Category: History - British

Cassell's History of England, Vol. 1 (of 8) From the Roman Invasion to the Wars of the Roses

Earliest Notices of the British Isles--The Celts--Their Settlement in Britain--Their Character and Customs--Druidism--Its Organisation and Authority--Its Tenets--Stonehenge and other Remains--Cæsar's Preparations--The First Invasion--Peril of the Romans and their Retirement--T...

Chapters

1. CHAPTER I.

Earliest Notices of the British Isles--The Celts--Their Settlement in Britain--Their Character and Customs--Druidism--Its Organisation and Authority--Its Tenets--Stonehenge and...

2. CHAPTER II.

3. CHAPTER III.

The Jutes, Angles, and Saxons--Their Village Communities--Larger Combinations, Gradations of Rank--Morality and Religion--Hengist and Horsa found the Kingdom of Kent--The Kingdo...

4. CHAPTER IV.

Ceawlin and his Successors--Cedwalla--Ina--Subjection to Mercia--Accession of Egbert--He subdues his Rivals--His Wars with the Welsh and Danes--Land-owning System--Local Assembl...

5. CHAPTER V.

Character of the Invaders--Reign of Ethelwulf--Reigns of Ethelbald and Ethelbert--The Conquest of East Anglia--Battles near Reading--The Accession of Alfred--The Extinction of t...

6. CHAPTER VI.

Settlement of the Danes--Edward the Elder and his Cousin--Reconquest of the Danelagh--Edward becomes King of all England--Conspiracy of Alfred against Athelstan--Wars in Northum...

7. CHAPTER VII.

The Retirement of Dunstan--Character of Ethelred--Sweyn in Denmark--Character of the Invasions and the Resistance--The Danegeld--The Arrival of Sweyn--Ethelred's Expedition--The...

8. CHAPTER VIII.

A Double Election--Battles of Pen Selwood and Sherstone--Treacheries of Edric--Division of the Kingdom--Death of Edmund--Election of Canute--His Treatment of his Rivals--The fou...

9. CHAPTER IX.

Harold and Harthacanute--The Murder of Alfred--Accession of Harthacanute--His Reconciliation with Godwin--The Punishment of Worcester--Edward the Confessor--His Election--Influx...

10. CHAPTER X.

The Normans--Their Settlement in France--Their Gradual Civilization--Richard the Good--Robert the Devil--William's earlier years--His Consolidation of Power--Harold's Adventures...

11. CHAPTER XI.

Saxon Architecture; Theories about it--Documentary Evidence--Ancient Churches--Characters of the Saxon Style--Illustrations from an Anglo-Saxon Calendar--Old Manuscripts--Englis...

12. CHAPTER XII.

After Hastings--Election of Edgar Atheling--Submission of London and Accession of William--Tumult during his Coronation--Character of his Government--Return to Normandy--Affairs...

13. CHAPTER XIII.

William's Surname--How he obtained the Throne--Rising in favour of his Brother Robert--Bishop Odo's Ill-fortune--Surrender of Rochester Castle--Flight of Odo--Failure of the Con...

14. CHAPTER XIV.

The Institution of Chivalry--Affairs in the Holy Land--Pilgrimages--Persecution of Christians--Peter the Hermit--Crusade Decided on--Progress of Peter's Mission--The Council of...

15. CHAPTER XV.

Accession of Henry I.--Robert's Delay in Italy--The Charter of Liberties--Henry's Popularity--Offers his Hand to Matilda--Her Lineage--Obstacles to the Marriage--The Church deci...

16. CHAPTER XVI.

Stephen of Blois--Arrival in England--His Coronation--Pope Innocent's Letter--Claims of Matilda--The Earl of Gloucester's Policy--Revolt of the Barons--The King of Scotland Inva...

17. CHAPTER XVII.

Accession of Henry Plantagenet--Royal Entry into Winchester--Expulsion of the Flemings--Henry's Dealings with the Barons--Siege of Bridgenorth Castle--The King's Quarrel with Ge...

