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When was the best time in English history to be alive?

When was the best time in English history to be alive?

Ian Mortimer explores the good, the bad and the ugly of life in four historical periods: the 14th century, the Elizabethan age, the Restoration and the Regency

Spencer Mizen

Published: December 22, 2025 at 8:00 AM

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Did you know that Elizabethan Londoners were good kissers? That medieval drinkers used beer to fight off the flames of a raging inferno? And that Jane Austen doesn't paint an entirely accurate picture of the early 19th century? These are just some of the facts served up in Ian Mortimer's new book, Mortimer's A to Zs of English History. Here, in conversation with Spencer Mizen, Ian takes us on an immersive tour of the nation in four periods: the 14th century, the Elizabethan age, the Restoration and the Regency.

Authors

Spencer MizenSenior production editor

Spencer is senior production editor of HistoryExtra magazine