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The Story of Medieval England: From King Arthur to the Tudor Conquest

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The Story of Medieval England: From King Arthur to the Tudor Conquest

By: Jennifer Paxton, The Great Courses
Narrated by: Jennifer Paxton
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About this listen

These 36 lectures tell the remarkable story of a tumultuous thousand-year period in the history of England. Dominated by war, conquest, and the struggle to balance the stability brought by royal power with the rights of the governed, it was a period that put into place the foundation of much of the world we know today. As you journey through this largely chronological narrative - occasionally interrupted for lecture-long explorations of specific topics - you'll see key themes emerge, including the assimilation of successive waves of invaders, the tense relationship between kings and the nobility, and the constant battles over money and taxation. And because so much of history is driven by specific individuals and not just historical circumstance, each lecture is rich in intimate portraits that reveal those individuals at the key moments of their historical destiny, including Alfred the Great, William the Conqueror, Eleanor of Aquitaine, and John Wycliffe.The result is a lecture series that winds up being not only informative but deeply entertaining, with each lecture drawing you in with its own particular fascinations, including a probing look at the scope of the Black Death, a realistic examination of the legends of both King Arthur and Robin Hood, a riveting description of the Battle of Bosworth Field, and a discussion of the surprisingly nuanced penalties of the early Germanic law codes.

These lectures consistently deliver a fresh level of understanding about medieval England, its rulers and subjects, and their significance for the world we live in today. The chain of theme and event that links our world to theirs will never be clearer, rewarding every moment you spend with this series.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©2010 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)2010 The Great Courses
Ancient Europe
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Great walk-through the rise of the British Empire, with a good coverage of the general population dispersed amongst a discussion of the monarchy and nobility. Worth several listens to get the genealogy of the ruling lineage straight. It was useful to get the many different battles and conflicts of the time described in chronological order, with explanations about their causes.

Good account of Medieval England

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If you are interested in this subject I recommend to listen to this book. I learned so much and enjoyed the the reading by the author.

Loved it

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I really liked this book. The narration was very solid and I enjoyed listening. I did slow it to 0.9 as I found it easier to take I all the information that way, otherwise I found myself rewinding to repeat bits I’d not quite taken in. This is a personal preference of course. It really was like attending lectures with a lecturer you like! This was just the right depth for a good listen, not bogged down with the minutiae, but enough detail and context to give a good understanding of the events of the period. It was exactly what I was expecting and perfect for listening to while working remotely.

Very thorough & easy to follow

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Phenomenal course. I enjoyed it immensely from beginning to end, and learned a lot. The lecturer is incredibly knowledgeable and presents the course in a way that grabs your interest. I couldn't put it down..
Highly recommend.

Fantastic course

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i really enjoyed the series. it was well presented and full of historical intrigue. the main storyline was well presented with interesting digressions to discuss everyday life. the lecturer was engaging throughout.

outstanding.

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This course has been amazing. Full of information and delivered with enthusiasm and humour; I loved it!

Fascinating!

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This was very easy to listen to and follow. I was very happy with it.

Very enjoyable and easy to listen to.

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Remarkable series of lectures with very clear analysis and detailed research that was always very interesting. Highly recommended!
John Todd

Terrific analysis

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This is the best "Great Course" I've listened to so far... The lecturer is engaging and easy to follow.

Jennifer Paxton tells a series of gripping stories with great clarity and enthusiasm. These stories are told in an efficient, orderly, and connected fashion, that comes together to tell the epic saga of England from the Roman occupation through to the establishment of the Tudor dynasty and the late 15th century.

If history is your thing, or if you're just looking to expand your knowledge of English history, then this is the Great Course for you.

The Best I've Heard So Far

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Came to this audiobook after watching the Celtic World series with the same presenter on the Amazon Prime Great Courses channel. I highly recommend both.

Fascinating content, engaging presenter

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