Showing titles in 17th Century

Step into the dramatic history of science, where radical ideas battled religious authority to birth the modern world. Perfect for an engaging commute, this gripping narrative transforms historical dates into a high-stakes struggle for objective truth. Experience an intellectual paradigm shift as...

Witness the thrilling rise and fall of a global maritime empire in this immersive European history of a marshy settlement. Perfect for a gripping daily commute or inspiring your next travel adventure, this dynamic narrative transports you to the treacherous, bustling shores of the North Sea...

Witness the dramatic intellectual history that shattered ancient dogma and ignited the dawn of modern science. Perfect for an enlightening daily commute, this thought-provoking journey transports you to Renaissance Europe's bustling coffeehouses and crowded workshops. Here, rebel astronomers and...

Dive into a gripping historical mystery and uncover the royal conspiracy behind Europe's most famous faceless prisoner. Separate the legendary myths from the cold, hard archival evidence of absolute monarchy. Explore the dark machinery of state prisons and the chilling reality of controlled...

Trace the epic rise and fall of a maritime empire that reshaped European history and global commerce. From flooded lowlands emerged a revolutionary republic fueled by relentless trade, artistic genius, and naval innovation. Perfect for an educational commute, this immersive deep dive explores...

A minor religious dispute ignites a devastating military conflict that permanently reshapes the map of Europe. Perfect for your daily commute, this gripping historical narrative plunges you into the fractured, tense landscape of the Holy Roman Empire. Experience the terrifying escalation from...

Experience the gripping military history of a continent-spanning religious conflict that forged modern Europe. Perfect for your daily commute, this immersive narrative transports you to the tense, mistrustful heart of the Holy Roman Empire. Watch a powder keg of faith and ambition explode into...

Step inside the ultimate gilded cage of French history, where political power was ruthlessly built with mirrors and gold. Transform your daily commute into an immersive journey through the dramatic rise and turbulent fall of Europe’s most opulent royal court. From a humble hunting lodge to a...

Experience the dramatic military history of a fractured empire and the continent-wide struggle that reshaped Europe. From a local Bohemian uprising to a grinding, tragic catastrophe, this concise narrative cuts through the dense confusion of dynastic politics. Perfect for an educational commute...

Uncover the chilling true story behind an infamous unsolved mystery of 17th-century France and its absolute monarchy. Perfect for a captivating daily commute, this atmospheric historical deep dive separates documented facts from centuries of wild rumors and court intrigue. Step inside a harsh...

Step into a tense era of British history where a bloodless political coup birthed the modern constitutional monarchy. Amidst the lingering trauma of past civil wars, a fragile nation faced the terrifying prospect of renewed royal tyranny and religious persecution. Witness the ultimate...

Experience an epic history of the Mughal Empire, where royal grief fueled an unrivaled architectural masterpiece. Perfect for a daily commute or armchair travel, this awe-inspiring narrative transports you to the bustling banks of the Yamuna River. Lose yourself in an immersive journey through...

Unearth a suspenseful historical mystery of royal power and political intrigue that haunted seventeenth-century France. Perfect for a long commute or an evening of deep-focus listening, this atmospheric true story explores how an absolute monarch concealed a captive whose face was hidden even...

Experience a gripping Scientific Revolution biography where restless minds shattered dogma to invent modern reason. Perfect for an insightful morning commute, this intellectual journey transports you to the candlelit studies and hostile courtrooms of early modern Europe. Witness the precise...

Bloomsbury presents Vermeer's Hat by Timothy Brook, read by Nathan Osgood In this critical darling Vermeer's captivating and enigmatic paintings become windows that reveal how daily life and thought-from Delft to Beijing--were transformed in the 17th century, when the world first became global...

Bloomsbury presents Spain by Robert Goodwin, read by Jeremy Clyde. In the sixteenth century, the Spaniards became the first nation in history to have worldwide reach—across most of Europe to the Americas, the Philippines, and India. The Golden Age of the Spanish Empire would establish five...

The superb historian and biographer Antonia Fraser, author of Marie Antoinette, casts new light on the splendor and the scandals of the reign of Louis XIV in this dramatic, illuminating look at the women in his life. The self-proclaimed Sun King, Louis XIV ruled over the most glorious and...

Remember, remember, the Fifth of November ... With a narrative that grips the reader like a detective story, Antonia Fraser brings the characters and events of the Gunpowder Plot to life. Dramatically recreating the conditions and motives that surrounded the fateful night of 5 November 1605, she...

Oliver Cromwell's death in 1658 sparked a period of unrivaled turmoil and confusion in English history. In less than two years, there were close to ten changes of government; rival armies of Englishmen faced each other across the Scottish border; and the Long Parliament was finally dissolved after two decades. Why was this period so turbulent, and why did the republic, backed by a formidable standing army, come crashing down in such spectacular fashion?

With hindsight, the victory of Parliamentarian forces over the Royalists in the English Civil War may seem inevitable, but this outcome was not a foregone conclusion. Timothy Venning explores many of the turning points and discusses how they might so easily have played out differently.