Daniel H. Nexon is assistant professor of government and foreign service at Georgetown University.

Winner of the 2010 International Security Studies Section Book Award, International Studies Association "Scholars often debate the future of modern system of nation-states, but rarely do they study its origins. This groundbreaking book provides a sweeping reinterpretation of the religious and geopolitical conflicts of the seventeenth century, culminating in the emergence of the European state system."--Foreign Affairs "As a historian of early modern France it is refreshing to venture into a scholarly domain that comfortably pursues large-scale political analysis. It is equally refreshing to find someone trained in international relations who takes religion seriously as an independent, and powerful, political dynamic. Daniel Nexon's ambitious reexamination of early modern state formations does just that... [T]his is a highly satisfying and stimulating rethinking of the political significance of the Reformation."--Megan Armstrong, Renaissance Quarterly "Daniel H. Nexon analyzes this relationship between religion and violence from the perspective of modern political science. His arguments are clearly stated and thought-provoking... Nexon's analysis displays a sure sense of what made early modern Europe distinctive and gives due regard to contingency as well as structural factors. More importantly, his theoretical framework offers an interesting way to integrate religious and secular factors in an analysis of international change and to explore this in comparative perspective."--Peter H. Wilson, Journal of Early Modern History "A stimulating, dense, and highly readable book."--Stephen Deets, Nationalities Papers "[C]hallenging ideas appear throughout this valuable and impressive work, which will surely spark a great deal of discussion among scholars of early modern politics and international relations."--Tryntje Helfferich, Journal of Interdisciplinary History "Such an astute account of the dynamics of continuity and change in global politics will be invaluable both to students and scholars of the theory and history of international relations... Nexon's outstanding volume would be of relevance to anyone interested in understanding the European origins of the idea and practices of sovereign territorial statehood. He has also produced the kind of book that is bound to trigger debate and it invites ... its readers to pursue further the ideas discussed on its pages."--Emilian R. Kavalski, Canadian Journal of History

• List of Figures and Tables ix Preface xi CHAPTER 1: Introduction 1 CHAPTER 2: Theorizing International Change 20 CHAPTER 3: The Dynastic-Imperial Pathway 67 CHAPTER 4: Religious Contention and the Dynamics of Composite States 99 CHAPTER 5: The Rise and Decline of Charles of Habsburg 135 CHAPTER 6: The Dynamics of Spanish Hegemony in the Sixteenth and Early Seventeenth Centuries 185 CHAPTER 7: The French Wars of Religion 235 CHAPTER 8: Westphalia Reframed 265 CHAPTER 9: Looking Forward, Looking Back 289 References 301 Index 333

Daniel H. Nexon is assistant professor of government and foreign service at Georgetown University.

Winner of the 2010 International Security Studies Section Book Award, International Studies Association "Scholars often debate the future of modern system of nation-states, but rarely do they study its origins. This groundbreaking book provides a sweeping reinterpretation of the religious and geopolitical conflicts of the seventeenth century, culminating in the emergence of the European state system."--Foreign Affairs "As a historian of early modern France it is refreshing to venture into a scholarly domain that comfortably pursues large-scale political analysis. It is equally refreshing to find someone trained in international relations who takes religion seriously as an independent, and powerful, political dynamic. Daniel Nexon's ambitious reexamination of early modern state formations does just that... [T]his is a highly satisfying and stimulating rethinking of the political significance of the Reformation."--Megan Armstrong, Renaissance Quarterly "Daniel H. Nexon analyzes this relationship between religion and violence from the perspective of modern political science. His arguments are clearly stated and thought-provoking... Nexon's analysis displays a sure sense of what made early modern Europe distinctive and gives due regard to contingency as well as structural factors. More importantly, his theoretical framework offers an interesting way to integrate religious and secular factors in an analysis of international change and to explore this in comparative perspective."--Peter H. Wilson, Journal of Early Modern History "A stimulating, dense, and highly readable book."--Stephen Deets, Nationalities Papers "[C]hallenging ideas appear throughout this valuable and impressive work, which will surely spark a great deal of discussion among scholars of early modern politics and international relations."--Tryntje Helfferich, Journal of Interdisciplinary History "Such an astute account of the dynamics of continuity and change in global politics will be invaluable both to students and scholars of the theory and history of international relations... Nexon's outstanding volume would be of relevance to anyone interested in understanding the European origins of the idea and practices of sovereign territorial statehood. He has also produced the kind of book that is bound to trigger debate and it invites ... its readers to pursue further the ideas discussed on its pages."--Emilian R. Kavalski, Canadian Journal of History

