The Northern Wars: War, State and Society in Northeastern Europe, 1558 - 1721

by Robert I. Frost

Overview

This book provides an accessible study of the neglected but highly important series of wars fought for control of the Baltic and Northeastern Europe during the period 1558-1721. It is the first comprehensive history which considers the revolution in military strategy which took place in the battlefields of Eastern Europe. Robert Frost examines the impact of war on the very different social and political systems of Sweden, Denmark, Poland-Lithuania and Russia and he explains why it was Russia that emerged victorious from these wars. Based on extensive primary and secondary research (including much material that is unfamiliar in English) this book makes an important contribution to the debate on military change and political development in early modern Europe.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780582064294
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	08/08/2000
Series:	Modern Wars In Perspective
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	416
Product dimensions:	6.12(w) x 9.19(h) x (d)

Table of Contents

1. Introduction 2. The First Northern War 3. The Ascendancy of Poland-Lithuania4. A Time of Troubles: the Impact of War, 1558-1619 5. The Rise of Sweden 6. New Beginnings 7. The Thirteen Years War and the Second Northern War . 8. Northern Europe and the Military Revolution 9. The Start of the Great Northern War 10. Russia's Triumph 11. Conclusion

Editorial Reviews

Winner of the Early Slavic Studies Association (ESSA) 2005 Distinguished Scholarship Award

"a rare and remarkable synthetic historical work"

Professor C. M. Vakareliyska, ESSA

"This important book throws light on some very dark places in European history"

"Times Literary Supplement"

"a powerfully-argued contribution to the historiography on the evolution of the military state...truly sets an impressive standard"

"Slavonic & East European Review"

"Another volume in a truly splendid series -Modern Wars in perspective- whose serious format and price are pitched at history students but should not put off the intelligent general reader."

"BBC History"

"a magnificent achievement, learned, perspicacious and judicious...an outstanding contribution"

"War in History"

"It is an eminently readable, remarkably well-crafted, balanced, and above all else, a most provocative analysis of one of the central processes in the formation of modern Europe" ""

"J.T. Koitlaine, Harvard University"

From the Publisher

Frost (King's College London) fills in a neglected era the European history by looking at the crucial series of wars for control of the Baltic and for hegemony in northeastern European. He shows how at the beginning of the period Sweden and Poland were the dominant powers of northern Europe, and how by the end they were both in eclipse and Russian and Prussia were the new international superpowers. He argues that the conditions and demands of war in the northeast were different from those in western Europe, and challenges the common assumption that warfare in eastern Europe was resistant to change. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Booknews

This important book throws light on some very dark places in European history...a highly professional work...Dr. Frost should be encouraged to perservere in this educational enterprise.
—Times Literary Supplement

A.F. Upton