Seventeenth Century Europe: State, Conflict and the Social Order in Europe 1598-1700 (MacMillan History of Europe)

1. Thirty Years War In The German Lands -- 2. Government In Wartime Europe -- 3. Framework Of Life -- Population And Food Supply -- Demographic Effects Of Disease -- Impact Of War -- Prices And Wages -- Family -- Occupations And Wealth Distribution -- Social And Geographic Mobility -- 4. Enterprise And Profit -- 5. Structure Of Society: Nobility And Office-holders -- 6. Structure Of Society: Urban Life -- 7. Provincial Revolts Civil War And The Crisis Of The 17th Century -- The Frondes -- English Civil Wars And Scotland -- Revolution -- Scandinavian Kingdoms -- 8. Structure Of Society: Peasant And Seigneur -- Serfdom In Muscovy -- Conditions In East-central Europe -- Commercial Farming In The Netherlands And England -- Peasant, Bondsman And Labourer In Western Europe -- 9. Beliefs, Mentalities Knowledge And The Printed Text -- Witch-hunting -- Scepticism, Galileo And The Expanding Universe -- Science And The Commonwealth Of Learning -- 10. Arts, The Value Of Creativity And The Cost Of Appearances -- Popular Culture -- Church Music And The City Public -- Visual Arts And The Catholic Church In Rome -- Buildings And Symbols -- Princely And Royal Court Environments -- Public Patronage And Appreciation Of The Arts -- 11. Absolutism And The Return Of Order After 1660 -- 12. Government And Conflict In The Later Seventeenth Century -- Louis Xiv And International Conflict In Europe After 1660 -- Commercial Rivalry In Europe And Overseas -- Internal Opposition And The State Monopoly Of Violence -- Image Of Power And The Secular State -- Receding Eastern Frontier: Russia Thomas Munck. Includes Index. Bibliography: P. 431-441. Front Matter....Pages i-xxxii The Thirty Years War in the German lands....Pages 1-30 Government in wartime Europe....Pages 31-80 The framework of life....Pages 81-108 Enterprise and profit....Pages 109-136 The structure of society: nobility and office-holders....Pages 137-164 The structure of society: urban life....Pages 165-198 Provincial revolts, civil war and the ‘crisis of the 17th century’....Pages 199-236 The structure of society: peasant and seigneur....Pages 237-268 Beliefs, mentalités, knowledge and the printed text....Pages 269-304 The arts, the value of creativity and the cost of appearances....Pages 305-339 Absolutism and the return of order after 1660....Pages 340-370 Government and conflict in the later seventeenth century....Pages 371-401 Back Matter....Pages 402-457 Although many chapters are thematic in structure the political context of the period is given full prominence. Indeed the book opens with a detailed discussion of the Thirty Years War which is seen not just as a power struggle of great complexity but as a key to understanding the social and political developments of the early modern period. Full coverage is also given of the debate over the 'general crisis', absolutism and the growth of the state and the implications these had for townsmen, the peasantry and the poor. It also looks at changes in economic orientation within Europle, as well as continuity and change in mental and cultural traditions at different social levels This thematically organised book is intended to provide an introduction and guide to the key problems of this highly controversial century. Britain is treated as a part of Europe and there is substantial material on France, England and Scotland. In addition it also includes less readily available material from the rest of Europe including Scandinavia and east-central and Southern Europe, in a genuinely European wide, comparative treatment of key aspects of the period.

Seventeenth-Century Europe is a well-established synthesis of the period from the Thirty Years War to the consolidation of absolute monarchy and the landowning society of the ancient régime. Thematically organized, the book covers all of Europe, from Britain and Scandinavia to Spain and Eastern Europe.

This history book looks at the Thirty Years war in Germany, government in war-time Europe, provincial revolt, civil war and the "crisis of the 17th century", absolutism and the return of order after 1660, government and conflict in the later 17th century, and social history of the time.