Unruly: The Ridiculous History of England's Kings and Queens

Unruly traces the history of England's kings and queens from King Arthur to Elizabeth I. David Mitchell examines how these monarchs, despite their fearsome reputations as rulers, were often impulsive and eccentric individuals whose behavior matched the oddity of their historical portraits. The book covers post-Roman England's evolution from a society where the strongest military leader seized power to one where subjects bowed to divinely anointed kings and paid taxes. Mitchell recounts the reigns of various monarchs, including narcissists, figures with poor self-control, and those involved in civil conflicts, while addressing how this system of monarchy developed and why it matters. Mitchell combines historical detail with humor to explore the founding story of the English monarchy and the circumstances that shaped it.