The Napoleonic Wars have an all-important place in the history of Europe, leaving their mark on European and world societies in a variety of ways. In many European countries, they provided the stimulus for radical social and political change--particularly in Spain, Germany, and Italy--and are frequently viewed in these places as the starting point of their modern histories. In this Very Short Introduction, Mike Rapport provides a compact overview of these pivotal wars. He begins with the French Revolution and the French Revolutionary wars of 1792-1803, which set the stage for the rise of...

In 1848, Europe was engulfed in a firestorm of revolution. This book narrates the breathtaking events which overtook Europe in 1848, tracing their course from the exhilaration of the liberal triumph, through the fear of social chaos to the final despair of defeat and disillusionment.