This Sceptred Isle Series by Christopher Lee, Winston S. Churchill, Anna Massey, Peter Jeffrey

The award-winning story of Britain, from the arrival of Julius Caesar in 55BC to the death of Queen Victoria in 1901, specially written for BBC Radio 4 by Christopher Lee, narrated by Anna Massey and featuring extracts from Sir Winston Churchill's History of the English Speaking Peoples read by Paul Eddington.Britain was at the edge of the known world when, under Emperor Claudius, the Romans brought to the island of Britannia a peaceful civilisation that was to last for 400 years... moreThe award-winning story of Britain, from the arrival of Julius Caesar in 55BC to the death of Queen Victoria in 1901, specially written for BBC Radio 4 by Christopher Lee, narrated by Anna Massey and featuring extracts from Sir Winston Churchill's History of the English Speaking Peoples read by Paul Eddington.Britain was at the edge of the known world when, under Emperor Claudius, the Romans brought to the island of Britannia a peaceful civilisation that was to last for 400 years. But when they left, their civilisation left with them and the centuries that followed are hence usually known as the Dark Ages.But those centuries were full of drama and action; they saw the invasion of the peoples who would become the English - the Angles, Saxons, Danes, Norwegians, and characters whose names have become legendary like Alfred the Great, Athelstan, Ethelred the Unready, Canute, Edward the Confessor, Harold and, eventually, William, Duke of Normandy - William the Conqueror. less

The award-winning story of Britain, from the arrival of Julius Caesar to the death of Queen Victoria in 1901, specially written for BBC Radio 4 by Christopher Lee, narrated by Anna Massey and featuring extracts from Sir Winston Churchill's History of the English Speaking Peoples read by Paul Eddington.William the Conqueror famously acquired for himself the throne of England but there were to be many struggles before truly national government would be established... moreThe award-winning story of Britain, from the arrival of Julius Caesar to the death of Queen Victoria in 1901, specially written for BBC Radio 4 by Christopher Lee, narrated by Anna Massey and featuring extracts from Sir Winston Churchill's History of the English Speaking Peoples read by Paul Eddington.William the Conqueror famously acquired for himself the throne of England but there were to be many struggles before truly national government would be established.Henry II, the first of the Plantagenets, did more than any of his predecessors to bring the country together but his reign was overshadowed by the dramatic and tragic murder of Thomas Becket. Eventually, he was succeeded by his sons - first Richard the Lionheart and then King John.This was the period of the Crusades, of civil wars and of wars between the English and the Scots led by William Wallace and Robert the Bruce; but it also witnessed the setting of some primitive foundations that would eventually form the basis of a modern state: Magna Carter and the calling of the first parliament by Simon de Montfort. less

The award-winning story of Britain, from the arrival of Julius Caesar in 55BC to the death of Queen Victoria in 1901, specially written for BBC Radio 4 by Christopher Lee, narrated by Anna Massey and featuring extracts from Sir Winston Churchill's History of the English Speaking Peoples read by Paul Eddington and Peter Jeffrey.It was in the reign of Elizabeth I that England became a Protestant nation... moreThe award-winning story of Britain, from the arrival of Julius Caesar in 55BC to the death of Queen Victoria in 1901, specially written for BBC Radio 4 by Christopher Lee, narrated by Anna Massey and featuring extracts from Sir Winston Churchill's History of the English Speaking Peoples read by Paul Eddington and Peter Jeffrey.It was in the reign of Elizabeth I that England became a Protestant nation. Her reign saw the flowering of the Renaissance in England, the growth of trading, slaving and piracy as well as the tragic story of Mary, Queen of Scots.Elizabeth united England as never before but it was her successor, James VI of Scotland who became the first ruler of Great Britain as it was called for the first time.Jame's son, Charles I, decided he could rule without benefit of Parliament; and then religion, Scotland and Ireland began to lead towards bitter Civil War which would bring the irresistible rise of Oliver Cromwell and eventually end with the removal not just of the King but of the monarchy itself. less

The award-winning story of Britain, from the arrival of Julius Caesar in 55BC to the death of Queen Victoria in 1901, specially written for BBC Radio 4 by Christopher Lee, narrated by Anna Massey and featuring extracts from Sir Winston Churchill's History of the English Speaking Peoples read by Peter Jeffrey.After the death of Oliver Cromwell, the Protectorate collapsed and parliament voted for the return of the exiled king, Charles II... moreThe award-winning story of Britain, from the arrival of Julius Caesar in 55BC to the death of Queen Victoria in 1901, specially written for BBC Radio 4 by Christopher Lee, narrated by Anna Massey and featuring extracts from Sir Winston Churchill's History of the English Speaking Peoples read by Peter Jeffrey.After the death of Oliver Cromwell, the Protectorate collapsed and parliament voted for the return of the exiled king, Charles II. His quarter-century reign witnessed the Great Plague, the Great Fire of London, the birth of political parties and a great prosperousness in the arts.Charles was succeeded by his brother, James the Second, whose Catholicism aroused deep-rooted fears of French domination. These fears led to the 1688 revolution when the Dutch Protestant Prince William of Orange, grandson of Charles I, was invited to invade England.William ruled the country jointly with his wife, Mary, the deposed James' daughter. Their reign saw increasing discontent along the Jacobites in Scotland and in Ireland a battle whose echoes have still not died away; the Battle of the Boyne. less

The award-winning story of Britain, from the arrival of Julius Caesar in 55BC to the death of Queen Victoria in 1901, specially written for BBC Radio 4 by Christopher Lee, narrated by Anna Massey and featuring extracts from Sir Winston Churchill's History of the English Speaking Peoples read by Peter Jeffrey.Queen Anne was the last Stuart monarch. In her twelve years on the throne she became the last monarch to veto an Act of Parliament... moreThe award-winning story of Britain, from the arrival of Julius Caesar in 55BC to the death of Queen Victoria in 1901, specially written for BBC Radio 4 by Christopher Lee, narrated by Anna Massey and featuring extracts from Sir Winston Churchill's History of the English Speaking Peoples read by Peter Jeffrey.Queen Anne was the last Stuart monarch. In her twelve years on the throne she became the last monarch to veto an Act of Parliament. Scotland was officially united with England and Wales and the Duke of Marlborough - Churchill's most illustrious ancestor - became a national hero in winning the Battle of Blenheim. When Anne died without an heir, Great Britain acquired its first Hanoverian king - George I.The reigns of the first two Georges witnessed the first great financial scandal - the South Sea Bubble - and the rise of Robert Walpole, the man usually called Britain's first Prime Minister. Rule Britannia and God Save the King came into the national repertoire, gin and grog came into the national drinks cabinet and William Pitt the Elder, Bonnie Prince Charlie and Clive of India all found their way to centre stage. less