Synopses & Reviews
In these essays the pre-eminent historian of early modern Spain and its world looks at the character of the Spanish Habsburg court; the ties between sixteenth- and seventeenth-century Spain, the rest of Europe, and the New World; and the decline of Spanish world power. 'Professor Elliott is our most distinguished historian of the imperial age of Spain, and in 'Spain and Its World' he has collected twelve essays which illustrate several of the great and continuing problems of that history ... These are wonderful essays, erudite and yet lucid, wide-ranging but full of fascinating detail, by a master of the subject. They are beautifully written and a delight to read.' Hugh Trevor-Roper, The Sunday Telegraph'An elegantly designed work prefaced by a personal memoir of his journey through Spanish history ... For anyone interested in the history of empire, of Europe and of Spain, here is a book to keep within reach, to read, to study and to enjoy.' John Lynch, 'Times Literary Supplement''Elliott's contribution to our knowledge of the history of Imperial Spain is immense ... The author combines solid historical research with a smooth narrative style to produce elegant essays which inform, stimulate, and frequently entertain the reader.' 'Virginia Quarterly Review'J. H. Elliott was Regius Professor of Modern History in the University of Oxford. He is the author of 'The Count-Duke of Olivares', 'A Palace for a King' (with Jonathan Brown) and 'Empires of the Atlantic World'.
Review
"In sum, scholars, students, history aficionados, and even policy-makers will find that Elliott offers valuable insights on the early modern world that speak to our own as well."—Roger Louis Martinez, The Americas
Synopsis
It used to be said that the sun never set on the empire of the King of Spain. It was therefore appropriate that Emperor Charles V should have commissioned from Battista Agnese in 1543 a world map as a birthday present for his sixteen-year-old son, the future Philip II. This was the world as Charles V and his successors of the House of Austria knew it, a world crossed by the golden path of the treasure fleets that linked Spain to the riches of the Indies. It is this world, with Spain at its center, that forms the subject of this book. J.H. Elliott, the pre-eminent historian of early modern Spain and its world, originally published these essays in a variety of books and journals. They have here been grouped into four sections, each with an introduction outlining the circumstances in which they were written and offering additional reflections. The first section, on the American world, explores the links between Spain and its American possessions. The second section, "The European World," extends beyond the Castilian center of the Iberian peninsula and its Catalan periphery to embrace sixteenth- and seventeenth-century Europe as a whole. In "The World of the Court," the author looks at the character of the court of the Spanish Habsburgs and the perennially uneasy relationship between the world of political power and the world of arts and letters. The final section is devoted to the great historical question of the decline of Spain, a question that continues to resonate in the Anglo-American world of today.