The Winter King: Frederick V of the Palatinate and the Coming of the Thirty Years' War [Hardcover]

Brennan C. Pursell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 2003 | ISBN-10: 0754634019 | ISBN-13: 978-0754634010

This study is not just a detailed biographical account of Frederick, but a contribution to the historiography of the war itself, placing constitutionalism instead of religion at the centre of our understanding of the Thirty Years' War. For centuries historians have portrayed intra-confessional rivalry as the primary cause of the crisis, yet this has increasingly been viewed as insufficient. Examining the early stages of the war through the locus of Frederick, the goal of this book is to reconcile the forces of confession, conscience and constitutionalism affecting Frederick's decision making at various junctures throughout the crisis, and thus to present a more nuanced understanding of the wider conflict Relying heavily on his political and personal correspondence, backed up with a wealth of archival and secondary sources, Pursell presents Frederick's choices and alternatives, and interprets his words and responses to them. Considering the war from Frederick's perspective, he argues that it is best to understand the war as an extended constitutional conflict, entailing religious and political factors together, fought within the Holy Roman Empire.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: Ashgate Pub Ltd (November 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0754634019
• ISBN-13: 978-0754634010
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,344,888 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A sweeping, yet detailed account of the Thirty Years War, February 17, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: The Winter King: Frederick V of the Palatinate and the Coming of the Thirty Years' War (Hardcover)

This book is an important work of scholarship for anyone interested in the Thiry Years War. Although it deals with a highly complex period, it nevertheless reads well for someone who does not know much about seventeenth century Europe. This fascinating account of the first stages of the war is told from the perspective of Friedrich V, who ruled Bohemia for less than a year and triggered the longest, most devastating of all the conflicts of the Early Modern period. Mercenaries and kings, unceasing diplomacy and bloody conflict, loyalty and betrayal, all are seen in this sweeping, yet detailed account. This bright, energetic work challenges the usual interpretations about the causes and course of the Thirty Years' War.