The Four Nations: A History of the United KingdomEven by comparison to the United States, the United Kingdom has had a brief and fractious history. Its existence as an undivided entity lasted only for a disputatious 125 years, and its future remains precarious. In The Four Nations, Frank Welsh offers a lively narrative history of the four component parts of the British Isles-England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. Moving from the Roman period, which first defined many of the current internal boundaries, through the present day, Welsh describes the history of each nation, their interactions, and the impacts of crises ranging from the Norman Invasion to the Protestant Reformation to the two world wars of the twentieth century. Along the way, Welsh questions many cherished illusions and poses some awkward questions: To what extent were Scotland, Ireland, and Wales victims of predatory English aggression? How serious is the frequently invoked specter of national fragmentation? Filled with illuminating vignettes and provocative insights, The Four Nations is an accessible and comprehensive introduction to the troubled histories of the British Isles. |
Contents
54 BCAD 500 | 1 |
AD 5001066 | 23 |
Saints and scholars | 31 |
Picts Scots Britons and Anglians | 40 |
10661300 | 58 |
13001540 | 114 |
16031660 | 146 |
16601750 | 179 |
CHAPTER 9 18301860 | 261 |
18601893 | 288 |
18931950 | 325 |
19502001 | 370 |
NOTES | 413 |
437 | |
455 | |
17501830 | 217 |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
able accepted administration army Assembly attempt battle became become Belfast Bill Bishop Britain Britannia British Britons Catholic Celtic Celts cent century Charles Church civil colonies Connacht Conservative constitutional continued Crown death developed devolution Dublin Earl Edinburgh Edward election Empire England English established Famine force France French Gaelic Gaul George Gladstone Gladstone's Gráda Gwynedd Henry History Home Rule House independence Irish Irish Famine Irish Sea Irishmen island Isles James John King King's Labour land language later leader Liberal Llywellyn London Lord majority ment Minister Nationalists Norman Northern Ireland Northumbrian O'Connell organised Owain Oxford parliamentary Parnell party Picts Plaid Cymru political Pope population Presbyterian Prince Protestant Queen rebellion reform remained Roman royal Saxon Scotland Scots Scottish Parliament Sinn Féin society South successful thousand Ulster Union Unionists United Irishmen United Kingdom vote Wales Welsh Westminster Whigs William