VOLUME 1 OF A 3 VOLUME SET. "...perspective moves from the early tribes and invasions of the British isles to the Norman Conquest; through the sovereignties of Henry II, Richard I, and King John; through the outbreak of the Black Death, which destroyed nearly half of Europe's population; through the reign of Edward I and the growth of national identity in Scotland and Wales; to the turbulent religious and dynastic conflicts of the Tudor Age, culminating in the glorious reign of Elizabeth I." -- dust cover. "Talk Miramax books." Includes bibliographical references and index.