with an appreciation of how and why the cataclysmic events of seventeenth century England shaped world history for the next two centuries.” ―NPR.org

“Appropriately detailed, beautifully written story of the Stuarts' rise and fall - will leave readers clamoring for the further adventures awaiting England in the 18th century.” ―Kirkus (starred review)

“Ackroyd is a wonderful storyteller, and he has a wonderful and vitally important story to tell... providing excellent insights into the character and motivations of several of the prime movers of events... He eloquently describes the development of literature, the ongoing religious controversies, and the evolving political sympathies and their effects on the lives and opinions of ordinary citizens.” ―Booklist (starred review)

“The depth and scope of Ackroyd's account is impressive, and it is as accessible as it is rich.” ―Publishers Weekly

“In the same vein as the previous two volumes, Rebellion does more than lay out the facts of history. Spliced between the chapters that move the chronological history forward are vignettes on daily life in 17th-century England, covering the theatres, literature, politics and economics, and the emerging popular press, as well as contemporary analysis of historical events. This is a fascinating look at life in England during tumultuous times.” ―Shelf Awareness

“Peter Ackroyd is energetic and gifted enough to have mastered his sources and produced a sparklingly fresh account of Tudor England. . . . Ackroyd has a wonderful eye for the telling detail, cameos that stick in the mind.” ―The Weekly Standard on Tudors

“Peter Ackroyd's love of his subject shines through every page. This is a thrilling story that will delight readers interested in this period.” ―San Francisco Book Review on Tudors

“Ackroyd writes with such lightly worn erudition and a deceptive ease that he never fails to engage.” ―The Telegraph (UK) on Tudors

“Superbly accessible and readable.” ―Financial Times (UK) on Tudors

“Relaxed, unpretentious, and accessible.” ―The New York Times Book Review on Foundation

“Ackroyd's trademark insight and wit, and the glorious interconnectedness of all things, permeate each page.” ―Observer (UK) on Foundation

“Ackroyd brings delightful but revealing details of the lives of the people from the past into the present.” ―Sunday Express (UK) on Foundation

“An extraordinary book . . . Peter Ackroyd is arguably the most talented and prolific writer working in Britain today.” ―Daily Express (UK) on Foundation

About the Author

PETER ACKROYD is an award-winning novelist, as well as a broadcaster, biographer, poet, and historian. He is the author of the acclaimed London: The Biography, and the History of England series. He holds a CBE for services to literature and lives in London.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ St. Martin's Griffin; Reprint edition (September 8, 2015)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 528 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1250070244
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1250070241
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.03 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.45 x 1.4 x 8.25 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 1,617 ratings

About the author

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Peter Ackroyd

Peter Ackroyd

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Peter Ackroyd, (born 5 October 1949) is an English biographer, novelist and critic with a particular interest in the history and culture of London. For his novels about English history and culture and his biographies of, among others, William Blake, Charles Dickens, T. S. Eliot and Sir Thomas More, he won the Somerset Maugham Award and two Whitbread Awards. He is noted for the volume of work he has produced, the range of styles therein, his skill at assuming different voices and the depth of his research.

He was elected a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature in 1984 and appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2003.

Bio from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
1,617 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Edward Maczka
5.0 out of 5 stars The story continues
Reviewed in the United States on April 1, 2024
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Nothing new to add from my previous reviews. History marches on. The quality of writing is maintained. It is interesting to see what was happening in the UK when a young colonial America was forming and how they would end up clashing. Sorry, I'm getting ahead of the history. Spoiler alert.
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Paul
4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent History of the Stuart Dynasty
Reviewed in the United States on November 18, 2014
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The turbulent 17th century in England required a strong king and a leader of men. The four descendants of Mary Queen of Scots proved to have none of that in them. It is ironic that Mary lost her head to Elizabeth, but her son became king after Elizabeth's death.

