Christendom Destroyed: Europe 1517-1648

Description

This latest addition to the landmark Penguin History of Europe series is a fascinating study of 16th and 17th century Europe and the fundamental changes which led to the collapse of Christendom and established the geographical and political frameworks of Western Europe as we know it. From peasants to princes, no one was untouched by the spiritual and intellectual upheaval of this era. Martin Luther's challenge to church authority forced Christians to examine their beliefs in ways that shook the foundations of their religion. The subsequent divisions, fed by dynastic rivalries and military changes, fundamentally altered the relations between ruler and ruled. Geographical and scientific discoveries challenged the unity of Christendom as a belief-community. Europe, with all its divisions, emerged instead as a geographical projection. It was reflected in the mirror of America, and refracted by the eclipse of Crusade in ambiguous relationships with the Ottomans and Orthodox Christianity. Chronicling these dramatic changes, Thomas More, Shakespeare, Montaigne and Cervantes created works which continue to resonate with us. Christendom Destroyed is a rich tapestry that fosters a deeper understanding of Europe's identity today. Contents List of Maps List of Illustrations List of Genealogies Introduction 1. The Fall of Western Christendom THE IMPACT OF THE RENAISSANCE THE PROTESTANT REFORMATION THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH THE SURVIVAL OF CHRISTENDOM THE WANING OF CRUSADE THE HOLY ROMAN EMPEROR DYNASTIC PRINCES CHRISTIAN COMMONWEALTHS AND POST-REFORMATION RELIGIOUS CONFLICT EUROPE’S PAROXYSM THE WORLD AND THE DISCOVERY OF EUROPE IMAGINING EUROPE EUROPE’S INFORMATION DYNAMICS THE ‘SILVER AGE’ AND ITS AFTERMATH 2. Human Replenishment FOUNDATIONS NAMES ON A PAGE MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THE RED HORSE, THE DARK HORSE AND THE PALE HORSE EUROPE’S REPLENISHMENT AND GLOBAL COOLING 3. Urban and Rural Worlds URBAN SPACES MIGRATION AND MOBILITY PLOUGH AND SPADE LAND AND EXPLOITATION SHUTTLING BETWEEN TOWN AND COUNTRY POVERTY AND SOCIAL CONSCIENCE POPULAR PROTEST 4. Treasure and Transaction SUBTERRANEAN TREASURE GOLD AND SILVER SILVER, TRADE AND WAR TRADE AND CREDIT INFRASTRUCTURES RIDING THE WAVE 5. Noble Pursuits THE FORTUNES OF CHIVALRY MARKS OF DISTINCTION PEDIGREE LIVING NOBLY NOBLES BY NUMBERS NOBLE FORTUNES DOMAIN TRIUMPHS 6. Europe in the World EMPIRE OF THE WORLD AGENTS OF EMPIRE THE SONS OF NOAH THE EUROPEAN EAST EUROPE IN THE MIRROR OF THE WORLD 7. Earth and Heavens Observed NATURE AND DIVERSITY MONSTERS, MARVELS AND MAGIC THE ALCHEMICAL REFORMATION SEEING AND BELIEVING THE ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING COPERNICAN COSMOLOGY A MECHANICAL VISION 8. Being in Touch THE KNOWLEDGE HORIZON THE POWER OF CARTOGRAPHY THE SCIENCE OF TRAVEL WRITING, READING, COUNTING A GOOD EDUCATION BOOKS SEEKING READERS LANGUAGES AND COMMUNITIES THE POWER OF IMAGES 9. Politics and Empire in the Age of Charles V POLITICAL CONFIGURATIONS OLDER CONFLICTS AND THEIR LEGACIES CHARLES V’S IMPERIUM: MYTH AND REALITY THE ‘GREAT MONARCHY’ OF FRANCE HABSBURG—VALOIS CONFRONTATION CHRISTENDOM AND THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE MONSTROUS REGIMENT 10. Schism THE COMING OF THE PROTESTANT REFORMATION THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE AND THE SWISS CONFEDERATION LUTHER’S WAY BATTLES OF THE BOOKS THE LUTHER AFFAIR THE PROCESSES OF REFORMATION THE POLITICS OF THE LUTHERAN REFORMATION PROTESTANT DIVISIONS 11. Reaction, Repression, Reform TARES AMONG THE WHEAT LIVING JUSTIFIED BEFORE THE PLACARDS . . . AND AFTER JEAN CALVIN AND GENEVA FAILED REPRESSION, RETARDED REFORMATION THE RHINELAND AND THE NETHERLANDS: MAGISTRATES, REFUGEES, REVOLUTION REFORMATION IMPORTS 12. Conflicts in the Name of God CHRISTIAN COMMONWEALTHS IN STATE AND CHURCH WARS OF RELIGION RELIGION AND POLEMIC THE ‘YEAR OF WONDER’ IN THE NETHERLANDS AND A TIME OF TROUBLES MASSACRES IN FRANCE AND AN UNREALIZABLE PEACE HUGUENOTS AND BEGGARS AT SEA THE SPANISH MONARCHY AND ITS DOMINIONS THE CATHOLIC LEAGUE IN FRANCE RELIGION AND POLITICS PATRIA AND RELIGION 13. Living with Religious Divisions CONVICTION AND CONFORMITY LIVING TOGETHER APART IN SWISS AND GERMAN LANDS RELIGION AND THE RES PUBLICA: POLAND-LITHUANIA WITH, AND WITHOUT, A STATE CHURCH: THE DUTCH REPUBLIC AND THE BRITISH ISLES COHABITATION OF THE FAITHFUL AND UNFAITHFUL 14. Churches and the World CHURCHES AND STATES MISSIONS ABROAD MINISTRY AT HOME CATHOLIC REINVIGORATION THE COUNCIL OF TRENT AND THE PAPAL PRINCE THE CHURCHES AND THE SUPERNATURAL 15. The Waning of Crusade CHRISTIANITY AND ISLAM IN AN AGE OF RELIGIOUS CONTENTION PEACE IN CHRISTENDOM: WAR AGAINST THE TURKS CRUSADING ECHOES COMMERCE, CORSAIRS AND CAPTIVES EUROPE IN THE OTTOMAN MIRROR 16. The Business of States TRUST AND OBEDIENCE THE CRAFT OF STATES MEN OF BUSINESS, MEN OF STATE MAKING THE JUSTICE-STATE WORK NERVES OF STATE THE BUSINESS OF WAR . SENT TO LIE ABROAD* 17. States in Confrontation POLITICAL VIRTUES IN A DANGEROUS WORLD GALLIC HERCULES THE AUSTRIAN HABSBURGS DISCONCERTED A CENTRAL EUROPEAN STORM CONVERGING CATHOLIC INTERESTS OF STATE DENMARK AND THE DESTINY OF THE EMPIRE THE DEMISE OF THE FRENCH PROTESTANT PARTY 18. War at Large UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES GOVERNED BY OPINION THE LION OF THE NORTH THE PEACE OF PRAGUE SUSTAINING ATTRITIONAL WAR HALL OF REALMS POLITICAL WILL REPUBLIC AT WAR THE PEACE OF WESTPHALIA 19. Times of Troubles to the East and West POLAND-LITHUANIA: BEFORE THE DELUGE THE ‘FALLING OUT IN THESE THREE KINGDOMS’ A CONFUSION OF TONGUES IRISH REBELLION AND THE CONFEDERATE CAUSE THE EXECUTION OF A KING Conclusion: Europe's Paroxysm Acknowledgements Further Reading Index