European Society

First Published in 1984, European Society presents a wide-ranging survey of European Society in the two centuries preceding the Industrial Revolution. It draws on all the latest published research in the major European languages and provides a broad overview of the major structural changes that occurred between 1500 and 1700, both in social organization and in the various social classes. Topics covered range from the price revolution and the family, to the nobility, the peasantry, popular rebellions and the development of absolutism. At every stage the importance of social changes for the evolution of political events is stressed, and one chapter deals with the political crisis of the mid seventeenth century.

While it takes account of the major events of the period the main emphasis of the book is on the ‘other Europe’, the Europe of ordinary people and their daily lives as seen through the perspective of modern quantitative research. Themes such as rebellion, literacy, witchcraft, poverty and popular culture are therefore integral parts of the social picture presented here. The author’s mastery of fine detail in his sources illuminates every point, and brings the material vividly to life. This is a must read for scholars and students of European history.