The Other Prussia: Royal Prussia, Poland and Liberty, 1569-1772

by Karin Friedrich

Overview

This book focuses on the history of Royal Prussia—the "other Prussia"—which was part of the Polish state from 1454 to 1793. It studies the complex relationship between Germans and Slavs in the Polish-Prussian borderlands, and demonstrates the importance of national and historical myth-making for power politics. Analyzing the rivalry between the multinational, constitutionalist Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and its centralized, dynastic neighbor Brandenburg-Prussia, this study contributes to our understanding of the process of early modern nation-building and the formation of national identity.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521583350
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	02/24/2000
Series:	Cambridge Studies in Early Modern History
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	308
Product dimensions:	6.30(w) x 9.29(h) x 0.98(d)

Table of Contents

Preface; Gazetteer; Glossary; List of abbreviations; Maps; 1. Introduction; 2. The origins of royal Prussia; 3. Royal Prussia and urban life in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth; 4. History, myth and historical identity; 5. Political identity in the cities of royal Prussia and the meaning of liberty (1650–1720); 6. Loyalty in times of war; 7. Divergence: the construction of rival Prussian identities; 8. Centre versus province: the royal Prussian cities during the Great Northern War; 9. Myths old and new: the royal Prussian enlightenment; 10. Conclusion; Bibliography; Index.

Editorial Reviews

"Strong and original....impressively researched..." Central European History

"This study represents a significant contribution to the current discussion of identity formation and the almost peripheral role that language played in the prerevolutionary era." Slavic Review, Vol. 60

"In this excellent book, Karin Friedrich argues convincingly that early modern Prussians were neither Germans nor Poles...[but] a community of citizens who embraced the constitutional agenda of the multinational [Polish-Lithuanian] Commonwealth." American Historical Review

"Friedrich's book is an excellent discussion of political theory and intellectual history that brings in new material and a valuable perspective." The Polish Review

"[The] book is well-written and tightly organized." The Historian

"This ia an excellent and important study." Journal of Modern History

From the Publisher