Explore the Tudor-Stuart era: a captivating examination of the 229-year period from 1485-1714 during which England transformed itself from a minor feudal state into what has been called the first modern society. In making that transformation, England became the wealthiest and most powerful nation on Earth. Award-winning Professor Robert Bucholz of Loyola University of Chicago presents a sweeping, 48-lecture course on one of the most intriguing times in modern history..
A History of England from the Tudors to the Stuarts
Learn how England transformed itself from a medieval backwater into the first modern state in this sweeping course on one of the most interesting periods in history.
Rated 5 out of
5
by
robodoc58 from
Very extensive but viewable
One of the longer history courses. Well presented. There is an old quip that education is what is left after you have forgotten the facts. I have forgotten the facts, but walk away from this course with a great appreciation of how much our American democracy's institutions were borne from England in this era.
Date published: 2024-06-11
Rated 5 out of
5
by
Eneri Rose from
Great Course for Everybody
Despite the fact that my husband is a history buff and I am usually not very interested in history, we both love this course. It is packed with information delivered in a very accessible manner. I could listen to Prof. Bucholtz all day and stay interested.
Date published: 2024-05-31
Rated 5 out of
5
by
Andrew86 from
Outstanding
I can’t say enough how good this course was. Truly outstanding. It wasn’t just a survey of 250 years of English history, it is a journey down the path of England’s transformation from a fractious feudal kingdom of warring noble houses and relatively minor importance to a modern parliamentary monarchy of emerging wealth and power poised to become the world’s greatest empire. And such a compelling, satisfying journey it was. At the end I just thought to myself, yes.
Date published: 2024-05-01
Rated 5 out of
5
by
shelle from
Fantastic View of English History
Absolutely stunning lecture. Dr. Bucholz is such a delight and his knowledge and structure of the course is outstanding.
Date published: 2024-03-23
Rated 5 out of
5
by
Inés from
A pleasure to listen to!
This course proves (once more) that the best teachers are those who know their subject inside out and who are passionate about what they teach. Professor Bucholz not so much teaches as paints a picture of Tudor and Stuart England that will stay with the students.
Date published: 2023-11-12
Rated 5 out of
5
by
devonohs from
Couldn't ask for a better professor!
The material is presented in a compelling way, and the instructor is obviously passionate and learned in his field. Extraordinarily detailed and comprehensive but never tedious, always engaging. I opted for the audio version, and the instructor's voice is quite enjoyable to listen to. Also I didn't realize when I bought it, but it's 48 lectures!! Easily as much or more than a semester-long course.
Date published: 2023-07-14
Rated 5 out of
5
by
George52 from
The child is father of the man
this course is an ironic reminder that those who clamor loudest against the evils of Western civilization are able to do so thanks to Western civilization.
Absorbing and sobering at once, we see again demonstrated the adage that a leader without followers is just taking a walk. At some point the great need thre not-so-great to get anything done.
Excellent course.
Date published: 2023-06-03
Rated 5 out of
5
by
AndyG from
Enjoyment from learning spread over 48 lectures.
A magnificent lecture series that held one's attention from beginning to end. While a great amount of information was necessarily imparted to the viewer over the course of the lecture series, it did not interrupt the flow of the various presentations, nor conceal the obvious enthusiasm of the lecturer for his course topic. While a relatively long program (that is, when measured against more recent programs which have tended to range from twelve to perhaps 24 lectures), this program of study is well worth the time invested in watching and listening.
