David Hilliam – författare

Who invented the 'House of Windsor' as a royal name? Who founded Westminster Abbey? Which king had twenty-one illegitimate children? David Halliam answers all these questions and more. Here is a continuous history of the English monarchy, showing how the nine dynasties rose and fell.The book describes the most memorable features of the life and times of each king or queen - from Egbert, crowned in 802 and considered the first king of England, to Queen Elizabeth II - as well as recording the extraordinary lives of their queens, consorts, mistresses and bastard children. It also tells the story of the Saxons, describes what has happened to the monarchs' mortal remains, and relates many lively incidents of royal history that rarely appear in the text books.Read of the saintly Edward the Confessor, who is believed to have refused to consummate his marriage; of the rumbustious Henry VIII, given to beheading those who displeased him; of the 'little gentleman in black velvet', who caused the death of William III; and of Queen Victoria's strange servant, the 'Munshi', Queen Emma, who endured a trial by ordeal; and Anne Boleyn, widely suspected of being a witch.A complete list of the monarchs' reigns and a genealogical table showing the royal descent down thirty-seven generations from Egbert to Elizabeth II adds to the volume's reference value.

Winchester, ancient capital of Wessex, is a crucial part of Britain's heritage. In his latest book, David Hilliam condenses the city's long and fascinating history into a collection of memorable 'curiosities' that are still to be seen today. Visitors - and even residents - frequently walk by some of these age-old fragments of the past without fully realising just what they are, or how they relate to Winchester's memorable past. For more than two thousand years Winchester has been one of the most important cities in Britain: important for William the Conqueror, who built his first castle here; for the Saxons, who buried their kings here; for the Romans, who first laid out its streets - still used by twenty-first century traffic; and for the Celtic tribe the Belgae, who traded in Winchester and thus provided its ancient name - Venta Belgarum - 'market-place of the Belgae.' Winchester Curiosities is an intriguing collection of historical facts and legendary tales, together with a wealth of photographs, old engravings and specially commissioned drawings. Also included is useful information for visitors, as well as essential websites for the armchair traveller.

Who travelling through Totteridge and Whetstone is aware that the station got its name from the medieval soldiers who sharpened their swords at the whetstone before the bloody Battle of Barnet? Or that Canary Wharf was built for importing fruit from the Canary Islands? Or that Shepherd’s Bush was previously known as Gagglegoose Green?The names of the 300 or so underground stations are part of everyday life for Londoners, but we hardly ever question their meanings or history. This entertaining book delves into their origins, ensuring you never view your journey beneath the city in the same way again.

The Little Book of Dorset is a funny, fast-paced, fact-packed compendium of the places, people, legends and true stories about the county's past and present.

As modern tourist destinations, museums, and sites of archaeological and architectural study, medieval castles continue to captivate students of history and laymen alike. Medieval cathedrals, many refurbished and still in use, also inspire awe, inspiration, and historical interest. In this book, readers will be enthralled by the vivid imagery of the castles and cathedrals that remain all over Europe and the rich historical narratives their stories convey. This work will be a surefire hit with those seeking the history behind some of the most impressive and romantic castles ever constructed and the most soaring and grand cathedrals of the medieval era.

Which 'ill-prepared' monarch was on the throne at the turn of the last millennium? How many English monarchs have been crowned on St. George's day? When, how and why did England 'lose' eleven days? "Monarchs, Murderers and Mistresses" answers these questions and more, presenting a royal event for each day of the calendar year in vivid detail with close-ups of the personalities involved.

Which 'ill-prepared' monarch was on the English throne at the turn of the last millenium? How many English monarchs have been crowned on St George's Day? When, how and why did England 'lose' eleven days? Monarchs, Murders and Mistresses answers these questions and many more, presenting a royal event for each day of the calendar year in vivid detail with close-ups of the personalities involved. The book reveals the recurring occupational difficulties faced by the royal family over the centuries: as Shakespeare's Henry IV so memorably concludes, 'Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown'.Today the royal family is plagued by the press, but even 300 years ago Charles II felt the need to apologise to a crowd of onlookers for taking so long to die. Ranging from from the death of William III, who was killed by a mole to the beheading of Mary, Queen of Scots. These, and over 300 other tales of royal days, bring alive the drama of what it was, and is, to be a king or a queen.