The Sceptred Isle tells the story of Britain, from the Roman invasion to the Millennium Dome. History is fun. Try the quiz on the right. What about a particular period? Read the snippets below and follow the links to find out more.
A new 10 week series has just ended on Radio 4 charting the history of British
dynasties.
Becket The Archbishop of Canterbury escapes imprisonment for contempt of court and flees to Normandy. Thomas Becket (1120-1170) Made Archbishop of Canterbury by Henry II, he quarrelled with the King and excommunicated the Archbishop of York and the Bishops of London and Salisbury...
Anarchy The Archbishop of York, King David I of the Scots, Henry I's bastard son, Robert of Gloucester, and his half sister Matilda head a huge rebellion. Stephen I (1096-1154) Crowned King of England on 22 December 1135, he was taken prisoner at the Battle of Lincoln in 1141 only to regain the throne 12 years later...
While hiding out on Rathlin Island, Robert the Bruce was inspired by a spider to return to Scotland and fight for his country. The clans of Scotland were so strong that Robert the Bruce would not fight in The Wars of Scottish Independence while they were fought in the name of John Balliol, hence William Wallace's rise to power.
This Sceptred Isle: Empire a 90 part history of the British Empire. Listen again, read histories and biographies. In Our Time Melvyn Bragg and guests explore the history of ideas. Listen to the programme archive. Document Mike Thomson investigates a document to shed light on past events.
