Edward Crankshaw (1909 - 1984) was a British writer, translator and commentator on Soviet affairs. Born in London, Crankshaw was educated in the Nonconformist public school, Bishop's Stortford College in Hertfordshire. He started working as a journalist for a few months at The Times. In the 1930s he lived in Vienna, Austria, teaching English and learning German (his competent grasp of German caused him to become part of the British Intelligence service during World War II). On his return he went back to write for The Times and began to write reviews-mostly musical-for The Spectator, The Bookman, and other periodicals. Crankshaw wrote around 40 books on Austrian and Russian subjects and after the war began his research in much more depth. Crankshaw's book on Nazi terror, Gestapo (1956), was widely read and in 1963 he began to produce the ambitious literary works, often on historical or monumental moments in Russian Political history.

• Part One: A Sea of Troubles1 The Inheritance2 Heiress Apparent3 The Clouds Gather Around4 Rape of Silesia5 The Queen Commands6 The War of the SuccessionPersonal Interlude7 The Queen's ConsciencePart Two: Reflections of the Age8 Imperial Splendour9 The Court at Vienna10 Glimpses of the Other Half11 Music and the Individual VoicePart Three: The Reigns of Government12 Unification and Reform13 Prince Kaunitz14 The Loss of Innocence15 The Seven Years WarPart Four: The Queen Mother16 The King of the Romans17 The Great Change18 The Betrayal of an Idea19 Reaction and Enlightenment20 The Burden of the YearsSources and Select Bibliography

Edward Crankshaw (1909 - 1984) was a British writer, translator and commentator on Soviet affairs. Born in London, Crankshaw was educated in the Nonconformist public school, Bishop's Stortford College in Hertfordshire. He started working as a journalist for a few months at The Times. In the 1930s he lived in Vienna, Austria, teaching English and learning German (his competent grasp of German caused him to become part of the British Intelligence service during World War II). On his return he went back to write for The Times and began to write reviews-mostly musical-for The Spectator, The Bookman, and other periodicals. Crankshaw wrote around 40 books on Austrian and Russian subjects and after the war began his research in much more depth. Crankshaw's book on Nazi terror, Gestapo (1956), was widely read and in 1963 he began to produce the ambitious literary works, often on historical or monumental moments in Russian Political history.

• Part One: A Sea of Troubles1 The Inheritance2 Heiress Apparent3 The Clouds Gather Around4 Rape of Silesia5 The Queen Commands6 The War of the SuccessionPersonal Interlude7 The Queen's ConsciencePart Two: Reflections of the Age8 Imperial Splendour9 The Court at Vienna10 Glimpses of the Other Half11 Music and the Individual VoicePart Three: The Reigns of Government12 Unification and Reform13 Prince Kaunitz14 The Loss of Innocence15 The Seven Years WarPart Four: The Queen Mother16 The King of the Romans17 The Great Change18 The Betrayal of an Idea19 Reaction and Enlightenment20 The Burden of the YearsSources and Select Bibliography

Edward Crankshaw (1909 - 1984) was a British writer, translator and commentator on Soviet affairs. Born in London, Crankshaw was educated in the Nonconformist public school, Bishop's Stortford College in Hertfordshire. He started working as a journalist for a few months at The Times. In the 1930s he lived in Vienna, Austria, teaching English and learning German (his competent grasp of German caused him to become part of the British Intelligence service during World War II). On his return he went back to write for The Times and began to write reviews-mostly musical-for The Spectator, The Bookman, and other periodicals. Crankshaw wrote around 40 books on Austrian and Russian subjects and after the war began his research in much more depth. Crankshaw's book on Nazi terror, Gestapo (1956), was widely read and in 1963 he began to produce the ambitious literary works, often on historical or monumental moments in Russian Political history.

• Part One: A Sea of Troubles1 The Inheritance2 Heiress Apparent3 The Clouds Gather Around4 Rape of Silesia5 The Queen Commands6 The War of the SuccessionPersonal Interlude7 The Queen's ConsciencePart Two: Reflections of the Age8 Imperial Splendour9 The Court at Vienna10 Glimpses of the Other Half11 Music and the Individual VoicePart Three: The Reigns of Government12 Unification and Reform13 Prince Kaunitz14 The Loss of Innocence15 The Seven Years WarPart Four: The Queen Mother16 The King of the Romans17 The Great Change18 The Betrayal of an Idea19 Reaction and Enlightenment20 The Burden of the YearsSources and Select Bibliography