The Story of Medieval England: From King Arthur to the Tudor Conquest

By: Jennifer Paxton, The Great Courses

Narrated by: Jennifer Paxton

Length: 19 hrs and 7 mins

Publisher's summary

These 36 lectures tell the remarkable story of a tumultuous thousand-year period in the history of England. Dominated by war, conquest, and the struggle to balance the stability brought by royal power with the rights of the governed, it was a period that put into place the foundation of much of the world we know today. As you journey through this largely chronological narrative - occasionally interrupted for lecture-long explorations of specific topics - you'll see key themes emerge, including the assimilation of successive waves of invaders, the tense relationship between kings and the nobility, and the constant battles over money and taxation. And because so much of history is driven by specific individuals and not just historical circumstance, each lecture is rich in intimate portraits that reveal those individuals at the key moments of their historical destiny, including Alfred the Great, William the Conqueror, Eleanor of Aquitaine, and John Wycliffe.The result is a lecture series that winds up being not only informative but deeply entertaining, with each lecture drawing you in with its own particular fascinations, including a probing look at the scope of the Black Death, a realistic examination of the legends of both King Arthur and Robin Hood, a riveting description of the Battle of Bosworth Field, and a discussion of the surprisingly nuanced penalties of the early Germanic law codes.

These lectures consistently deliver a fresh level of understanding about medieval England, its rulers and subjects, and their significance for the world we live in today. The chain of theme and event that links our world to theirs will never be clearer, rewarding every moment you spend with this series.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©2010 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)2010 The Great Courses

I loved this course!

This is an exceptional audiobook if you want to learn about medieval England. The course covers the time from when the Roman's abandoned Britain thru the first of the Tudors. It ties together all of the kings of this era, how they rose to power, who was related to whom, and their notable accomplishments or follies.
The course was easy to follow and explained as clearly as I imagine it could be.
The narrator was clear and expressive and enthusiastic about the subject. I will be looking for more by her.
If you want to lean a bit more of the history of England, I recommend you start here.

great story

very useful for anyone interested in English history. also useful to be able to go back and listen again. So much information and all very interesting.

highly recommend this.

Jennifer Paxton is interesting, clear, and entertaining. highly recommend listening to her depictions of medieval England.

Loved it!!

If you like history, I highly recommend this book. It was interesting and very entertaining!

Jenny Pax is a babe yo!

Man i tell ya ive listened to this shit 4 times yo jenny pax is a babe yo! ay and ya know she be bringing that knowledge ja feel.

Very good

I’ve listened to a lot of content from the great courses and this one is another hit!

Fantastic survey of early English history..

I listened to this during a recent trip to England and Scotland and found it enhanced my experiences.

Terrific presentation

Jennifer Paxton tells history as if she was sitting down with you at a table in a coffee shop spiking a yarn. When things get complicated it feels like she leans over and explains it simply as if you are both participants in a piece of enticing gossip. So easy to listen to.

excellent

Dr. Paxton thanks for this wonderful lecture. a must read for any and everyone. I liked the fact that it is told in chronological order which makes it easy to follow. This lecture explains a lot about how this came to be. It is especially meaningful to me someone who grew up in the Commonwealth

Heritage unveiled

Being of Northern European descent, and particularly with DNA implying a strong connection to England, I was intrigued in everything Prof. Paxton has to offer, and that was a lot. Her mastery of British succession alone made the journey worthwhile, but I felt strongly that I was learning about the lives of my ancestors, about the seeds of democracy, and the vagaries of humans and power. This is a delightful, enlightening lecture series, and I’m looking forward to learning more from Prof Paxton as time allows. Very highly recommended.