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GOLDIEM_J t1_isjc6lb wrote

How far do you agree that in the English educational system, kings who generally fit in with the stereotypical "king" epitome (eg John, Henry VIII, Charles I) are given an unfair precedent?

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Thibaudborny t1_isk8xhl wrote

What is the stereotypical king epitome to you, and you mean they get preferred attention?

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GOLDIEM_J t1_iskagtb wrote

You may have heard the statement that everything Henry VIII did and how he asserted his authority on those around him has come to be viewed as the epitome of the word "king." Dictator-like kings, as exemplified in the examples provided, is more or less what I mean. I remember looking at John, Henry VIII and the Civil War in history class, but other than that, I mean I can't help but feel that the curriculum is selectivist in what they prefer to teach. Not much about the Anglo-Saxon period or even that the Plantagenets also held large sways of France. But anyway, back to my question, do you understand it better now?

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Thibaudborny t1_iskgnfj wrote

Yes, that clears up what you are aiming at. While I’m not English myself, I have a very strong preference for history books concerning English history. What I would surmise based on your example is that these sovereigns all are central to periods of socio-political ferment on which a general education will generally pay the most attention, even if - if were to go into academic detail - we can make many remarks around these. General education in any case tends to have this type of focus.

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GOLDIEM_J t1_iskh87h wrote

I guess socio-political changes through time is practically all history is in the educational sense rather than historical events as a whole.

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jezreelite t1_iskp7q0 wrote

A lot of failure kings (like the ones you mentioned and I'd also add Henry III, Edward II, Richard II, Henry VI, and George IV, among others) tend to get a lot of focus in history classes because their reigns tended to bring about a lot of abrupt changes and often mark turning points in history.

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