18. CHAPTER XVIII.

Early Life of Becket--Rapid Advance in the King's Service--Magnificence of his Embassy to Paris--The King, the Chancellor, and the Beggar--Depravity of the Clergy--Becket's Refo...

19. CHAPTER XIX.

Events in Ireland--The Irish People--Henry's Designs in Ireland--Nicholas Breakspeare (Pope Adrian IV.)--The King of Leinster's Outrage--Dermot obtains Henry's Patronage--Siege...

20. CHAPTER XX.

21. CHAPTER XXI.

Richard's Show of Penitence--His Coronation--Massacre of the Jews--Results of the Second Crusade--Richard raises Money for the Third Crusade--The Regency--Departure for the Holy...

22. CHAPTER XXII.

Shipwreck of Richard--His Arrival in Austria--His Capture by the Archduke Leopold--He is surrendered to the Emperor of Germany--Events in England--Renewed Persecution of the Jew...

23. CHAPTER XXIII.

Accession of John--His Position--Arthur of Brittany--Peace between John and Philip of France--John's Marriage with Isabella of La Marche--Rupture with France--The Struggle Begin...

24. CHAPTER XXIV.

Accession of the King--Renewal of the Great Charter--Messages of Conciliation--Battle of Lincoln--Destruction of the French Fleet--Departure of Louis--Reduction of Albemarle--Re...

25. CHAPTER XXV.

The King's Misfortunes Abroad and Exactions at Home--Ambition and Rapacity of the Church of Rome--The Council of Lyons--The Kingdom of Sicily--Henry Accepts the Crown for his So...

26. CHAPTER XXVI.

27. CHAPTER XXVII.

Accession of Edward--His Adventures while on Crusade--Death of St. Louis--Arrival of Edward at Acre--Fall of Nazareth--Events at Acre--Departure from Palestine--Edward in Italy-...

28. CHAPTER XXVIII.

Banishment of the Jews--Edward's Restorative Measures--Edward's Continental Policy--Quarrel with France--Undeclared War--Edward Outwitted by Philip--Re-conquest of Wales--The Wa...

29. CHAPTER XXIX.

Character of the new King--Piers Gaveston--The King's Marriage--Gaveston is Dismissed to Ireland--His Return--Appointment of the Lords Ordainers--Their Reforms--Gaveston Banishe...

30. CHAPTER XXX.

The Regency--War with Scotland--Edward is Baffled--Peace with Scotland, and Death of Bruce--Kent's Conspiracy--Overthrow of Mortimer--Edward assumes Authority--Relations with Sc...

31. CHAPTER XXXI.

Siege of Calais--Battle of Neville's Cross--Capture of the Scottish King--Institution of the Garter--The Black Death--Disturbances in France excited by the King of Navarre--Batt...

32. CHAPTER XXXII.

Accession of the King--Attitude of John of Gaunt--Patriotic Government--Insurrection of the Peasantry--John Ball--The Poll-tax--Wat Tyler--The Attack on London--The Meeting at M...

33. CHAPTER XXXIII.

Power of the Church--Ecclesiastical Legislation--Rapacity of the Papacy--Resistance of the Clergy--The Bull "Clericis Laicos"--Contests between the Civil and Ecclesiastical Powe...

34. CHAPTER XXXIV.

His Coronation--The Insecurity of his Position--He courts the Clergy and the People--Sends an Embassy to France--Conspiracy to Assassinate him--Death of King Richard--Rumours of...

35. CHAPTER XXXV.

Character of the King--Oldcastle's Rebellion--Attempts to Reform the Church--Henry's Reasons for the French War--Distracted Condition of France--Henry's Claims on the French Thr...

36. CHAPTER XXXVI.

Arrangements during the Minority--Condition of France--Death of Charles VI.--Bedford's Marriage--Battle of Crévant--Release of the Scottish King--Battle of Verneuil--Gloucester'...