James I was not a Hollywood image of a king. He was a man prone to slobbering, and "playing with his codpiece". Coming from Scotland, and the only child of Mary Queen of Scots, he brought much of that baggage with him, and with all four of these monarchs, he fought continuously for money that was not readily offered for his fine tastes. The one thing he is most remembered for was the creation of the King James Bible. That in itself is a most interesting story, and the author could have presented much more information on this.

His son Charles assumed the throne on the death of his father. Charles was a man of stubborn will, who thought way too much of himself, and foolishly aligned his throne with people not at all popular, such as the Duke of Buckingham. He had a running battle with a Parliament that increasingly sought to strip him of real power. It was so bad that Charles dissolved Parliament in 1629 for a long eleven years. It was only in April of 1640 that it was again summoned because the king needed money and the reception to this was not friendly. There was also great religious conflicts at this time. The dour Presbyterian Scots demanded no toleration of Catholicism and no acceptance of the more formal Church of England which infuriated Charles. To shorten the story, royalists and backers of parliament gathered armies. Charles I eventually was defeated and at the end of January 1649, his head was chopped off. For a period of time Oliver Cromwell assumed more of a military dictatorship, and eventually, they sent for Charles II, who had been living in Europe to assume the throne. He did and proved to be just as incompetent as his father and grandfather. With his death and no male heir, his brother James II took the crown and by 1688, he was toppled in the Glorious Revolution. It didn't help that James was Catholic which was a clear conflict with the majority of the people and those in power.

There are many other good parts of the book. The author brings up information on the arts, the way people lived, and toward the latter part of the 17th century, the economic progress of England in so many ways that brought not only wealth, but general improvements in life for the English people.

The book is very readable with generally short chapters that keep you moving along. There is a much going on during this period and Ackroyd does most of it justice in a fair manner. It could easily be four volumes or more, but nobody would read it, so I recommend it. Even if you have limited background in the history of this period, you will gain knowledge from this work and I thank the author for it.
23 people found this helpful
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JEDrury
5.0 out of 5 stars Ackroyd’s superb history of 17th century England
Reviewed in the United States on January 13, 2021
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“Rebellion,” Peter Ackroyd’s third book of five in his splendid history of England, focuses on the feckless Stuart monarchy (James I, Charles I and II, James II) along with the six years of the Cromwellian Protectorate (1653-1659). This is the historical struggle of representative governance against England’s monarchical legacy complicated by the “push pull” of religion, Protestantism versus Catholicism, in an age of burgeoning mercantilism and scientific achievement.

Superbly written, wide ranging, humorous at times, Rebellion’s most entertaining chapters are when Ackroyd breaks from recounting the monarchical madness to the writings of John Milton, the genius of Isaac Newton, the diaries of Samuel Pepys, the bawdiness of plays at Drury Lane, life on the streets of London for the commoners and the many mistresses of Charles II; all gloriously ending in 1688 when James II fled to France.
5 people found this helpful
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lee hopkins
5.0 out of 5 stars Peter Ackroyd Clears Cobwebs From Seventeenth Century Englad
Reviewed in the United States on February 14, 2016
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Peter Ackroyd's Civil War: The History of England Volume III is the best, most literate and comprehensive work in existence on the
complex state of England, politically, intellectually, and socially in the 17th century. This is not some obscure subject, as it concerns
the very hinge upon which the door closed on the Renaissance and opened to our modern period. The entire spectrum of this era
has been the close study of mine since before college and until now that I am an octogenarian I read this book with delight.
I would have expected nothing less from Peter Ackroyd. And if you are unfamiliar with his nonfiction, fiction, and arts criticism,
a world of good reading awaits you. In our advanced state of dumbed down or pedantic drivel, Ackroyd's golden pen and laser mind
earns him the title of man of letters, the best since Aldous Huxley.
Lee Hopkins
11 people found this helpful
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Michael Lapelosa
4.0 out of 5 stars Top Notch - Wonderful Prose
Reviewed in the United States on October 16, 2015
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This book is one of a three book series about certain periods in English history. Rebellion covers a tumultous and very unique period. It begins with the reign of James I, and ends with deposition and of his grandson, James II. All of the facinating characters of the period are brought to llife thru the author's excellent prose, including Charles I, Cromwell, and Charles II.

