Catherine Fletcher - Böcker

‘An eye-opening book, an intricate and fascinating story’ Hilary Mantel1527. Henry, desperate to marry Anne Boleyn and ensure the Tudor line asks Pope Clement VII to grant him a divorce. Enter Gregorio Casali, an Italian diplomat hired to represent Henry’s interests in the Vatican. Through six years of persuasion, threats and bribery Casali lives by his wits, playing off one powerful patron against another, negotiating with ambassadors from Spain, France and beyond, each crowding the Vatican to press their interests in the Tudor break up. Before it is done, Henry will decide to divorce not just Catherine, but the Church itself. Set against the backdrop of war-torn Renaissance Italy, The Divorce of Henry VIII combines a gripping family saga with a highly charged political battle between the Tudors and the Vatican to reveal the extraordinary true story behind history’s most infamous divorce. (Originally published with the title Our Man in Rome)

‘A spectacular, elegant, brilliant portrait of skulduggery, murder and sex in Renaissance Florence’ Simon Sebag Montefiore, Evening Standard, Books of the Year 1531 – after years of brutal war and political intrigue, the bastard son of a Medici Duke and a ‘half-negro’ maidservant rides into Florence. Within a year, he rules the city as its Prince. Backed by the Pope and his future father-in-law the Holy Roman Emperor, the nineteen-year-old Alessandro faces down bloody family rivalry and the scheming hostility of Italy’s oligarchs to reassert the Medicis’ faltering grip on the turbulent city-state. Six years later, as he awaits an adulterous liaison, he will be murdered by his cousin in another man’s bed.‘Nothing in sixteenth-century history is more astonishing’ Hilary Mantel

A groundbreaking account of how firearms changed Europe and the worldIn Renaissance Italy, the gun was not only a tool of war but also a desirable object, a luxury item carried at court. Guns were in use on the battlefield by 1440; later in that century Leonardo da Vinci sketched a design for a faster-firing, more portable handgun that could be hidden beneath a cloak. As the gun proliferated in society, it became both a means of self-defence and a threat to civic order. In The Firearm Revolution, historian Catherine Fletcher explores the emergence of firearms in Renaissance Italy and beyond, describing the social transformations that accompanied the evolution of the handgun from innovative military technology to widely used personal accessory.Fletcher shows that as guns became smaller and the new wheellock mechanism made concealed carry possible, Italian states increasingly tried to control their use—even as they viewed firearms as necessary for their militias. In the end, Fletcher reports, the importance of civic defence trumped the concern for social order. As guns became ever more acceptable, stories of how firearms aided Europeans’ overseas conquests created a new and more positive image for a weapon once considered the devil’s work. Debates over the regulation of firearms five centuries ago—which included arguments over the restriction of gun ownership, the use of guns for self-defence and the regulation of an armed militia—in many ways anticipate discussions about gun control today. Fletcher’s groundbreaking account sheds new light on how governments weighed the competing priorities of defence and social order as they set out to build empires.

Diplomacy in Renaissance Rome is an investigation of Renaissance diplomacy in practice. Presenting the first book-length study of this subject for sixty years, Catherine Fletcher substantially enhances our understanding of the envoy's role during this pivotal period for the development of diplomacy. Uniting rich but hitherto unexploited archival sources with recent insights from social and cultural history, Fletcher argues for the centrality of the papal court - and the city of Rome - in the formation of the modern European diplomatic system. The book addresses topics such as the political context from the return of the popes to Rome, the 1454 Peace of Lodi and after 1494 the Italian Wars; the assimilation of ambassadors into the ceremonial world; the prescriptive literature; trends in the personnel of diplomacy; an exploration of travel and communication practices; the city of Rome as a space for diplomacy; and the world of gift-giving.

Diplomacy in Renaissance Rome is an investigation of Renaissance diplomacy in practice. Presenting the first book-length study of this subject for sixty years, Catherine Fletcher substantially enhances our understanding of the envoy's role during this pivotal period for the development of diplomacy. Uniting rich but hitherto unexploited archival sources with recent insights from social and cultural history, Fletcher argues for the centrality of the papal court - and the city of Rome - in the formation of the modern European diplomatic system. The book addresses topics such as the political context from the return of the popes to Rome, the 1454 Peace of Lodi and after 1494 the Italian Wars; the assimilation of ambassadors into the ceremonial world; the prescriptive literature; trends in the personnel of diplomacy; an exploration of travel and communication practices; the city of Rome as a space for diplomacy; and the world of gift-giving.

Brimming with life and drama, this is a magnificent journey into two thousand years of history, from the acclaimed historian of Europe'Epic and witty' Observer 'Erudite, entertaining' Helena Attlee'Charming' Wall Street Journal'Delightful and authoritative' Judith Herrin'Compelling...enjoyable' Financial Times'All roads lead to Rome.' It's a medieval proverb, but it's also true: today's European roads still follow the networks of the ancient empire, stitching together our histories and continuing to inspire our imaginations.Over the two thousand years since they were first built, the roads have been walked by crusaders and pilgrims, liberators and dictators, but also by tourists and writers, refugees and artists. As channels of trade and travel, and routes for conquest and creativity, Catherine Fletcher shows how the roads forever transformed the cultures, and intertwined the fates, of a vast panoply of people across Europe and beyond.Reflecting on his own walk on the Appian Way, Charles Dickens observed that here is ‘a history in every stone that strews the ground.’ Based on outstanding original research, and brimming with life and drama, this is the first book to explore two thousand years of history through one of the greatest imperial networks ever built.