37. CHAPTER I.

Earliest Notices of the British Isles--The Celts--Their Settlement in Britain--Their Character and Customs--Druidism--Its Organisation and Authority--Its Tenets--Stonehenge and...

38. CHAPTER II.

The remains of Roman architecture in Britain, though numerous, do not exhibit any perfect buildings, and the workmanship in general is not equal to that of the Continental remai...

39. CHAPTER III.

The Jutes, Angles, and Saxons--Their Village Communities--Larger Combinations, Gradations of Rank--Morality and Religion--Hengist and Horsa found the Kingdom of Kent--The Kingdo...

40. CHAPTER IV.

Ceawlin and his Successors--Cedwalla--Ina--Subjection to Mercia--Accession of Egbert--He subdues his Rivals--His Wars with the Welsh and Danes--Land-owning System--Local Assembl...

41. CHAPTER V.

Character of the Invaders--Reign of Ethelwulf--Reigns of Ethelbald and Ethelbert--The Conquest of East Anglia--Battles near Reading--The Accession of Alfred--The Extinction of t...

42. CHAPTER VI.

Settlement of the Danes--Edward the Elder and his Cousin--Reconquest of the Danelagh--Edward becomes King of all England--Conspiracy of Alfred against Athelstan--Wars in Northum...

43. CHAPTER VII.

The Retirement of Dunstan--Character of Ethelred--Sweyn in Denmark--Character of the Invasions and the Resistance--The Danegeld--The Arrival of Sweyn--Ethelred's Expedition--The...

44. CHAPTER VIII.

A Double Election--Battles of Pen Selwood and Sherstone--Treacheries of Edric--Division of the Kingdom--Death of Edmund--Election of Canute--His Treatment of his Rivals--The Fou...

45. CHAPTER IX.

Harold and Harthacanute--The Murder of Alfred--Accession of Harthacanute--His Reconciliation with Godwin--The Punishment of Worcester--Edward the Confessor--His Election--Influx...

46. CHAPTER X.

The Normans--Their Settlement in France--Their gradual Civilization--Richard the Good--Robert the Devil--William's earlier years--His Consolidation of Power--Harold's Adventures...

47. CHAPTER XI.

Saxon Architecture; Theories about it--Documentary Evidence--Ancient Churches--Characters of the Saxon Style--Illustrations from an Anglo-Saxon Calendar--Old Manuscripts--Englis...

48. CHAPTER XII.

After Hastings---Election of Edgar Atheling--Submission of London and Accession of William--Tumult during his Coronation--Character of his Government--Return to Normandy---Affai...

49. CHAPTER XIII.

William's Surname--How he obtained the Throne--Rising in favour of his Brother, Robert--Bishop Odo's Ill-fortune--Surrender of Rochester Castle--Flight of Odo--Failure of the Co...

50. CHAPTER XIV.

The Institution of Chivalry--Affairs in the Holy Land--Pilgrimages--Persecution of Christians--Peter the Hermit--Crusade Decided on--Progress of Peter's Mission--The Council of...

51. CHAPTER XV.

Accession of Henry I.--Robert's Delay in Italy--The Charter of Liberties--Henry's Popularity--Offers his Hand to Matilda--Her Lineage--Obstacles to the Marriage--The Church deci...

52. CHAPTER XVI.

Stephen of Blois--Arrival in England--His Coronation--Pope Innocent's Letter--Claims of Matilda--The Earl of Gloucester's Policy--Revolt of the Barons--The King of Scotland Inva...

53. CHAPTER XVII.

Accession of Henry Plantagenet--Royal Entry into Winchester--Expulsion of the Flemings--Henry's Dealings with the Baron--Siege of Bridgenorth Castle--The King's Quarrel with Geo...

54. CHAPTER XVIII.

Early Life of Becket--Rapid Advance in the King's Service--Magnificence of his Embassy to Paris--The King, the Chancellor, and the Beggar--Depravity of the Clergy--Becket's Refo...

