The Blazing World: A New History of Revolutionary England

The Blazing World is a new history of England's seventeenth century, marked by terrorism, witch panics, civil war, and an army coup. It was a time of radical changes, with new ideas forged in coffee shops and alehouses, and leaders like Oliver Cromwell, Charles II, and William of Orange reduced to caricatures. The book is relevant today, as the British constitution is contested and we face a culture war reminiscent of the seventeenth century.

Format: Hardback
Length: 512 pages
Publication date: 02 February 2023
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

A WATERSTONES, TELEGRAPH , ECONOMIST AND NEW YORKER BOOK OF THE YEAR A comprehensive new history of England's turbulent seventeenth century and how it marked the birth of a new world This is a remarkable book, meticulously researched, passionately argued, and brimming with the vibrant energy of seventeenth-century life. The Times A brilliant, bloody account of England's most dramatic century. . . Thrilling Telegraph The seventeenth century began with the English suddenly finding themselves ruled by a Scotsman, and ended in the shadow of an invasion by the Dutch. Under James I, the country suffered from terrorism and witch panics. Under his son Charles, state and society collapsed into civil war, to be followed by an army coup and regicide. For a brief time – for the only time in history – England was a republic. There were bitter struggles over faith and no boundaries to politics. In the coffee shops and alehouses of plague-ridden London, new ideas were forged that were angry, populist, and almost impossible for monarchs to control. Despite the radical changes that transformed England, few today understand the story of this revolutionary age. Leaders like Oliver Cromwell, Charles II, and William of Orange have been reduced to caricatures, while major turning points like the Civil War and the Glorious Revolution have become shrouded in myth and misunderstanding. Yet the seventeenth century has never been more relevant. The British constitution is once again being contested, and we face a culture war reminiscent of when the Roundheads fought the Cavaliers. From raw politics to religious divisions, civil wars to witch trials, plague to press freedoms, The Blazing World is the story of a strange but fascinating century, told in sparkling detail. Drawing on vast archives, Jonathan Healey ref.

Weight: 936g
Dimension: 242 x 164 x 46 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781526621658