This volume provides a sophisticated yet accessible account of the transformation of the British Isles in the sixteenth century. Six thematic chapters explore the changes in the English monarchical polity, ranging widely to consider the new relationships between the different parts of the British Isles and the establishment of a national, royal, and protestant church. Separate chapters consider Britain's overseas role; the economy and society; and the literary and cultural development in this period which felt the impact of the English Bible and Shakespeare.About the Author: Patrick Collinson is Regius Professor of Modern History, Emeritus, in the University of Cambridge, and a Fellow of Trinity College. He prevously held chairs at the Universities of Sydney, Kent at Canterbury, and Sheffield. He is a fellow of the British Academy and of the Australian Academy of Humanities. He is the author of numerous books and articles on sixteenth-century Britain, including The Elizabethan Puritan Movement (OUP, 1990) and Elizabethan Essays (1994).