The King's City: London under Charles II: A city that transformed a nation - and created modern Britain

Description

'The cruelty and magnificence of Restoration London provides endless fascination . . . there's much to delight in this volume' The Times 'Don Jordan's history captures the shifts [Charles II] engineered in trade and culture' Nature During the reign of Charles II, London was a city in flux. After years of civil war and political turmoil, England's capital became the centre for major advances in the sciences, the theatre, architecture, trade and ship-building that paved the way for the creation of the British Empire. At the heart of this activity was the King, whose return to power from exile in 1660 lit the fuse for an explosion in activity in all spheres of city life. London flourished, its wealth, vibrancy and success due to many figures famous today including Christopher Wren, Samuel Pepys and John Dryden - and others whom history has overlooked until now. Throughout the quarter-century Charles was on the throne, London suffered several serious reverses: the plague in 1665 and the Great Fire in 1666, and severe defeat in the Second Anglo-Dutch War, which brought about notable economic decline. But thanks to the genius and resilience of the people of London, and the occasionally wavering stewardship of the King, the city rose from the ashes to become the economic capital of Europe. The King's City tells the gripping story of a city that defined a nation and birthed modern Britain - and how the vision of great individuals helped to build the richly diverse place we know today.

Don Jordan (Author) Don Jordan is a writer and film maker, most recently known for a series of history books co-written with Michael Walsh. Among them are White Cargo, acclaimed by Nobel Laureate Toni Morrison as 'an extraordinary book', The King's Revenge and The King's Bed, the latter two published by Little, Brown. Jordan's work has won several awards, including two Blue Ribbons at the New York Film and Television Festival. He is the co-writer and co-producer of the multi-award winning feature film Love is the Devil, based on the life of the painter Francis Bacon, staring Derek Jacobi and Daniel Craig. Born in Northern Ireland, Don has lived in England for more than thirty years, most of that time in London, and is married to Eithne, a hospital doctor.

Praise for The King's Revenge: Jordan and Walsh provide a thoroughly entertaining account of these extraordinary events . . . a vivid and consuming piece of historical narrative - Sunday Times Praise for The King's Revenge: A fast-paced, lively work - BBC History Magazine Praise for The King's Revenge: In this beautifully detailed and seamlessly written book Jordan and Walsh shine a new light on Charles II . . . their energetic and masterful account makes for a Restoration romp worth reading - Sunday Express Praise for The King's Revenge: This is a terrific read - Spectator