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Palaces of Revolution

Life, Death and Art at the Stuart Court
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( 50 ratings, 8 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Palaces of Revolution by Simon Thurley vividly charts the dramatic century-long saga of the Stuart dynasty through the spectacular buildings they inhabited across Europe, including Scotland, Denmark, Holland, Spain, and England. The book unveils the rich, often hidden lives of the Stuartsโ€”from the political turmoil surrounding Charles I and his execution to the demise of the dynastyโ€”by exploring the palaces, artworks, and commissioned paintings that reflected their worldviews and personal lives. Readers journey from James I's Royal estates in Royston and Newmarket to Charles II's infamous Whitehall Turkish baths, gaining an intimate, architectural lens into the period's drama and intrigue.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book is ideal for readers fascinated by British history, royal intrigue, architecture, and cultural heritage. Scholars, students, and general readers with an interest in the Stuart period or the history of European royal courts will find it particularly rewarding.

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The story of the Stuart dynasty is a breathless soap opera played out in just a hundred years in an array of buildings that span Europe from Scotland, via Denmark, Holland and Spain to England.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

The story of the Stuart dynasty is a breathless soap opera played out in just a hundred years in an array of buildings that span Europe from Scotland, via Denmark, Holland, and Spain to England.

Life in the court of the House of Stuart has been shrouded in mystery: the first half of the century overshadowed by the fall and execution of Charles I, the second half in the complete collapse of the House itself. Lost to time is the extraordinary contribution the Stuarts made to the fabric of sovereignty.

Every palace they built, painting they commissioned, or artwork they acquired was a direct reflection of the lives that they led and the way that they thought. Palaces of Revolution explores this rich history in graphic detail, giving a unique insight into the lives of this famous dynasty. It takes us from Royston and Newmarket, where James I appropriated most of the town centre as a sort of rough-and-ready royal housing estate, to the steamy Turkish baths at Whitehall where Charles II seduced his mistresses. We see the intimate private lives of the monarchs, presented through the buildings in which they lived and the objects they commissioned, creating an entirely new narrative of the Stuart century.

Palaces of Revolution traces this extraordinary period across the places and palaces on which the action played out, giving us a thrilling new history of this remarkable dynasty.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Critics have praised Palaces of Revolution for its engaging and clear literary style, with Ronald Hutton in the Times Literary Supplement calling it a "splendid achievement" and an important addition to historical knowledge. Country Life's John Goodall describes it as "hugely impressive" and thoughtfully illustrated, while Andrew Taylor in The Times calls it "lively and authoritative," noting Thurley's unparalleled expertise on 16th and 17th-century palaces. The book has been celebrated for elevating architectural history into a compelling alternative narrative of the Stuart dynasty packed with vivid detail.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780008389994

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 26 May 2022

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: William Collins

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 31.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 420g

Pages: 560

About the Author

Dr Simon Thurley is one of the UKโ€™s leading architectural historians. He is Chief Executive of English Heritage โ€“ the governmentโ€™s principle advisor on the historic environment.

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