{Circles of History [continued (3)]}[12th June 1983]

[Redbook2:287][19830612:1230c]{Circles of History [continued (3)]}[12^th June 1983]

19830612.1230

[continued]

There are possibilities in other 'female' periods of British history. There might be possibilities in Stephen (and Matilda): Henry II being generally seen as the great lawgiver – although I should have seen Stephen's and Matilda's struggle more easily a little earlier in the Circle. But Elizabeth I's reign is a superb example, since one who has studied it cannot fail to notice the qualitative change that occurs across the whole of English culture between its beginning and its end: the true end, in my mind, of the Middle Ages, and the beginning of Modern times. It is the beginning too of the British civilisation, since its immediate consequence was the unification of the crowns of England and Scotland.

The Stuart monarchy is more difficult to fit into this pattern, unless one accepts an extreme variation of rates of movement. It may be special pleading to say that 1625 marked a Civil War (Distraction) rather than a Revolution, but that the Glorious Revolution of 1688 introduced William-and-Mary, and Anne; but the [Parliamentary] unification of 1701-7, [of England and Wales] with Scotland, fits the pattern. It is interesting that the Union with Ireland, which does not seem to ft the pattern so well, was not so successful*.

*There are doubts about the success of the 1701 Union, of course! <870812>

This is superseded by [later] work on precise historical cycles <930117>

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