Discover the history of Britain through its monarchs.

The first couple of centuries in a series of talks that look at the history of Britain through its rulers, from its abandonment by the Roman administration early in the fifth century to the union of the crowns of England and Scotland in 1603. Each talk can be standalone as well as part of the series, you do not have to see all the talks to appreciate these particular royals.

After Rome: 400-600

Rome had governed Britain for almost four hundred years when it gave up control early in the fifth century. The initial political arrangements of the former Diocese and parts that lay outside the empire are unclear, as there are few contemporary documents covering this period dealing with the island. It saw substantial settlement by people from northern Europe and Ireland, and emigration to Britanny and north-west Iberia. Most of what we can reconstruct of these two centuries, often called the ‘Dark Ages’, depends on information taken from later writers. One of the great legendary figures of British history, King Arthur, falls into this period.

Doors open 15 minutes before the event starts.