55. CHAPTER XIX.

Events in Ireland--The Irish People--Henry's Designs in Ireland--Nicholas Breakspeare (Pope Adrian IV.)--The King of Leinster's Outrage--Dermot obtains Henry's Patronage--Siege...

56. CHAPTER XX.

Edward the Confessor, who was more Norman than English, and more a churchman than a king, had been brought up at the Norman court, where his ideas and tastes had been formed. On...

57. CHAPTER XXI.

Richard's Show of Penitence--His Coronation--Massacre of the Jews--Results of the Second Crusade--Richard raises Money for the Third Crusade--The Regency--Departure for the Holy...

58. CHAPTER XXII.

Shipwreck of Richard--His Arrival in Austria--His Capture by the Archduke Leopold--He is Surrendered to the Emperor of Germany--Events in England--Renewed Persecution of the Jew...

59. CHAPTER XXIII.

Accession of John--His Position--Arthur of Brittany--Peace between John and Philip of France--John's Marriage with Isabella of La Marche--Rupture with France--The Struggle Begin...

60. CHAPTER XXIV.

Accession of the King--Renewal of the Great Charter--Messages of Conciliation--Battle of Lincoln--Destruction of the French Fleet--Departure of Louis--Reduction of Albemarle--Re...

61. CHAPTER XXV.

The King's Misfortunes Abroad and Exactions at Home--Ambition and Rapacity of the Church of Rome--The Council of Lyons--The Kingdom of Sicily--Henry Accepts the Crown for his So...

62. CHAPTER XXVI.

The history of architecture is the history of change, sometimes gradual, sometimes sudden, but always change. People and nations change; new ideas spring up among them; new want...

63. CHAPTER XXVII.

Accession of Edward--His Adventures while on Crusade--Death of St. Louis--Arrival of Edward at Acre--Fall of Nazareth--Events at Acre--Departure from Palestine--Edward in Italy-...

64. CHAPTER XXVIII.

Banishment of the Jews--Edward's Restorative Measures--Edward's Continental Policy--Quarrel with France--Undeclared War--Edward Outwitted by Philip--Re-conquest of Wales--The Wa...

65. CHAPTER XXIX.

Character of the new King--Piers Gaveston--The King's Marriage--Gaveston is Dismissed to Ireland--His Return--Appointment of the Lords Ordainers--Their Reforms--Gaveston Banishe...

66. CHAPTER XXX.

The Regency--War with Scotland--Edward is Baffled--Peace with Scotland, and Death of Bruce--Kent's Conspiracy--Overthrow of Mortimer--Edward assumes Authority--Relations with Sc...

67. CHAPTER XXXI.

Siege of Calais--Battle of Neville's Cross--Capture of the Scottish King--Institution of the Garter--The Black Death--Disturbances in France excited by the King of Navarre--Batt...

68. CHAPTER XXXII.

Accession of the King--Attitude of John of Gaunt--Patriotic Government--Insurrection of the Peasantry--John Ball--The Poll-tax--Wat Tyler--The Attack on London--The Meeting at M...

69. CHAPTER XXXIII.

Power of the Church--Ecclesiastical Legislation--Rapacity of the Papacy--Resistance of the Clergy--The Bull "Clericis Laicos"--Contests between the Civil and Ecclesiastical Powe...

70. CHAPTER XXXIV.

His Coronation--The Insecurity of his Position--He courts the Clergy and the People--Sends an Embassy to France--Conspiracy to assassinate him--Death of King Richard--Rumours of...

71. CHAPTER XXXV.

Character of the King--Oldcastle's Rebellion--Attempts to Reform the Church--Henry's Reasons for the French War--Distracted Condition of France--Henry's Claims on the French Thr...

72. CHAPTER XXXVI.

Arrangements during the Minority--Condition of France--Death of Charles VI.--Bedford's Marriage--Battle of Crévant--Release of the Scottish King--Battle of Verneuil--Gloucester'...