An in-depth look at how the United Kingdom was created by years of conquest by an aggressive and land-hungry monarchy

By conquest, treaty, and ruthless colonization, the English won sovereignty over what are known as the British Islands--the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islands. It was England's aggressive predations that led to the formation of the uneasy union with Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, perhaps explaining the commonplace confusion between "English" and "British." The looser federal relationship with the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands perhaps explains why they are happier with their lot. The history in Iain Milligan's Sovereign of the Isles offers an explanation for why the British Isles are held together by such a fragile and often hostile bond.