I want some resources of the British history during 1550-1650. ?

Question

Specificly about what happened to Britain during the time Shakespeare lived, the rulers, the political atmosphere, etc.

and i think i heard a lot of people died because of the infection of some diease which could not find any medication for it at that time around when William was born.....but i forgot the name

and no wikipidia please!

thank you

Answer 1

Rulers:

Elizabeth I:1533 - 1603  (Check out her portraits, they tell you loads about her & her reign)

James I, (James IV of Scotland): 1603 - 1625

Charles I: 1625 - 1649

Commonwealth

English Council of State: 1649 - 1653

Oliver Cromwell: 1653 - 1658

Richard Cromwell: 1658 - 1659

English Council of State: 1659 - 1660

Monarchy restored

Charles II: 1660 - 1685

So politically England went from a monarchy to a republic (The Commonwealth), to a dictatorship, back to a republic and then back to a monarchy all in the space of 12 years.

The commonwealth was run by puritans - which is why, after the Monarchy was restored we were very glad to see them get on the Mayflower.

The disease was the Great Plague, which struck in 1665 - it killed about a fifth of the population of London.  The next year London was burnt to the ground - the Great Fire of London in 1666 (the puritans got very uppity about the date, so we sent some more of them over to the colonies).

Favourite bit of the Gt Fire:

i) Samuel Pepys the diarist buried a parmesan cheese in his garden so it might be saved from the fire - it was.

ii) The Lord mayor of London when summoned in the night to see the fire soon after it began said "...pish, but a woman might p1ss it out"

http://www.luminarium.org/renlit/eliza.h...

http://www.elizabethi.org/uk/elizabethan...

http://www.historyonthenet.com/Stuarts/s...

http://www.open2.net/civilwar/

http://www.olivercromwell.org/

http://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/Eng...

http://www.channel4.com/history/microsit...