A Brief History Of Europe

The first short, single-volume history of the continent - from the Dark Ages to present day - by the author of the bestselling A Short History of England Europe is an astonishingly successful place. In this dazzling new history, bestselling author Simon Jenkins grippingly tells the story of its evolution from warring peoples to peace, wealth and freedom. From Greece and Rome, through the Reformation and the French Revolution, to the Second World War and up now, Jenkins takes in leaders including Julius Caesar, Joan of Arc, Wellington and Angela Merkel, along with cultural figures like Aristotle, Shakespeare and Picasso. In one concise book for the very first time, Jenkins brings together the transformative forces and dominant eras into one chronological tale - all with his insight, colour and authority. PRAISE FOR SIMON JENKINS: 'Full of stand-out facts . . . absolutely fascinating' Richard Bacon, BBC Radio 2, on A Short History of England 'Masterly, perhaps a masterpiece' Independent, Books of the Year on England's Thousand Best Churches 'Jenkins is, like all good guides, more than simply informative: he can be courteous and rude, nostalgic and funny, elegant' Adam Nicolson on England's Thousand Best Houses, Evening Standard 'Full of the good judgements one might hope for from such a sensible and readable commentator, and they alone are worth perusing for pleasure and food for thought' Michael Wood on A Short History of England, New Statesman 'Any passably cultured inhabitant of the British Isles should ask for, say, three or four copies of this book' Max Hastings on England's Thousand Best Houses, Sunday Telegraph

What is Europe? Firstly, of course, it is a continent made up of countless disparate peoples, races and nations, and governed by different ideas, philosophies, religions and attitudes. Nonetheless, it has a common thread of history running through it, stitching the lands and peoples of its past and present together into one fabric and held together by the continent's great institutions, such as the Church of Rome, the Holy Roman Empire, the European Union, individual monarchies, trade organisations and social movements. Europe, however, is also an idea. From almost the beginning of time, men have harboured aspirations to make this vast territory one. The Romans came close and a few centuries later, the foundations for a great European state were laid with the creation of the Holy Roman Empire - an empire different to any other in that it enjoyed the approval of God, through the Church in Rome. Napoleon overreached himself in attempting to create a European-wide Empire - as did Adolf Hitler. Now, however, Europe is as close as it ever has been to being one entity, yet we Europeans still cling to our national independence. In A Short History of Europe Gordon Kerr provides a coherent map of the jumbled history of Europe and the European idea that has brought us to this point.

In this work, Antony Alcock recounts the historical development of Europe from the Greek city states through to the 2000 Nice Treaty on European Integration. This Short History of Europe is told simply and accessibly, yet provides the political, economic, social and cultural context for Europe's increasing integration, based on the three pillars of Greek political thought, Roman law and the Christian religion, including analysis of new material, Antony Alcock brings his history fully up-to-date looking at such issues as the collapse of Yugoslavia, immigration and asylum seekers and finally consideration of the future of Europe in the 21st century.

Twentieth-Century Europe: A Brief History presents readers with a concise and accessible survey of the most significant themes and political events that shaped European history in the 20th and 21st centuries. Features updates that include a new chapter that reviews major political and economic trends since 1989 and an extensively revised chapter that emphasizes the intellectual and cultural history of Europe since World War II Organized into brief chapters that are suitable for traditional courses or for classes in non-traditional courses that allow for additional material selected by the professor Includes the addition of a variety of supplemental materials such as chronological timelines, maps, and illustrations

Uncover the decisive moments that shaped a world-changing continent. The Shortest History books deliver thousands of years of history in one riveting, fast-paced read. Celebrated historian John Hirst draws from his own lectures to deliver this ultra-accessible master class on the making of modern Europe, from Ancient Greece through World War II. With over 600,000 copies sold worldwide, this brief history is a global sensation propelled by a thesis of astonishing simplicity: Just three elements—German warfare, Greek and Roman culture, and Christianity—come together to explain everything else, from the Crusades to the Industrial Revolution. Hirst’s razor-sharp grasp of cause and effect helps us see with sparkling clarity how the history of Europe—the crucible of liberal democracy—shapes the way we live today.

An accessible and succinct account of the story of Europe from its ancient foundations to the twenty-first century European Union.

If you want to discover the captivating history of Europe, then keep reading... Five captivating manuscripts in one book: European History: A Captivating Guide to the History of Europe, Starting from the Neanderthals Through to the Roman Empire and the End of the Cold War Classical Antiquity: A Captivating Guide to Ancient Greece and Rome and How These Civilizations Influenced Europe, North Africa, and Western Asia The Middle Ages: A Captivating Guide to the History of Europe, Starting from the Fall of the Western Roman Empire Through the Black Death to the Beginning of the Renaissance The Renaissance: A Captivating Guide to a Remarkable Period in European History, Including Stories of People Such as Galileo Galilei, Michelangelo, Copernicus, Shakespeare, and Leonardo da Vinci Early Modern Europe: A Captivating Guide to a Period in European History with Events Such as The Thirty Years War and The Salem Witch Hunts and Political Powers Such as England and The Ottoman Empire In part 1 of this book, you will: Prehistory The Neolithic Revolution The Bronze Age Early Tribes of Europe The Iron Age Prehistoric Britain The Classical Greeks The Roman Empire The Vikings And much, much more! In part 2 of this book, you will: A Blind Poet from Ionia Pythagoras Athens, Greece The Greek Pantheon The Expulsion of the Persians Slavery The Golden Age of Athens Pericles at War The Socratic Method And much, much more! Some of the topics covered in part 3 of this book include: Fall of the Western Roman Empire Stewards of the Future - The Rise of the Byzantine Empire Reclaiming Spain and Expanding One of the Strongest and Earliest Kingdoms of the Middle Ages Charlemagne - A Brief Return to the Empire Otto I and His New Empire The Great Schism And much, much more! Some of the topics covered in part 4 of this book include: A Brief Look at Pre-Renaissance Europe The Black Death The Italian Renaissance The Fall of Constantinople The Printing Press Literature of the 15th Century The New Education The Medicis of Florence and France Michelangelo much, much more! Some of the topics covered in part 5 of this book include: The World Leading to the Modern Era The European Power Dynamic The Age of Discovery Sanctioned Piracy - Ruling the High Seas Religious Corruption and Upheaval The Inquisition And much, much more! So if you want to learn more about the history of Europe, scroll up and click the "add to cart" button!

'Antony Alcock's A Short History of Europe offers a straightforward, meticulously researched account; one which provides the student with clear and detailed analysis. Future generations of undergraduates and postgraduates alike will have cause to be grateful for a stimulating introduction to a major area of European studies.' - J.E. Spence, Associate Fellow, Royal Institute of International Affairs Alcock examines the historical development of Europe from the Greek city states through to the 1992 Maastricht Treaty on European integration. He also analyses: the rise of Christianity, the contributions of the Roman and Byzantine Empires, the rivalry between the Papacy and Holy Roman Empire, and the consequences for the rise of states, European domination of the world following the voyages of discovery, continental royal absolutism and British political liberty, the impacts of the French and Industrial Revolutions, the two world wars, the integration process since 1945 and the collapse of the Soviet Union.