Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg are three relatively small countries whose historical importance is out of all relation to their size. Their contribution to Europe's economic, spiritual and artistic heritage has been immense, and their histories cannot be written in isolation from one another, or from their neighbours.
This is the first full historical survey of the Benelux area to be written in English. Paul Arblaster describes the whole sweep of the history of the Low Countries, from Roman frontier provinces, through medieval principalities, to the establishment of the three constitutional monarchies of the present day. This concise and readable overview highlights the international importance of the social, economic, spiritual, and cultural movements that have marked a region which, for centuries, has been the marketplace, cockpit and crossroads of Western Europe.
'It is quite a challenge for one scholar to present the history of three European countries over more than 2000 years in 241 pages of a single book, but Paul Arblaster measures up to it.' – Johannes Koll, European History Quarterly
'An excellent book. It is fluently written and covers not only political, social and economic developments but touches on the most important cultural aspects as well.' - Ulrich Tiedau, University College London, UK
'Arblaster's writing is fluent and enjoyable... For the available space and the ambitious scale, Arblaster has pulled off a hat-trick. My sole regret is that, given the sharpness of his observatory powers, he did not write more... This will be a valuable addition to reading lists for students and worthy of recommendation to those general readers who wish to learn more about the rich heritage of the Low Countries and its impact on modern Benelux' H-Low-Countries, Peter Illing, Christ's College, Cambridge University
Preface
Maps
Introduction
From Pagans to Crusaders, 57BC to AD1100
Patterns of Power and Piety, 1100-1384
The Low Countries United and Divided, 1384-1609
From Delftware to Porcelain, 1609-1780
The Rise and Fall of the Liberal Order, 1776-1914
World Wars and World Peace, 1914-2002
Chronology
Lists of Rulers
Selected Further Reading
Index
PAUL ARBLASTER has lived in Belgium for half of his life and received much of his education in Dutch. He teaches at the Centre for European Studies at the University of Leuven, Belgium.
Description
Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg are three relatively small countries whose historical importance is out of all relation to their size. Their contribution to Europe's economic, spiritual and artistic heritage has been immense, and their histories cannot be written in isolation from one another, or from their neighbours.
This is the first full historical survey of the Benelux area to be written in English. Paul Arblaster describes the whole sweep of the history of the Low Countries, from Roman frontier provinces, through medieval principalities, to the establishment of the three constitutional monarchies of the present day. This concise and readable overview highlights the international importance of the social, economic, spiritual, and cultural movements that have marked a region which, for centuries, has been the marketplace, cockpit and crossroads of Western Europe.
Reviews
'It is quite a challenge for one scholar to present the history of three European countries over more than 2000 years in 241 pages of a single book, but Paul Arblaster measures up to it.' – Johannes Koll, European History Quarterly
'An excellent book. It is fluently written and covers not only political, social and economic developments but touches on the most important cultural aspects as well.' - Ulrich Tiedau, University College London, UK
'Arblaster's writing is fluent and enjoyable... For the available space and the ambitious scale, Arblaster has pulled off a hat-trick. My sole regret is that, given the sharpness of his observatory powers, he did not write more... This will be a valuable addition to reading lists for students and worthy of recommendation to those general readers who wish to learn more about the rich heritage of the Low Countries and its impact on modern Benelux' H-Low-Countries, Peter Illing, Christ's College, Cambridge University
Contents
Preface
Maps
Introduction
From Pagans to Crusaders, 57BC to AD1100
Patterns of Power and Piety, 1100-1384
The Low Countries United and Divided, 1384-1609
From Delftware to Porcelain, 1609-1780
The Rise and Fall of the Liberal Order, 1776-1914
World Wars and World Peace, 1914-2002
Chronology
Lists of Rulers
Selected Further Reading
Index
Authors
PAUL ARBLASTER has lived in Belgium for half of his life and received much of his education in Dutch. He teaches at the Centre for European Studies at the University of Leuven, Belgium.
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