The Cambridge Illustrated Atlas of Warfare: Renaissance to Revolution, 1492-1792 (Cambridge Illustrated Atlases) [Hardcover]

Jeremy Black (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0521470331 | ISBN-13: 978-0521470339 | Publication Date: May 31, 1996 | Edition: First Edition, First Printing.

The three centuries following the discovery of the New World was a period of unprecedented global expansion, spearheaded by the lusty armies of the imperial European powers. This volume of The Cambridge Illustrated Atlases of Warfare is a lively and elaborately illustrated study of warfare during the early modern period, ranging from the European Renaissance to the American Revolution. Unique color maps and authoritative text illuminate the major military and naval developments that characterized the period. Feature boxes describe key events, important military confrontations, individual tacticians, battle strategies and weapons. Throughout, the author pays particular attention to the effects of European military expansion on the Americas, Africa, Asia, and the Mediterranean. This comprehensive and accessible book about a fascinating and important period will appeal to war buffs and historians alike.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The atlas's elegant design and color illustration make global war history palatable in appeal to military and naval historians, and more causal students." Reference & Research Book News

"Excellent....very accessible and authoritative." Reader's Review

"Jeremy Black, professor of History at Exeter University, has written an excelllent reference work that covers warfare from the Renaissance (or at least from 1492) to 1792....Black's Atlas is a beautiful work to behold....The text is concise and accurate throughout the volume and the non-military expert will find it a useful reference work. Military historians would do well to add this superb atlas to their collection....it is not surprising to find his work an excellent example of what the genre can accomplish." Rand Burnette, Renaissance Quarterly

"...a military history supported by superb cartography....Black's [is a] masterful text. His account of the period's history combines succinct exposition while avoiding the easy explanation or riding the hobby horse of a few grand themes....This is an atlas equally useful for the reader as the student. It is also one that will be welcomed by those searching for quality additions to multi-cultural collections." American Reference Book Annual 1997

"...a marvelous book. Specialists will doubtless be sparked by both maps and text to rethink their own perspective on the period as a whole. Nonspecialists will find it an excellent panoramic introduction to war in the early modern world. As such, an introduction, especially considering its truly global coverage, this atlas stands alone." Thomas F. Arnold, Sixteenth Century Journal

"This is a much-needed introduction to early modern military history. It contains over ninety maps of campaign trajectories and battle diagrams that are clear, uncluttered, and relate to the immediate discussion. More impressive is the narrative: it represents the first synthesis of early modern warfare from a global perspective." Journal of Military History

"This is an atlas equally useful for the reader as the student. It is also that will be welcomed by those searching for quality additions to multicultural collections." American Reference Books Annual

"This ia an atlas equally usefull for the reader as well as the student. It is also on ethat will be welcomed by those searching for quality additions to multicultural collections." American Reference Books Annual

"...this attractive volume is best suited for laymen, scholars will be pleased by some of the subjects it covers." Charles Ingrao, International History Review

"...this book should reach `best seller' through adoption as a text." Ron Whistance-Smith, WAML Information Bulletin

Book Description

The Cambridge Illustrated Atlas of Warfare: Renaissance to Revolution provides a thorough introduction to the military and naval history of the years 1492 to 1792, from the Renaissance to the revolutionary wars of the late eighteenth century. Colour maps, battle plans, and illustrations combine with an authoritative text to illuminate developments in warfare on land and sea.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press; First Edition, First Printing. edition (May 31, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521470331
• ISBN-13: 978-0521470339
• Product Dimensions: 11.7 x 9.6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,605,972 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent reference, January 5, 2004

By 

steve estvanik (seattle, wa USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Cambridge Illustrated Atlas of Warfare: Renaissance to Revolution, 1492-1792 (Cambridge Illustrated Atlases) (Hardcover)

This book, and its companion, covering The Middle Ages, 768-1487 and Renaissance to Revolution, 1492-1792, though with different authors, form an elegant pair of references. They cover a period that is infrequently covered in much detail, and rarely illustrated with any maps, much less the excellent examples here. My primary use for these books is as aids when reading both history and, even more, historical fiction such as Sharon Kay Penman, Dorothy Dunnett and Neal Stephenson. These authors write intricately plotted tapestries that rely heavily on movements in historical time, but their publishers include only incidental maps. These volumes supply a much needed reference for readers who are not quite au courant with the 3rd Anglo Dutch War, or the rise of Maratha India. The accompanying text gives an adequate survey of the time, but the primary emphasis is `rightly on the illustrated portion. The maps are beautifully designed, and easily deciphered, covering both individual battles and broader strategic concepts.

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant and provoking, May 15, 2000

By 

"muslimhistorian" - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Cambridge Illustrated Atlas of Warfare: Renaissance to Revolution, 1492-1792 (Cambridge Illustrated Atlases) (Hardcover)

Black's clear advantage was that the timeline span of the subject was avoided by most historians, probably because it's difficult to compile into a single piece of work. But, Black have done it in a fashion, arguably, very original than most historical atlases.

The special maps and themes are divided into daunting blocks of adventure and you'll not stop until the last pages. There are new insights into the clashes between Portugal and Utsmani Devlet in and around the Indian Ocean.

Let's hope more works come out from this author, at least from the Cambridge Series. In the end, you'll wish the pages were much longer as your thirst grew unbearable.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not for the Wargamer or Military Historian, June 25, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: The Cambridge Illustrated Atlas of Warfare: Renaissance to Revolution, 1492-1792 (Cambridge Illustrated Atlases) (Hardcover)

This Atlas is too general for the Military Historian and wargamer, but is a nice worldwide historical overview. It does have some good political maps, but there are not a lot of them, and they are only snapshots far apart in time. When I think of an Atlas I think of page followed by page of maps. This book is mostly text with many illustrative maps, and lots of non-map pictures. It is not as detailed as some other historical Atlases. I do not mean to disparage this work, it is a very good, very colorful overview, and puts military history in context. It is not however, a book that will provide informative maps for the Military Historian, or gaming enthusiast. Definately a book to check out of the library, It would be a good buy as a color paperback, unfortunately I paid for a hard copy.