The history of England is a continuous movement and a series of constant changes. But the entire history of England, starting from primitive times, is permeated by continuity, so that the main thing in it is not change, but constancy. To this day, in England there is an inextricable connection with the past, with traditions and customs. Until now, this country, which has always been one, has resisted change in any aspect of life. Peter Ackroyd shows the origins of England's centuries-old immutability, its conservatism and adherence to the past. This book covers the period of the Tudor dynasty in England. This is the story of Henry VIII's break with Rome and the king's relentless pursuit of the perfect wife and the perfect heir. The story of how the brief reign of the teenage King Edward VI was followed by a violent revival of Catholicism, tragically culminating in the executions and massacres of Mary I, known as Bloody Mary, and the grand reign of Elizabeth I that eventually brought stability, albeit marked by civil strife, conspiracies against the queen and a large-scale Anglo-Spanish War. But above all, it is the story of the English Reformation - which differed significantly from the Reformation in Europe - and the formation of the Anglican Church, because at the beginning of the 16th century England was still a largely feudal country and often turned to Rome. At the end of the 16th century, it was already a country where fair governance was the responsibility of the state, not the church, and where people began to independently seek answers to the questions that occupied their minds, ceasing to rely on those who stood at the head of the country... Historical and literary work of the brilliant British the author, equipped with 43 color illustrations, will be of interest to a wide range of readers.