Kings, Nobles and Commoners: States and Societies in Early Modern Europe [Paperback]

Jeremy Black (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 19, 2004 | ISBN-10: 1860649866 | ISBN-13: 978-1860649868

Kings, Nobles and Commoners takes head-on the leading questions in the history of early modern Europe--questions vital for an understanding of the period, and now at the top of the history agenda for academics, students and general readers. Was religion the badge of identity and inspiration for the state? What was the nature of the state? Did Protestantism lead to political and economic progress and Catholicism to absolutism, decadence and extinction? Jeremy Black's revisionist history shows that while "bourgeois" Protestant states like the Netherlands and Britain prospered and, in Britain's case, became a global power. "Reactionary" Catholic states like Austria and France at various times remained stable until the deluge of the French Revolution. "Absolutism" was no myth, but absolutist states still had to rule with consent. Jeremy Black links these themes into a rich and coherent tapestry to give the clearest and most authoritative picture of the complexities of the early modern period.

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About the Author

Jeremy Black is Professor of History at the University of Exeter. He is both a leading specialist on early modern Europe and a prolific author and broadcaster, appearing on various television and radio shows.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: I. B. Tauris (June 19, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1860649866
• ISBN-13: 978-1860649868
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,442,510 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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