A Companion to Eighteenth-Century Europe (eBook)

Peter H. Wilson is Grant Professor of History at the University of Hull. His books include Europe's Tragedy: A History of the Thirty Years War (2009), From Reich to Revolution: German History 1558-1806 (2004), and Absolutism in Central Europe (2000).

List of Illustrations viii

Notes on Contributors xi

Acknowledgments xv

Maps xvi

Introduction 1
Peter H. Wilson

Part I People, Production, and Consumption 9

1 Eighteenth-Century History and the European Environment 11
Dennis Wheeler

2 Gender 27
Deborah Simonton

3 Rural Economy and Society 47
Markus Cerman

4 Manufacturing, Markets, and Consumption 66
Beverly Lemire

5 Towns and their Inhabitants 82
Marc Schalenberg

6 The Eighteenth-Century Nobility: Challenge and Renewal 94
Hamish Scott

7 Poverty 109
Peter H. Wilson

Part II Cultures 123

8 The Public Sphere 125
Michael Schaich

9 Enlightened Thought, its Critics and Competitors 141
Thomas Munck

10 Medicine, Medical Practice, and Public Health 158
Mary Lindemann

11 Religion 176
Joachim Whaley

12 Popular Culture and Sociability 192
Beat Kümin

13 The Arts 208
Mark Berry

Part III State and Society 225

14 Russia 227
Lindsey Hughes

15 Poland-Lithuania 244
Jerzy Lukowski

16 The Empire, Austria, and Prussia 260
Peter H. Wilson

17 The Scandinavian Kingdoms 276
Michael Bregnsbo

18 The Dutch Republic 289
J. L. Price

19 The Italian States 304
Gregory Hanlon

20 Iberia: Spain and Portugal in the Eighteenth Century 322
Christopher Storrs

21 France 338
Michael Rapport

22 Britain and Hanover 354
Torsten Riotte

Part IV International Connections 369

23 Diplomacy and the Great Powers 371
Andrew C. Thompson

24 Islam and Europe 387
Molly Greene

25 Europe and the World 402
Philippe R. Girard

26 Europe and the Sea 418
Jan Glete

Part V Politics and the State 433

27 Dynasticism and the World of the Court 435
Clarissa Campbell Orr

28 Absolutism and Royal Government 451
Ronald G. Asch

29 War, 1688-1812 464
Ciro Paoletti

30 Participatory Politics 479
David M. Luebke

31 The French and European Revolutions 495
Alan Forrest

Bibliography 512

Index 556

"This is a useful book. It starts the student off with the idea if
interrelationships between social, economic, cultural and political
change.... University libraries catering for a wide range of
courses in historical subjects will want to consider this for
acquisition." (Reference Reviews, 2009)

"This is an impressive volume, with leading experts providing a
wide-ranging coverage that should satisfy most requirements for
effective and thoughtful introductory surveys.... All specialists
on this period will find much of value in this excellent volume."
(History, January 2009)

"A vivid portrait of 18th-century Europe.... Inclusion of
diverse interpretative methodologies, including gender studies
... brings fascinating illumination to period sociology.
Recommended for European history collections." (Library
Journal)