Execution of Admiral John Byng as a Microhistory of Eighteenth-Century Britain

This microhistorical account examines the 1757 execution of Admiral John Byng, providing a revisionist and detailed account of a dark chapter in British naval history. It explores Britain's cultural, social, and political landscape during the early years of the Seven Years' War, focusing on ballad, newspaper, prize culture, social factors, religion, morality, rioting, and disease.

Format: Hardback
Length: 278 pages
Publication date: 27 April 2021
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Candide, by Voltaire suggests that Admiral John Byng's execution in 1757 was intended to inspire others. However, the story is more intricate than that. This microhistorical account, focusing on a macro-event, presents an updated, revisionist, and detailed account of a dark chapter in British naval history. By delving into the question of what Britain was like when Byng returned to Portsmouth after the Battle of Minorca (1756), this manuscript not only offers a glimpse into mid-eighteenth-century Britain but also provides a deeper understanding of how a wartime admiral, the son of a peer, of some wealth, a once colonial governor, and sitting member of parliament became scapegoated and then executed for the failings of others. This manuscript serves as a cultural, social, and political exploration of Britain at the dawn of the Seven Years' War. Part 1 delves into ballad, newspaper, and prize culture, while Part 2 shifts towards the social, examining religion, morality, rioting, and disease as they intertwine with the Byng saga. The manuscript also explores Admiral Byng's record during the 1755 Channel Campaign, the Mediterranean context of the Seven Years' War, troubles elsewhere in the empire, and the political factors behind Byng's trial and execution.

Weight: 556g
Dimension: 158 x 235 x 24 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367767556