William III & Mary II (Penguin Monarchs)

The acclaimed Penguin Monarchs series: short, fresh, expert accounts of England's rulers - now in paperback

William III (1689-1702) & Mary II (1689-94) (Britain's only ever 'joint monarchs') changed the course of the entire country's history, coming to power through a coup (which involved Mary betraying her own father), reestablishing parliament on a new footing and, through commiting Britain to fighting France, initiating an immensely long period of warfare and colonial expansion.

Jonathan Keates' wonderful book makes both monarchs vivid, the cold, shrewd 'Dutch' William and the shortlived Mary, whose life and death inspired Purcell to write some of his greatest music.

Aclamata serie Penguin Monarchs: scurte, proaspete, relatari de experti despre conducatorii Angliei - acum in brosura William III (1689-1702) si Mary II (1689-94) (singurii „monarhi comuni” ai Marii Britanii) au schimbat cursul intregii istorii a tarii , venind la putere printr-o lovitura de stat (care a implicat Maria tradandu-si propriul tata), restabilirea parlamentului pe un nou nivel si, prin angajarea Marii Britanii in lupta cu Franta, initierea unei perioade extrem de lungi de razboi si expansiune coloniala. Minunata carte a lui Jonathan Keates face atat monarhii vii, frigul, siretul „olandez” William si Maria de scurta durata, a caror viata si moarte l-au inspirat pe Purcell sa scrie unele dintre cele mai mari muzici ale sale.