The Empire Books

If Christopher Bell�s �Portugal and the Quest for the Indies� is written as popular history, in an adventurous style, and if C.R. Boxer�s masterpiece, �The Portuguese Seaborne Empire� excels in synthesis and displays a breathtaking grasp of world history, then Diffie and Winius have produced a 435 page �history by the numbers�---a methodical, step-by-step story of how Portugal began to explore the Atlantic coasts of Africa, how it outmaneuvered its rivals, settled Madeira and the Azores, and developed a system of trade and control that lasted over a century before succumbing to more powerful, better organized rivals and to the consequences of a small nation�s being overextended. Puncturing the various balloons of myth and legend, the authors� down-to-earth, but highly detailed approach to the history of Portuguese exploration and penetration of the trading world of the Indian Ocean and the Far East is an extremely useful and interesting volume, probably required reading for students in the field. FOUNDATIONS OF THE PORTUGUESE EMPIRE sticks to the period 1415-1580, at which later date, Portugal entered into a sixty year period of absorption by Spain. (Note: the title as listed on Amazon is incorrect.)

The strong point about this book is the documentation, so useful for further research or inquiry. Footnotes have been placed at the bottom of the page, not in the text, thereby allowing smooth reading for people like me, who are unlikely to need to know the exact sources. There are some good maps and a section of illustrations. Not only are the voyages and battles in the East covered, but the authors also keep track of what was going on back in Portugal; the royal follies, the intrigues and battles with Spain, the rivalries among the Italian city states, the fruitless attempt to conquer Morocco, and the energetic trade with the Flemish ports to the north. We learn how the Portuguese got their information and see how, though mercantile reasons seemed to be by far the strongest motivation for their exploits, they often made huge sacrifices for reasons of faith too. From Ethiopia to Japan, from Persia to the Moluccas, soldiers, traders, and priests spent their lives in the quest for riches and in (mostly vain) efforts to save souls. The authors point out that the Portuguese domination of trade in the Indian Ocean during the period under discussion was no accident. Rather, it was the result of a geopolitical plan to strangle Muslim trade, and control trade routes through strategically placed forts (Sofala, Mombasa, Ormuz, Goa, Malacca, etc.) and a strong fleet. Rivalries among Portuguese commanders in the East, as well as the Portuguese king�s distrust of his far-flung lieutenants, led to many a disaster, but time and time again, Portuguese naval power and unbelievable bellicosity overcame huge odds. The last chapter of the book, entitled �The Balance Sheet�, tries to decide whether the whole thing paid off---if in fact, aside from individual fortunes made, Portugal benefitted from its explorations and conquests.

The weakest point in FOUNDATIONS OF THE PORTUGUESE EMPIRE is that the authors seem far more comfortable and authoritative when dealing with Europe, with the Portuguese side of the story. When, on a few occasions, they attempt to describe Asian societies, their explanations are weak. Some errors creep in. They hardly mention any African societies at all�the Africans are acted upon, never actors. For an extremely thorough story of Portuguese methods of expansion and economic domination, however, I would recommend Diffie and Winius� work to every interested reader.

Even though I'm only about halfway through Vol I, I am REALLY enjoying the book. It is a very enjoyable book and easy to read. The chapters are well organized and describe nicely how the war started, the Prussian and French high command and the battles. It is very clear to read why the war has progressed so well for the Prussians and so poorly for the French. I can't wait to finish it - highly recommended!

Where ca I find info on Frank Sobey on the net for a school projec

Frederick II of Hohenstaufen, Holy Roman Emperor, King of Sicily and later King of Jerusalem, was the son of a diplomatic marriage between the brutal Emperor Henry VI and the Sicilian Queen Constance. Since both parents died in his early youth, he was raised as a virtual adopted child of the Papacy and thus expected to be a pliant servant of Rome. Not so- Frederick turned into one of the medieval era's most brilliant players, wholly independent of church influence (and thought by many to be atheistic to boot). Crusader, diplomat, philosopher, linguist, artist, poet and scientist; nominally of German stock but, in essence, a Sicilian. Italy of the early thirteenth century is a a radically alien environment to any reader unfamiliar with medieval history, and Masson not only guides us through this strange world; she makes it seem that Frederick himself belongs more to our era than he did to his own.

This book is history and historical analysis at its very best. Professor Bosher has an absolutely thorough knowledge of the subject; and he presents it all with the kind of clarity that makes the reader, even one new to the subject, comfortable with it. The French Revolution is a subject on which there is much disagreement and debate. Bosher explains all sides of the issue. Anyone looking for insight and understanding will find this book a page-turner.

The title of the book is totally accurate. What we find in it is a brief, but also objective and straightforward, history of important issues that shaped the French Revolution and the contemporary political institution building processes. The book distributes important speeches, proposed bills and other documents in different sections, each of which dealing with specific problems (slavery, equality of citizens' rights, the status of the jews etc). It is a very useful book for those who are not scholars in the area but are looking for some reliable source. I highly recommend it.

This book is the best historical book I have read for applied class analysis. This isn't arid debating -- it's classes in action.

Soboul fits the vacillations of the French Revolutionary period into a complex but comprehensible framework of competing class interests, internal conflicts within classes, and the broader movement of European history.

All this is placed against the backdrop of an incredibly dramatic period of history.

Maybe not the best introductory text, but certainly one you will want to read to grasp this period.

The wars between Revolutionary France and the other European states before the Peace of Amiens are sometimes neglected compared to the succeeding Napoleonic Wars. This book provides a good account of these wars and explains lucidly the connection between events in western and eastern Europe. The author also shows how the book both arose from domestic French politics and helped shape them. What I found particularly interesting was the sagacity of Robespierre - his comments about "No-one loves armed missionaries" and "You cannot export liberty at bayonet point" take on extra significance when one considers recent events in Iraq. The way in which wartime necessities were used to justify suppression of political and personal liberties also has an awful contemporary resonance. For anyone wanting a brief and readable account of these wars this is as far as I know the only one available. One complaint I would have is that the author could have used better maps, but this does not detract from what is an excellent account which all students of the period could benefit from reading.

Call me biased (I compiled the index), but this book is an exemplary, no nonsense, exploration of the issues. A paradigm. What else to say? `From Subject to Citizen' does its author proud. A superb history which shares pride of place on my bookshelf with a handful of others of the kind, not only for its scholarly worth - and beyond the bounds of academe in respect of readability - but for its invaluable references, a boon to the daily chores of my professional life.

Thanks very much, Sudhir, for this illuminating addition to my library, and to my life generally.

Gratitude

Frank

Former London museum employee and freelance lecturer Debbie Challis presents From the Harpy Tomb to the Wonders of Ephesus: British Archaeologists in the Ottoman Empire 1840-1880, an extensive study of British-backed mid-1800's archaeological expeditions. Exhaustively researched, From the Harpy Tomb to the Wonders of Ephesus covers the amazing true stories behind the intelligent and driven men who led expeditions, reconstructs their labors and rewards, and analyzes the ripple effect of their discoveries. Notes, a bibliography, an index, and a handful of black-and-white photographs round out this scholarly historical chronicle. A welcome addition to archaeological history shelves.