There is no lack of sensationalism in the period of Irish history 1800-1922. Large dramas played themselves out in small places. The last subsistence crisis of Europe would be enough to justify this judgement, but there is more: endemic levels of violence, the formation of the first state police force in the history of Britain, republican militancy, tithe and land wars, socialist protest, armed insurrection, war and civil war pockmark the era. The history of Ireland, particularly in its relationship to the imperial power of Britain, has been fraught to say the least. The so-called 'Pax...

'Britain in India, 1858-1947' seeks to trace the last 90 years of British rule in the light of modern historical debates. The volume examines the ambiguities of British rule that followed from the post-Mutiny settlement: the tensions between an authoritarian bureaucracy and the promise of a liberal vision of the future, and between imperial interests and the growing coordination of Indian aspirations for self-rule. The volume analyses these tensions with reference to contemporary historical debates, and traces them through changing international relations and world wars to Indian...

Through contextual analysis and by reassessing the chronicle evidence, 'King John: An Underrated King' presents a compelling reevaluation of the reign of King John, England's most maligned sovereign. With its thought-provoking analysis of the key issues of John's reign, such as the loss of the French territories, British achievement, Magna Carta, relations with the church, and civil war, the volume presents an engaging argument for rehabilitating King John's reputation. Each chapter features both narrative and contextual analysis, and is prefaced by a timeline outlining the key events of...

China preoccupies us; yet its recent past is still relatively unfamiliar. No country has undergone a greater period of sustained and turbulent change than China in the twentieth century, but it has emerged again as a leading global power. It is, therefore, more important than ever to understand the society it has become and its rise to such influence. This timely study uses recent research to explore how China has been transformed from an economic and political backwater at the start of the twentieth century to its current pre-eminent position one hundred years later.

During this...

This book traces the often sharply differing perspectives historians have formed with regard to the key incidents in the careers of the two foremost politicians of the Victorian age - Gladstone and Disraeli. Following the parallel careers of both men, it focuses upon such contentious questions as why Disraeli opposed Corn Law repeal in 1846, if and when Gladstone became a Liberal, why Disraeli oversaw the 1867 Reform Act, how successful a Chancellor of the Exchequer was Gladstone, whether Disraeli was ever an Imperialist, and why Gladstone took up the cause of Irish Home Rule. In each case...

The book traces Luther's career from his humble origins through his conflicts with pope and emperor, and his initiating the split between Protestants and Catholics. Based on the most recent scholarship, and drawing heavily upon Luther's own writings, 'Martin Luther and the German Reformation' provides a picture of Luther that is historically faithful without being needlessly scholarly. Intended for use by students, it assumes no initial familiarity with Luther and is accessible to non-scholars. It would be ideal for any interested person who wants to get to know Martin Luther; one of the...