Furies: War in Europe, 1450-1700 (Unabridged)
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3.0 • 1 Rating
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- £12.99
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- £12.99
Publisher Description
During the European Renaissance, an age marked equally by revolutionary thought and constant warfare, it was armies, rather than philosophers, who shaped the modern European nation state. "Mobile cities" of mercenaries and other paid soldiers - made up of astonishingly diverse aggregations of ethnicities and nationalities - marched across the land, looting and savaging enemy territories.
In the 15th century, Poland hired German, Spanish, Bohemian, Hungarian, and Scottish soldiers. Later, Sweden fought in Muscovy with Irish, English, Scottish, French, and German troops. Units of Croats, Germans, Walloons, Albanians, and especially Swiss, served in French armies. In the Netherlands, Italians and Spaniards fought beside Irishmen, Germans, Dalmatians, and Walloons. Regiments of Swiss pikemen fought for Spain, France, and Venice, as well as for German and Italian princes. Companies of Poles, Hungarians, and Croatians fought in German regiments.
Growing national economies, unable to pay or feed massed armies for any length of time, thus became war states, an early nationalism which would later consume modern Europe. Furies: War in Europe, 1450-1700, by acclaimed historian of the Renaissance Lauro Martines, compellingly and simply delivers the story of modern Europe's martial roots, capturing the brutality of early modern war and how it shaped the history of a continent.
Customer Reviews
Oh! For A Reader Worthy of His Materials!
Poor Lauro Martines! A truly brilliant book (translated? If so, wonderfully!). This fascinating window into the vicissitudes of war, through a specific and focussed perspective of 250 years in history, is mercilessly butchered by its inexperienced reader, who’s attempts at accents are bordering on the offensive, who’s delivery is halting, and who’s mispronunciations are genuinely laughable.
I can only imagine the author must feel equally misrepresented and depressed, as the listener feels let down? No matter how well written (and it really is a well written book) the book simply could not avoid being marred by this reader, who’s name I’ll leave out of my review, for the sake of his future career, as of the people who hired him, and the producer who didn’t BOTHER to correct his many, MANY errors!
Apart from that, this poor author wrote a supremely fascinating book that history buffs of all types should find rewarding (if they’re supremely patient?). I Would have given it 5 stars, but for the reader, who doesn’t even sound old enough to project this sort of narley material.