Date published: 2023-02-08
Overview
About
Dr. Robert Bucholz is Professor of History at Loyola University Chicago, where he has taught since 1988. He earned his B.A. in History from Cornell University and his D.Phil. in Modern History from Oxford University. Before joining the faculty at Loyola University, Professor Bucholz taught at numerous universities, including Cornell University; California State University, Long Beach; and Loyola, Marymount University. He is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. Among Professor Bucholz's numerous teaching awards are the Sujack Award for Teaching Excellence, the highest such award presented by the Loyola College of Arts and Sciences. On two occasions, he received the Honors Program Faculty Member of the Year Award. At Loyola University, Professor Bucholz teaches courses on Early Modern London, Early Modern England, and English Social History. He is the author or coauthor of books on English history, including Early Modern England: A Narrative History and The Augustan Court: Queen Anne and the Decline of Court Culture. Professor Bucholz is also the project director of the Database of Court Officers, which contains the career facts of every person who served in the British royal household from the Restoration to the death of Queen Victoria.
Trailer
01: England 1485-1714, the First Modern Country
A look at the scope of the course, the significance of English history, and why this Early-Modern period was crucial not only to the development of England, but to transatlantic civilization itself.
32 min
02: The Land and Its People in 1485-I
This lecture examines England's so-called "island mentality" and its complicated relationship to both Europe and the Celtic lands of Scotland, Ireland, and Wales.
30 min
03: The Land and Its People in 1485-II
The discussion of the physical world of the English people in 1485 continues with this look at the material and social topography of the English town, manor, and village, from the wealthiest residents to the poorest.
30 min
04: The Land and Its People in 1485-III
The focus switches to the mental landscape of the English people, and especially to the concept of the "Great Chain of Being" and the unyielding social hierarchy it implied....
30 min
05: Medieval Prelude-1377-1455
Beginning with the end of the reign of Edward III, the English monarchy and constitution undergoes more than a century of instability prior to the accession of the Tudors. This lecture begins the explanation of why this happened.
30 min
06: Medieval Prelude-1455-85
Over a 30-year period, the Lancastrian and Yorkist claimants to the throne fight three different Wars of the Roses and produce a short-lived line of Yorkist kings, including Richard III, whose reign ends in the successful rebellion that begins the Tudor Dynasty.
30 min
07: Establishing the Tudor Dynasty-1485-97
This lecture examines the steps taken by Henry VII to secure the crown after his victory over Richard III, the failed Yorkist rebellions that follow, and Henry's subsequent efforts to secure alliances that will deprive future rebels of allies or secure bases.
30 min
08: Establishing the Tudor Dynasty-1497-1509
This lecture examines Henry's efforts to make England's government more efficient, less expensive, and more responsive to his wishes by following three old principles of medieval kingship: the king must be strong, he must govern with consent, and he must live "of his own" (within a budget).
30 min
09: Young King Hal-1509-27
A look at the larger-than-life personality of Henry VIII and the early years of his reign, years dominated by Thomas Cardinal Wolsey, one of the most hated government officials in English history.
30 min
10: The King's Great Matter-1527-30
This lecture examines Henry VIII's attempts to secure from the Roman Catholic Church a divorce from his first wife, Catherine of Aragon, and the complex implications that surround it.
30 min
11: The Break from Rome-1529-36
With the Catholic Church weak and divided at the top, Henry and his new leading minister, Thomas Cromwell, are able to break England's allegiance to the Pope, secure the king's divorce, and initiate the Reformation in England.
30 min
12: A Tudor Revolution-1536-47
An examination of what some historians have seen as a Tudor plan to increase the power and efficiency of the monarchy, not only in religion, but in all areas of English life.
30 min
13: The Last Years of Henry VIII-1540-47
An aging king attempts to avoid invasion by the Catholic powers, balancing the demands of Protestant reformers with his own desire for a traditional Church-under his command-that would retain many Catholic practices....
31 min
14: Edward VI-1547-53
Two successive advisors to the boy-king (only nine when he takes the throne) increasingly push the country toward Protestantism, including an attempt to alter the succession. But when Edward dies, the country still rallies to the Catholic heir, Mary Tudor.
30 min
15: Mary I-1553-58
Failing to realize that her people have rallied to her only because she is the rightful heir and not because she is Catholic, "Bloody Mary" attempts to ally with the Spanish Empire and undo the Reformation-at tremendous human cost.