• List of Figures and Tables ix Preface xi CHAPTER 1: Introduction 1 CHAPTER 2: Theorizing International Change 20 CHAPTER 3: The Dynastic-Imperial Pathway 67 CHAPTER 4: Religious Contention and the Dynamics of Composite States 99 CHAPTER 5: The Rise and Decline of Charles of Habsburg 135 CHAPTER 6: The Dynamics of Spanish Hegemony in the Sixteenth and Early Seventeenth Centuries 185 CHAPTER 7: The French Wars of Religion 235 CHAPTER 8: Westphalia Reframed 265 CHAPTER 9: Looking Forward, Looking Back 289 References 301 Index 333

Daniel H. Nexon is assistant professor of government and foreign service at Georgetown University.

Winner of the 2010 International Security Studies Section Book Award, International Studies Association "Scholars often debate the future of modern system of nation-states, but rarely do they study its origins. This groundbreaking book provides a sweeping reinterpretation of the religious and geopolitical conflicts of the seventeenth century, culminating in the emergence of the European state system."--Foreign Affairs "As a historian of early modern France it is refreshing to venture into a scholarly domain that comfortably pursues large-scale political analysis. It is equally refreshing to find someone trained in international relations who takes religion seriously as an independent, and powerful, political dynamic. Daniel Nexon's ambitious reexamination of early modern state formations does just that... [T]his is a highly satisfying and stimulating rethinking of the political significance of the Reformation."--Megan Armstrong, Renaissance Quarterly "Daniel H. Nexon analyzes this relationship between religion and violence from the perspective of modern political science. His arguments are clearly stated and thought-provoking... Nexon's analysis displays a sure sense of what made early modern Europe distinctive and gives due regard to contingency as well as structural factors. More importantly, his theoretical framework offers an interesting way to integrate religious and secular factors in an analysis of international change and to explore this in comparative perspective."--Peter H. Wilson, Journal of Early Modern History "A stimulating, dense, and highly readable book."--Stephen Deets, Nationalities Papers "[C]hallenging ideas appear throughout this valuable and impressive work, which will surely spark a great deal of discussion among scholars of early modern politics and international relations."--Tryntje Helfferich, Journal of Interdisciplinary History "Such an astute account of the dynamics of continuity and change in global politics will be invaluable both to students and scholars of the theory and history of international relations... Nexon's outstanding volume would be of relevance to anyone interested in understanding the European origins of the idea and practices of sovereign territorial statehood. He has also produced the kind of book that is bound to trigger debate and it invites ... its readers to pursue further the ideas discussed on its pages."--Emilian R. Kavalski, Canadian Journal of History

• List of Figures and Tables ix Preface xi CHAPTER 1: Introduction 1 CHAPTER 2: Theorizing International Change 20 CHAPTER 3: The Dynastic-Imperial Pathway 67 CHAPTER 4: Religious Contention and the Dynamics of Composite States 99 CHAPTER 5: The Rise and Decline of Charles of Habsburg 135 CHAPTER 6: The Dynamics of Spanish Hegemony in the Sixteenth and Early Seventeenth Centuries 185 CHAPTER 7: The French Wars of Religion 235 CHAPTER 8: Westphalia Reframed 265 CHAPTER 9: Looking Forward, Looking Back 289 References 301 Index 333