The Foundations of Empire: From Prehistory to the House of Plantagenet (A Six-Book History of England)

Peter Ackroyd’s “Six-Volume History of England” is a landmark work by the historian. It comprises six volumes: Foundation, Tudor, Rebellion, Revolution, Dominion, and Renewal. With sweeping prose, it traces the historical journey of this legendary nation: how a once-isolated island, through the Reformation, parliamentary government, revolutions in technology and ideas, and the expansion of trade and colonialism, gradually became an empire on which the sun never set, with territories spanning the globe; and how, now that the empire has waned, England has redefined its place in the postwar order while continuing to influence the world. Ackroyd’s writing conveys his deep affection for a nation that once stood at the pinnacle of human civilization. The result is both a history of a great power’s rise through struggle and innovation, and a magnificent national epic. Foundation, the first volume in Ackroyd’s “Six-Volume History of England,” covers the long period from the beginnings of British civilization to the fall of the Plantagenet dynasty. It discusses political and military history, including prehistoric Stonehenge, Roman rule, the invasions and conquests of the Angles, Saxons, Jutes, and other tribes, the founding of the Kingdom of England, the Norman Conquest, the Wars of the Roses, and the reigns of medieval kings. It also explores the origins of the English people, religious and spiritual life, the development of common law, the establishment of Parliament, and the signing of Magna Carta. Through the lives of its people, political events, and institutional reforms during this period, the British Empire laid a solid foundation for its rise.