Emperor Ferdinand II (1619-1637) stands out as a crucial figure in the Counter-Reformation in central Europe, a leading player in the Thirty Years War, the most important ruler in the consolidation of the Habsburg monarchy, and the emperor who reinvigorated the office after its decline under his two predecessors. This is the first biography of Ferdinand since a long-outdated one written in German in 1978 and the first ever in English. It looks at his reign as territorial ruler of Inner Austria from 1598 until his election as emperor and especially at the influence of his mother, the formidable Archduchess Maria, in order to understand his later policies as emperor. This book focuses on the consistency of his policies and the profound influence of religion on his policies throughout his career. It also follows the contest at court between those who favored consolidation of the Habsburg lands and those who aimed for expansion in the empire, as well as between those who favored a militant religious policy and those who advocated a moderate one.
Throughout its history, Christianity has adapted to contemporary society and culture in order to reach people effectively and have an impact on the world. This process often evokes controversy. Certainly this is the case in the current century, and so it was in the sixteenth. Robert Bireley argues that early modern Catholicism, the period known more traditionally as the Counter Reformation, was both shaped by and an active response to the profound changes of the sixteenth century--the growth of the state; economic expansion and social dislocation; European colonialism across the seas; the Renaissance; and, of course, the Protestant Reformation. Bireley finds that there were two fundamental, contrasting desires that helped shape early modern Catholicism: the desire especially of a lay elite to lead a full Christian life in the world and the widespread desire for order and discipline after the upheavals of the long sixteenth century. He devotes particular attention to new methods of evangelization in the Old World and the New, education at the elementary, secondary, and university levels, the new active religious orders of women as well as men, and the effort to create a spirituality for the Christian living in the world. This book will be of great value to all those studying the political, social, religious, and cultural history of the period. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Robert Bireley, S.J., is professor of history at Loyola University Chicago. He is the author of three books including The Counter-Reformation Prince: Antimachiavellianism or Catholic Statecraft in Early Modern Europe and Politics and Religion in the Age of the Counterreformation: Emperor Ferdinand II, William Lamormaini, S.J., and the Formation of Imperial Policy as well as a number of articles on early modern European History. PRAISE FOR THE BOOK: ""Bireley has produced a fine new survey of the history of Catholicism in the early modern period. He targets his reassessment of the ""Counter Reformation"" at advanced undergraduates and the general public. He has served them well. . . . This book should be considered required reading for all those who teach about the early modern world at any level, whether from a historical, theological, or cultural perspective. . . .""--Theological Studies ""This book is an excellent introduction to the topic. It is thorough, yet concise and written clearly. It would be appropriate for use as a text for colleges or seminaries and could easily be appropriated and appreciated by adult study groups or adults interested in knowing more about how their faith has been fashioned by the society in which it has lived, and how, in turn, their faith has fashioned society. Highly recommended.""--Catholic Library World ""The learned Jesuit author of this concise textbook is well known for his studies, in English and German, on the relations of Catholic counsellors, especially members of the Society of Jesus, and statesmen of early modern Europe, and on Catholic statecraft at that time more generally. . . . Bireley argues for a period of Catholic renewal which, for all its special intensity, was not in any sense a mere reaction to or product of the Protestant challenge. There is stress here on institutional change, involving popes, bishops, and clergy, on new forms of spirituality, both in more traditional regular communities and in innovative groups pursuing a more active form of religious commitment, and on advances in Catholic education, for laity as well as clergy, females as well as males.""--Catholic Historical Review ""Bireley's readable, intelligent, and very insightful volume is an excellent contribution to the ongoing dialogue about the meaning and significance of this period that is so important for understanding Catholicism in the modern world and I highly recommend it.""--
Bireley explores the anti-Machavellian tradition of sixteenth- and seventeenth-century Europe and the writers who cultivated it, including Giovanni Botero and Justus Lipsius. The tradition produced an international political literature that is immensely important for understanding the Counter-Reformation, Baroque culture, and early modern politics and diplomacy. Originally published in 1990. A UNC Press Enduring Edition -- UNC Press Enduring Editions use the latest in digital technology to make available again books from our distinguished backlist that were previously out of print. These editions are published unaltered from the original, and are presented in affordable paperback formats, bringing readers both historical and cultural value.
