Book Description

The book "A History of England: Medieval Monarchy (449 to 1485)" covers the period from departure of Romansto the reign of Richard III in British History. The book was written by James Franck Bright who was a British historian and Master of University College, Oxford. Bright also wrote on "The Growth of Democracy" and andbiographies of the Holy Roman Empress Maria Theresa and Joseph II.He was a progressive leader at Oxford, helping to improve teaching standards and arguing that theological degrees could be awarded to non-members of the Church of England. In 1882, Bright was one of the first dons at Oxford University to allow women students to attend his lectures, in University College Hall. Excerpt: "The dominion of the Romans in Britain had been complete. The country, as far as the Frith of Forth, had been brought under Roman civilization. But in England, as elsewhere, the continuance of that form of civilization had produced weakness; and the unconquered Britons of the North, known by the name of Picts, broke into the Romanized districts, and pushed their incursions far into the centre of the country. On all sides, the nations outside the Empire were breaking through its limits and threatening its existence. The danger which threatened the very heart of the Empire, from the advance of the Goths into Italy, compelled the Romans in 411 to withdraw their legions from Britain, and leave the inhabitants of the island to fight their own battles with the Picts..."