Christendom Destroyed Europe 1517-1648

A new understanding of one of the most decisive eras in European history, captured in extraordinary detail by a renowned scholar
 
The latest addition to the landmark Penguin History of Europe series is a fascinating study of the sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries, when dramatic changes led to the collapse of Christendom—a millennium in the making—and established the geographical and political frameworks of Western Europe as we know it.

From peasants to princes, no one was untouched by the spiritual and intellectual upheaval of this era. Martin Luther’s challenge to church authority forced Christians to examine their beliefs in ways that shook the foundations of their religion. Geographical and scientific discoveries undermined the unity of Christendom as a belief community. In its place, Europe—modern, divided, frequently at war with itself—emerged as a collection of nation-states. Thomas More, Shakespeare, Montaigne, and Cervantes chronicled these changes in works that continue to resonate with us. Addressing all this and more, Christendom Destroyed is award-winning historian Mark Greengrass’s magnum opus: a rich tapestry that fosters a deeper understanding of Europe’s identity today.

Mark Greengrass is a professor emeritus of early modern history at the University of Sheffield. He lives and works in Paris, with affiliations to the University of Paris IV (Centre Roland Mousnier).