30 min
16: Young Elizabeth-1558
As Queen, Elizabeth uses her superb political skills to balance off both competing court factions and potential suitors. Rejecting marriage, she cultivates the image of "Gloriana," the Virgin Queen symbolically wed to the people of England.
30 min
17: The Elizabethan Settlement-1558-68
Bitter religious divisions are tearing at England as Elizabeth takes the throne. This lecture examines those divisions and how the Scottish Reformation, the rebellion against Mary Queen of Scots, and Mary's flight into Elizabeth's protection place in grave peril not only both women, but also the prospects for peace in the British Isles.
30 min
18: Set in a Dangerous World-1568-88
Increasing tensions between England and Spain over trade and the Protestant Revolt in the Netherlands mark a period of plots against Elizabeth, the assembling of the Spanish Armada, the execution of Mary Queen of Scots, and the defeat of the Armada by a newly strengthened Royal Navy.
31 min
19: Heart and Stomach of a Queen-1588-1603
The beginning of a world war with Spain has a devastating effect on England's economy and makes for a stormy relationship with Parliament. In the end, it is the cult of "Gloriana" that keeps Parliament and the people loyal and allows the smooth succession of the Stuarts to the throne.
30 min
20: The Land and Its People in 1603
The start of an eight-lecture intermission from the political narrative to address the economic and social changes experienced by the English people since 1485-beginning with unprecedented stresses on the Great Chain of Being.
30 min
21: Private Life-The Elite
An examination of how members of the landed aristocracy (i.e., nobles and gentry) lived their lives circa 1603....
31 min
22: Private Life-The Commoners
The same topics dealt with in the previous lecture-education, courtship, marriage and day-to-day living-are dealt with as they are experienced at the other end of the "Chain."
31 min
23: The Ties that Bound
A look at the institutions, habits, and attitudes designed to promote meaning and community in England, including popular religion, paternalism, extended family ties, and the support of one's neighbors.
30 min
24: Order and Disorder
Toward the end of the sixteenth century, English men and women are convinced that disorder, poverty, and crime are on the rise. This lecture examines whether they were right and how the system functioned to address these issues.
31 min
25: Towns, Trade, and Colonization
England begins its movement out of the countryside-not only into towns, but to fledgling colonies that form an alternative for those who cannot make a go of it in England or conform to its rigid religious and social structure.
31 min
26: London
A guided walk through what is, by far, the largest city in the realm, as well as its capital, greatest port, and center of culture and fashion.
31 min
27: The Elizabethan and Jacobean Age
A look at the tremendous flowering of English culture at the turn into the seventeenth century, including what is possibly the greatest achievement of the age-the development of the English language itself-and the reaction of authorities to this powerful and thus dangerous tool.
30 min
28: Establishing the Stuart Dynasty-1603-25
The problems that James I inherits from the Tudors will eventually overwhelm the early Stuart state and produce the British Civil Wars. This lecture introduces five enduring areas of tension-sovereignty, financing the government, war and foreign policy, religion, and local control-with a focus on the first two.
30 min
29: The Ascendancy of Buckingham-1614-28
A look at the 14-year dominance over English politics and government of George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham, who rises to be the principal favorite of both James I and his son, Charles I.
30 min
30: Religion and Local Control-1628-37
This lecture examines the impact of the different and problematic religious settlements reached in each of the three kingdoms ruled by the Stuarts: England, Scotland, and Ireland.
30 min
31: Crisis of the Three Kingdoms-1637-42
In 1637, Charles I attempts to impose an Anglican liturgy on Presbyterian Scotland, unleashing a chain of crises that ultimately leads to the complete breakdown of understanding between king and Parliament and a resulting declaration of civil war in England.
30 min
32: The Civil Wars-1642-49
A look at how the wealth controlled by Parliament eventually wears away Charles I's advantage in experienced fighting men and leads to an event unprecedented in English history: the execution of a king on a charge of high treason against the people of England....