The times reflected a long struggle between absolute monarchy and Parliment, highlighted by a bloody civil war, and the killing of a king. The book also captures the tenor of the times regarding the religious intolerance which played such a critical importance in the unfolding of events.
The central character of the book is Oliver Cromwell, who evolved from defender of the rights of men into England's only dictator and as much of a despot as the king he executed.

Along the way, the author provides the reader with background and perspective by including aspects of the cultural and social life of the period, including Shakespeare's works, the poetry of John Donne and Milton and Thomas Hobbes's great philosophical treatise, Leviathan.

I found this book informative, thought provoking, entertaining extremely well written and balanced. The only issue I had was that I was unfamilier many of the terms and references that were employed by the author. The book is clearly written for a British audience. However I did enjoy the book and intend to read the other two, which is probably the best endorsement I can give.
15 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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David Langlois
5.0 out of 5 stars V. well written
Reviewed in Canada on February 20, 2020
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I like Peter Ackroyd's writing style - easy, fluid, concise when necessary, and verbose when needed. He gets into the background of the history. Highly recommended.
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Vincenzo Valentini
4.0 out of 5 stars Contributo pregevole ma con un titolo parzialmente inesatto
Reviewed in Italy on January 9, 2019
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Non si possono che condividere le recensioni molto positive che questo testo ha ottenuto nei paesi di lingua inglese. Come compendio storico sul periodo successivo alla morte della monarca Elisabetta I, un periodo di sconvolgimenti difficilmente prevedibili per la Gran Bretagna e la sua istituzione monarchica, il testo è encomiabile, soprattutto per lo stile svelto e coinvolgente di Ackroyd. L'unica riserva che mi permetto di segnalare riguarda il titolo, che considero almeno in parte fuorviante, l'opera infatti più che trattare della Guerra Civile Inglese, è un resoconto autorevole quanto godibile del XVII secolo inglese, quello dell'ascesa e caduta della dinastia Stuart, e della loro epopea maestosa e tragica che li portò dai massimi onori all'indegnità del ceppo del boia per poi recuperare il potere e nuovamente perderlo a favore di un sovrano straniero autore di un vero e proprio golpe. Fatta questa doverosa precisazione, il libro merita di essere raccomandato senza riserva alcuna.
3 people found this helpful
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Norman Alan Metcalfe
5.0 out of 5 stars Exciting history
Reviewed in Germany on February 28, 2015
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Peter Ackroyd manages to give the big picture - what the leeches (kings, queens, earls etc.) at the top of society did or did not do - but also writes about how it was to be a normal member of society. Better than any detective story. I'M looking forward to volume 4.
One person found this helpful
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Kevin Richardson
4.0 out of 5 stars A Basic Narrative that is also Quite Thorough
Reviewed in Canada on September 16, 2021
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I read it for enjoyment. It is quite amazing to see how difficult it was for the Royalists and Parliamentarians to communicate and negotiate with one another. Reminds one of the situation today in Canada and the US.
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Luke Dennison
4.0 out of 5 stars Great account of the reign of the Stuart's
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 11, 2021
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I came to this, not having read the previous books or losing much about the civil war or the reign of the Stuart's and overall I found this to be informative, interesting and maybe most of interest was just how little has changed! This moment in history is really interesting with so many themes that are still relevant today whether it be homosexuality, power, self serving decisions, sleight of hand politics, power of religion etc, etc. Ackroyd in the main plus together the information very well and is clear in his prose. My one minor criticism would be the chapters where he used what was going on in theatre and the arts as a yardstick to how the public felt at that time. In theory this was a great idea but I'm practice I found it didn't work for me and felt out of place with the rest of the narrative. overall though this was a worthy read.
4 people found this helpful
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