The King's City

by Don Jordan

Overview

During the reign of Charles II, London was a city in flux. After years of civil war and political turmoil, England's capital became the center for major advances in the sciences, the theatre, architecture, trade and ship-building that paved the way for the creation of the British Empire.At the heart of this activity was the King, whose return to power from exile in 1660 lit the fuse for an explosion in activity in all spheres of city life. London flourished, its wealth, vibrancy and success due to many figures famous today including Christopher Wren, Samuel Pepys, and John Dryden—and others whom history has overlooked until now.Throughout the quarter-century Charles was on the throne, London suffered several serious reverses: the plague in 1665 and the Great Fire in 1666, and severe defeat in the Second Anglo-Dutch War, which brought about notable economic decline. But thanks to the genius and resilience of the people of London, and the occasionally wavering stewardship of the King, the city rose from the ashes to become the economic capital of Europe.The King's City tells the gripping story of a city that defined a nation and birthed modern Britain—and how the vision of great individuals helped to build the richly diverse place we know today.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781681777023
Publisher:	Pegasus Books
Publication date:	02/06/2018
Sold by:	SIMON & SCHUSTER
Format:	eBook
Pages:	544
File size:	15 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Don Jordan has twice won a Blue Ribbon Award at the New York Film and Television Festival and has written four books with Michael Walsh. He lives in London.

Table of Contents

Preface ix

Part 1 1660-1663: The Years of Optimism

1 A City of Expectation 3

2 The King Comes In 29

3 Theatrum Redux! 45

4 Something for Everyone? 57

5 Rivals 76

6 The Crowning of a King 93

7 'Too Great an Honour for a Trifle' 104

8 Foreign Adventures 122

Part 2 1664-1667: The Years of Disaster

9 Trade Wars 139

10 A New World of Science 154

11 The Year of the Flea 169

12 Pestilence, War and Fire 194

13 The Aftermath 213

14 A Star is Born 231

Part 3 1667-1685: The Years of Turmoil

15 The Threat from Abroad 243

16 New Territories 255

17 Law and Order 268

18 A Spy in the Family, in the Court and in the Theatre 285

19 Trading in People and Money 302

20 War and Enterprise 316

21 The Mood of the City 330

22 Coffee Wars at Home, Real Wars in the Colonies 349

23 City Life 363

24 The City Convulsed 377

25 The Fall of Madam Creswell and the Migration of Criminals 394

26 The City Cowed, the City Triumphant 415

27 Death and Legacy 432

Epilogue 438

Appendix I Thomas Mun, England's Treasure 453

Appendix II The Navigation Act 1660 457

Appendix III Robert Boyle's Desiderata 461

Appendix IV Brief Observations Concerning Trade and Interest of Money 463

Appendix C Notes on the Formation of the Bank of England 469

Notes 473

Bibliography 489

Acknowledgements 503

Index 505

Editorial Reviews

01/01/2018
In the final book in a trilogy covering the reign of Charles II (1630–85), historian Jordan (White Cargo) examines the highs and lows that powered 17th-century London to become an influential city of modernity. While the Restoration period featured horrific events such as the plague and the Great Fire of London, the king's return to the city encouraged tremendous advances in the arts and sciences, revitalizing London and sparking transformation throughout England. The result was a rich and thriving society. Expanding upon the focus of the previous two books (The King's Revenge; The King's Bed) on the life and passions of Charles II, here Jordan demonstrates the importance of the king's and several other figures' roles in reforming London and, thereby, creating the opportunity for the British Empire, evidenced by the author's dedication to extensive research. While Ian Mortimer's The Time Traveler's Guide to Restoration Britain covers this time period, Jordan's work delves specifically into how Charles II's reign helped usher in the Restoration. VERDICT Jordan crafts a compelling narrative that provides an in-depth look at the personalities and events that shaped England's Restoration. Recommended for readers interested in British and royal history, as well as fans of historical fiction.—Katie McGaha, County of Los Angeles P.L.

