The Oxford Book of Royal Anecdotes by Elizabeth Longford

The Oxford Book Of Royal Anecdotes edited by Elizabeth Longford
Oxford University Press ©1989
ISBN 0-19-214153-8 Hardback edition



The Oxford Book Of Royal Anecdotes edited by Elizabeth Longford is a unique collection of letters, stories, and quotes pertaining to and by the Kings and Queens of England. The Celts and Britons start the book out with a collection of notes pertaining to Boudicca as well as the legendary King Arthur. From there the book includes each dynasty of the English Monarchy from the Saxons (560-1016), the Danes (1016-1066), the Normans (1066-1154) to The Plantagenets (1154 -1399), the Lancastrians (1399-1461), the Yorkists (1461-1485), the Tudors (1485-1603), the Stuarts (1603-1714), the Hanoverians (1714-1837) and finally the modern day dynasty of Victoria and her descendants. Also included is genealogical tables for each dynasty.


I pick this book up a little used bookstore not to add to my collection of Tudor/Stuart history books I did not expect it to contain so much information. Not only did I find fascinating facts pertaining to Henry VII and Henry VIII, I found a wealth of knowledge concerning all the Monarchs of England. Some of the information included in this collection I have never seen in other resource books or biographies. Elizabeth Longford spent numerous years researching every aspect of the lives of these monarchs from notes from courtiers to letters from foreign Ambassadors. I really enjoyed the little stories that was compiled from those who surrounded the court. You see the Monarchs in a whole new light with this book. A great addition for both collectors and historians.


The Oxford Book Of Royal Anecdotes edited by Elizabeth Longford is from my own personal collection.