The Italian Renaissance shaped Western culture - but it was far stranger and darker than many of us realise.'Brilliant and gripping, here is the full true Renaissance in a history of compelling originality and freshness' Simon Sebag MontefioreWe know the Mona Lisa for her smile, but not that she was married to a slave-trader. We revere Leonardo da Vinci for his art, but few now appreciate his ingenious designs for weaponry. We visit Florence to see Michelangelo's David, but hear nothing of the massacre that forced the republic's surrender. In fact, many of the Renaissance's most celebrated artists and thinkers emerged not during the celebrated 'rebirth' of the fifteenth century but amidst the death and destruction of the sixteenth century.The Beauty and the Terror is an enrapturing narrative which includes the forgotten women writers, Jewish merchants, mercenaries, prostitutes, farmers and citizens who lived the Renaissance every day. Brimming with life, it takes us closer than ever before to the reality of this astonishing era, and its meaning for today.'Terrifying and fascinating' Sunday Times'Enlightening...exactly the alternative history you might wish for' Daily Telegraph

Welcome to Europe! Dive into the incredible history, beauty and diversity of this extraordinary continent with a beautifully illustrated and fact‑filled encyclopaedia. Travel through five historical periods – Ancient, Medieval, Early Modern, Industrial and Twentieth Century – to see how Europe’s past shaped the world we know today, from prehistoric times and the rise and fall of civilisations like the Greeks, Romans and Vikings, to modern‑day innovations and global influence.Inside you’ll find:Highly illustrated maps: Explore shifting geography, borders and countries across centuriesAction‑packed timelines: Step into empires, dynasties, revolts, rulers and cultural milestonesPeople and culture: Discover traditions, lifestyles, religions, arts, literature, music and architectureWildlife and landscapes: Experience fjords, forests, glaciers, volcanic islands, rugged mountains and unique species from bison and lynxes to carrier pigeons and eaglesSpectacular sights: Marvel at Knossos Palace, the Guggenheim Museum, the Mostar Bridge, the Eiffel Tower and the Škocjan CavesChange‑makers and superstars: Meet Europeans who shaped history and continue to inspire today, from Julius Caesar and Joan of Arc to Anne Frank and Greta ThunbergToday and tomorrow: Explore Europe’s role in the modern world, its evolving culture of food, sport, art, technology and its exciting future in innovation and climate justiceExtraordinary Europe is written by Professor Catherine Fletcher, a historian specialising in Renaissance and Early Modern European history, whose extensive expertise means you'll dive deep into European history like never before. It contains gloriously rich illustrations from Helena Bonastre, whose vivid colours and detailed imagery bring the continent to life in a wholly new way.Vibrant and wide‑ranging, Extraordinary Europe is the go‑to illustrated children’s guide to this continent. From ancient civilisations and mighty empires to plagues and conflicts, from revolutions and innovations to migrations and monarchies, it captures the drama and diversity of Europe’s story. Learn about the Renaissance, the Industrial Revolution, women’s suffrage, colonialism, human rights movements and the collapse of the Soviet Union. Journey through the Alps, the islands of the Aegean Sea and Norway’s fjords, to bustling cities and cultural icons, tracing inventions from the printing press to the World Wide Web. Extraordinary Europe is a breathtaking, thought‑provoking and inspiring read for the whole family.

Brimming with life and drama, this is the first book to explore two thousand years of European history through one the greatest imperial networks ever built'A delightful, novel and authoritative history from the ground up' JUDITH HERRIN'Epic and witty ... Fletcher is a thoroughly enjoyable narrator because she peppers her learned prose with wry humour' TOBIAS JONES, Observer'Fletcher is a rare thing: an academic who writes beautifully and accessibly about big subjects ... utterly riveting, filled with golden nuggets' CHARLIE CONNELLY, New European'All roads lead to Rome.' It's a medieval proverb, but it's also true: today's European roads still follow the networks of the ancient empire, as Rome’s extraordinary legacy continues to grip our imaginations.Over the two thousand years since they were first built, the roads have been walked by crusaders and pilgrims, liberators and dictators, but also by tourists and writers, refugees and artists. As channels of trade and travel, and routes for conquest and creativity, Catherine Fletcher shows how the roads forever transformed the cultures, and intertwined the fates, of a vast panoply of people across Europe and beyond.Reflecting on his own walk on the Appian Way, Charles Dickens observed that here is ‘a history in every stone that strews the ground.’ Based on outstanding original research, and brimming with life and drama, this is the first book to explore two thousand years of history through one of the greatest imperial networks ever built.

The discourse of political counsel in early modern Europe depended on the participation of men, as both counsellors and counselled. For scholars of history, politics and literature in early modern Europe, this book enriches our understanding of royal women as political actors.