The Oxford Handbook of Early Modern European History, 1350-1750

This Handbook offers a fresh perspective on early modern history, emphasizing its complexities and the various factors that shaped Europe from 1350 to 1750.

This comprehensive Handbook delves into the concept of early modern history, placing it within both European and global contexts. Volume I focuses on social and cultural identity, exploring various structural factors that shaped this era. Key themes discussed include climate, the advent of printing, the revolution in information dissemination, economic changes, and the role of religion. The chapters cover significant religious traditions, including Orthodoxy, Judaism, and Islam, highlighting their impact on early modern societies.

The term 'early modern' has been a staple in Anglophone scholarship for the past forty years, becoming a fixture in teaching, research, and publishing. However, recent scholarship has questioned the coherence of this term, suggesting that the unity it implies has become fragmented. This Handbook provides a critical examination of the concept, assessing its relevance and the validity of the historical periodization it encompasses. The Oxford Handbook of Early Modern European History, 1350-1750 offers a rich account of the field's development over the last fifty years while presenting a thorough survey of current knowledge.

The primary goal of this volume is to demonstrate that 'early modern' transcends mere chronological classification; it embodies a substantive integrity worthy of serious academic inquiry. Volume I specifically investigates 'Peoples and Place,' analyzing how various factors, including social, economic, and religious elements, contributed to the shaping of early modern Europe. This exploration aims to provide readers with a nuanced understanding of the complexities of this transformative period.