Celebrating the long history of the United Kingdom and its monarchy
As part of the celebrations to mark the coronation of King Charles III, the Annals Britannica website is going to be accessible to everyone free of charge throughout the month of May.
King Charles will become the 19th monarch (including the joint monarchy of William III and Mary II) who has ruled the United Kingdom of England and Scotland. Annals Britannica also records the reigns of 14 kings of the Anglo-Saxon English, and the 23 monarchs who ruled post-Norman Conquest England. The reigns of Scotland’s 13 Kings of Alba are noted, as are the 25 men and the one woman who reigned over the complete country of Scotland until the crowns of England and Scotland were united in the person of James I & VI.
the UK – a country of unparalleled influence
Annals is not just a tale of kings and queens. It tells the story of all aspects of life and achievement in these islands. It memorialises many British people whose names are celebrated around the world, such as William Shakespeare, Isaac Newton, Adam Smith and Charles Darwin .
It notes the the world changing events which unfolded in Britain such as the exposition of the DNA double helix and the controlled splitting of the atom nucleus which were first accomplished at Cambridge; it lists the development of the steam engine and most of the inventions that made the Industrial revolution which were created here, and celebrates the Lollards of England who were the ‘Morning Star’ of the Protestant Reformation.
The British Isles are the native home of cricket, rugby football and golf; the codes and rules of many other sports such as Association Football, Lawn Tennis and Boxing were first organised and published here.
These small offshore islands have played a major part in European matters over the centuries. The England of Elizabeth I fought the mighty Spanish Empire on behalf of other European Protestants as well as its own sovereignty. The Duke of Marlborough never lost a battle against Louis XIV, who was intent on the complete domination of his European neighbours. The Duke of Wellington finally disposed of Napoleon Bonaparte, with his ideas of grandeur equalled only by Alexander the Great, and the United Kingdom stood alone as a beacon of hope against the Nazi storm which swept across Europe in 1940/1.
The British people and their language, together with their products, ideas and culture have spread around the world. Annals builds the story of a nation which has endured through many centuries and whose legacies, for good or ill, still lives in these islands and in many other parts of the world today. Anyone who has an interest in the history of Britain is invited to make free use of this incredible site.
