The British Isles, it is often believed, have not been invaded for nearly a thousand years. Norman Longmate reveals in this fascinating book that foreign soldiers have landed on British soil on many occasions. This definitive study weaves original sources into an enthralling narrative with facts about weapons, ships, armies, and fortresses—spiced with anecdote and ranging over international, political, military, and naval history. It is an exciting story that shows how, against all odds, the British managed to retain their freedom from the days of James I to those of George VI.