A stirring trip through the essentials of British History. Britain's past brought right up to date. This book is a riotous, irreverent account of the people and events that have shaped Britain. It's a "who, what, when, where and why" that reads like a thriller and a comedy rolled into one. Inside you'll find rip-roaring stories of power-mad kings, executions, invasions, high treason, global empire-building and forbidden love - not bad for a nation of stiff upper lips. Discover: Famous and infamous Britons Key royal, military and cultural eras Power in Britain: who lost it, who took it The rise and fall of Britain's global empire History as it connects to Britain today.