Confirming what historians have long suspected--that the influence of a court confessor could be crucial for the formation of policy--Bireley explores the relationship between Ferdinand and Lamormaini during the Thirty Years War. The author shows how Lamormaini planned for the restoration of Catholicism in Germany and documents in detail his influence on Ferdinand, his conflict with Ferdinand's first minister, and his relationships with other important figures in Vienna and Rome. Originally published in 1981. A UNC Press Enduring Edition -- UNC Press Enduring Editions use the latest in digital technology to make available again books from our distinguished backlist that were previously out of print. These editions are published unaltered from the original, and are presented in affordable paperback formats, bringing readers both historical and cultural value.
Robert Persons is recognized as one of the most intriguing public figures of the Reformation era in England. As the superior of the Jesuit English mission from 1580 until 1610, he was engaged in a campaign for the reconversion of England that had wide political, ecclesiastical, pastoral, and polemical ramifications--Prelim. page.
Confirming what historians have long suspected--that the influence of a court confessor could be crucial for the formation of policy--Bireley explores the relationship between Ferdinand and Lamormaini during the Thirty Years War. The author shows how Lamormaini planned for the restoration of Catholicism in Germany and documents in detail his influence on Ferdinand, his conflict with Ferdinand's first minister, and his relationships with other important figures in Vienna and Rome. Originally published in 1981. A UNC Press Enduring Edition -- UNC Press Enduring Editions use the latest in digital technology to make available again books from our distinguished backlist that were previously out of print. These editions are published unaltered from the original, and are presented in affordable paperback formats, bringing readers both historical and cultural value.
Bireley explores the anti-Machavellian tradition of sixteenth- and seventeenth-century Europe and the writers who cultivated it, including Giovanni Botero and Justus Lipsius. The tradition produced an international political literature that is immensely important for understanding the Counter-Reformation, Baroque culture, and early modern politics and diplomacy. Originally published in 1990. A UNC Press Enduring Edition -- UNC Press Enduring Editions use the latest in digital technology to make available again books from our distinguished backlist that were previously out of print. These editions are published unaltered from the original, and are presented in affordable paperback formats, bringing readers both historical and cultural value.
The new, fully-updated edition of the popular introduction to the Tudor-Stuart period—offers fresh scholarship and improved readability. Early Modern England 1485-1714 is the market-leading introduction to the Tudor-Stuart period of English history. This accessible and engaging volume enables readers to understand the political, religious, cultural, and socio-economic forces that propelled the nation from small feudal state to preeminent world power. The authors, leading scholars and teachers in the field, have designed the text for those with little or no prior knowledge of the subject. The book’s easy-to-follow narrative explores the world the English created and inhabited between the 15th and 18th centuries. This new edition has been thoroughly updated to reflect the latest scholarship on the subject, such as Henry VIII’s role in the English Reformation and the use of gendered language by Elizabeth I. A new preface addresses the theme of periodization, while revised chapters offer fresh perspectives on proto-industrialization in England, economic developments in early modern London, merchants and adventurers in the Middle East, the popular cultural life of ordinary people, and more. Offering a lively, reader-friendly narrative of the period, this text: Offers a wide-ranging overview of two and half centuries of English history in one volume Highlights how social and cultural changes affected ordinary English people at various stages of the time period Explores how the Irish, Scots, and Welsh affected English history Features maps, charts, genealogies and illustrations throughout the text Includes access to a companion website containing online resources Early Modern England 1485-1714 is an indispensable resource for undergraduate students in early modern England courses, as well as students in related fields such as literature and Renaissance studies.
Unlike the traditional terms Counter-Reformation or Catholic Reform, this book does not see Catholicism from 1450 to 1700 primarily in relationship to the Protestant Reformation but as both shaped by the revolutionary changes of the early modern period and actively refashioning itself in response to these changes: the emergence of the early modern state; economic growth and social dislocation; the expansion of Europe across the seas; the Renaissance; and, to be sure, the Protestant Reformation. Bireley devotes particular attention to new methods of evangelization in the Old World and the New, education at the elementary, secondary and university levels, the new active religious orders of women and men, and the effort to create a spirituality for the Christian living in the world. A final chapter looks at the issues raised by Machiavelli, Galileo and Pascal. Robert Bireley is a leading Jesuit historian and uniquely well placed to reassess this centrally important subject for understanding the dynamics of early modern Europe. This book will be of great value to all those studying the political, social, religious and cultural history of the period.
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