30 min
33: The Search for a Settlement-1649-53
This lecture examines the first part of England's 11-year period without a king, including the flowering of a period of relative political, social, and religious freedom, and the conquests of Ireland and Scotland.
30 min
34: Cromwellian England-1653-60
Parliament and the army ask Cromwell to administer England as Lord Protector of the realm. But after five years of effective rule, Cromwell dies-unleashing a period of instability that leads to the negotiated restoration of the Stuart monarchy.
30 min
35: The Restoration Settlement-1660-70
The restoration settlements in Church and State seem to turn the clock back, with the king dependent on Parliament, the Church of England reestablished and Puritans made outlaws, and defeat at the hands of the Dutch plunging the nation into crisis.
31 min
36: The Failure of the Restoration-1670-78
Charles II and his new ministry-the Cabal-begin a bold attempt to solve all of his problems by signing the Treaty of Dover with France, England's ancestral enemy.
31 min
37: The Popish Plot and Exclusion-1678-85
An alleged "Popish plot" to kill the king and establish his Catholic brother, James, Duke of York, on the throne leads to the rise of the Whig and Tory parties, a failed effort to bar James, and the pursuit by Charles of what comes to be known as the Tory Revenge. The Revenge culminates in a deathbed conversion to Catholicism and the peaceful succession of James.
30 min
38: A Catholic Restoration? 1685-88
A look at the short and unpopular reign of James II and his attempts to restore toleration for Catholics. Unpopular though he is, no one contemplates rebellion, until the surprise birth of a Catholic heir leads seven prominent noblemen to invite invasion by the Protestant William, Prince of Orange....
31 min
39: The Glorious Revolution-1688-89
James flees in the face of William's invasion, and a compromising Parliament declares his abdication, placing William on the throne and marking England's final break with the Great Chain and her entry into the modern world.
31 min
40: King William's War-1689-92
The necessities of the war with France bring about a fundamental shift in the respective roles of England's two political parties, and irrevocably extend the reach of Parliament's power and role in the constitution.
31 min
41: King William's War-1692-1702
An examination of the economic strategy that enabled victory over France; the Act of Settlement that solved England's succession question-at least on paper-and moved the nation closer to constitutional monarchy, and the two royal deaths that brought England to the brink of yet another war with France. It is a war that will have to be fought by a new ruler after a hunting accident claims William's ...
30 min
42: Queen Anne and the Rage of Party-1702
A close look at a Queen greatly underestimated in both her own time and by historians, yet whose strong common sense and identification with her people's hopes and dreams would make her the most successful of the Stuarts.
30 min
43: Queen Anne's War-1702-10
The War of the Spanish Succession decides the thrones of Spain and Britain and settles the balance of power in Europe and North America for a generation. But even after a series of major victories, it is the queen's subtle political maneuvering that paves the way for peace.
30 min
44: Queen Anne's Peace-1710-14
Though the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713 ends the war and lays the groundwork for the British Empire and England's commercial and military dominance of Europe for the rest of the century, issues of religion and succession are still in play when Queen Anne's lifelong fragile health finally fails, and the last of the Stuart monarchs dies.
30 min
45: Hanoverian Epilogue-1714-30
A look at how the peaceful accession of George I, combined with Britain's victory in the War of the Spanish Succession, solves or pacifies most of the tensions that have wracked England under the Stuarts, and allows Great Britain to become the richest and most powerful country in Europe during the eighteenth century.
30 min
46: The Land and Its People in 1714-I
An examination of the social and economic state of the country as the reign of the Stuarts ends.
31 min
47: The Land and Its People in 1714-II
As England turns into the eighteenth century, the face of artistic and intellectual life is changing as primary patronage of the arts passes from the Church and court, replaced by noble and popular sponsorship of architecture, literature, music, and painting.
31 min
48: The Meaning of English History-1485-1714
A summary of what twenty-first-century Americans should take from English history under the Tudors and Stuarts: a time when ideas and concepts that still lie at the heart of our notion of democratic civilization were pioneered.
31 min