Library Journal

11/27/2017
Post-Cromwellian London bursts to life with the Stuart dynasty’s restoration in this effortless account from Jordan (The King’s Bed, with Michael Walsh) that covers the years 1660–1685. He aptly dubs it an “age of transformation.” London under Charles II gained a glamorous court, a revitalized theater scene, and long-sought status as a leading city of trade. Jordan’s fast-paced and enjoyable narrative shows how London both benefited from and suffered under the central government’s perennial economic mismanagement, in light of which the city’s successes in trade and science were even more impressive. The discoveries and achievements of Robert Hooke, Samuel Pepys, Christopher Wren, and other notable intellectuals provide moments of excitement and passion as they changed London into a modern city untethered from medieval architecture and earlier restrictions on scientific innovation. Jordan also steadfastly examines Londoners’ increasing involvement in the slave trade over this period and the blatant corruption permeating their city. London shined during the Enlightenment but suffered nearly simultaneous catastrophes in the form of plague and a massive fire before sinking into a temporary decline. Through it all Jordan stays on task, offering a fresh perspective and enthusiasm for the era’s events and London’s adaptable residents. Illus. (Feb.)

Publishers Weekly

A marvelous blend of scholarship and accessibility. The most readable and stimulating study of the time since Jenny Uglow's A Gambling Man.

Open Letters Review

An absorbing history packed with more plotting than an episode of The Borgias.

Booklist (Praise for Don Jordan)

A fast-paced, lively work.

BBC History Magazine (Praise for THE KING'S REVENGE and THE KING'S BED)

An absorbing history packed with more plotting than an episode ofThe Borgias.”

Booklist

“A wonderful picture of seventeenth-century England, replete with the excitement of ideas and discoveries and the beginnings of the empire.”—Kirkus Reviews

“Jordan crafts a compelling narrative that provides an in-depth look at the personalities and events that shaped England’s Restoration. Recommended for readers interested in British and royal history.”—Library Journal

“Post-Cromwellian London bursts to life with the Stuart dynasty’s restoration in this effortless account from Jordan that covers the years 1660–1685. A fresh perspective and enthusiasm for the era’s events and London’s adaptable residents.”—Publishers Weekly

From the Publisher

2017-10-31
A history of the England that Charles II returned to in 1660 when he was restored to the throne.As Jordan (co-author: The King's Bed: Ambition and Intimacy in the Court of Charles II, 2016, etc.) shows in a lively history of an eventful period, the changes imposed by Oliver Cromwell and the Commonwealth were mostly erased. Charles wanted nothing to do with the impositions put on the theater, arts, literature, and sciences. When he returned to the throne, his Declaration of Breda set out the terms of the restoration of the monarchy. The restoration agreement didn't spell out the constitutional arrangement of governance, leaving the way open for Charles to attempt to renew the divine right of the king. The city was ready to throw off Puritan shackles and hoped for a more pro-parliament political stability. More playboy than king, Charles lacked talent in statecraft. It was an age of transformation, and Charles was constantly demanding money to fund his many mistresses and high tastes. This led him and his brother, the Duke of York, into the lucrative slave trade, as well as trade with India, helped along by his wife's dowry, which included Bombay. It was a desperate time as well. The twin disasters of plague and the great fire destroyed most of the city. The plague took 20 percent of the population, mostly the poor, who had no country houses to offer refuge, and the fire leveled most of London. Given the chance to redesign and rebuild, Christopher Wren, Robert Hooke, and Peter Mills stepped up with plans at the ready. It was also a great time for discovery. The Royal Society was founded and led by scientists like Newton, Locke, Hobbes, and even Margaret Cavendish. It was the end of Medieval London and beginning of a modern city, with Samuel Pepys recording it all in his diary.A wonderful picture of 17th-century England, replete with the excitement of ideas and discoveries and the beginnings of the empire.

Kirkus Reviews