Synopsis
The History of Civilization in Europe: From the Fall of the Roman Empire to the French Revolution is a book written by French historian Fran�����ois Guizot and originally published in 1885. The book covers the period of European history from the end of the Roman Empire in the 5th century to the French Revolution in the late 18th century.Guizot's work is a comprehensive overview of the political, social, and cultural developments that shaped Europe during this period. He explores the rise and fall of various empires and kingdoms, the spread of Christianity, the emergence of feudalism, the growth of cities and commerce, and the intellectual and artistic achievements of the Renaissance and Enlightenment.The book is divided into three main sections, each covering a distinct period of European history. The first section focuses on the early Middle Ages, including the barbarian invasions, the rise of the Carolingian Empire, and the Viking raids. The second section covers the High Middle Ages, including the Crusades, the growth of universities, and the emergence of nation-states. The third section covers the Renaissance, the Reformation, and the Enlightenment, including the scientific revolution, the rise of humanism, and the Enlightenment's influence on politics and society.Guizot's writing is clear and concise, making it accessible to both scholars and general readers. He provides detailed accounts of historical events and figures, while also analyzing the broader trends and forces that shaped Europe's development. The book is a valuable resource for anyone interested in European history and the evolution of Western civilization.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.
Book Description
Originally given as a series of lectures at the Sorbonne, Francois Guizot's History of Civilization in Europe was published to great acclaim in 1828 and is now regarded as a classic in modern historical research. History was particularly influential on Karl Marx, John Stuart Mill, and Alexis de Tocqueville. Tocqueville, in fact, requested that a copy of History be sent to him when he arrived in the United States.
This volume offers what Guizot himself describes as a "philosophic history" of Europe, one which searches for the underlying general causes and effects of particular events. Guizot considers European civilization in its broadest senses, encompassing not merely political, economic, and social structures, but also the ideas, faculties, and sentiments of "man himself." Guizot understood a two-way relationship between external conditions affect the inner man, whose moral and intellectual development eventually shapes social and other external conditions.
Guizot's History describes the development of European civilization in terms of the inevitable advance of equality of conditions, due to many factors, including a new emphasis on the individual. The author explores the decentralization of power that characterized feudalism, the centralization of power after the fifteenth century, and finally the rebuilding of local autonomy necessary for representative and free government. As editor Larry Siedentop describes, "The [ History's] moral is about the social and political consequences of destroying local liberty . . . excessive concentration of power at the center of any society is, in the long run, its own undoing."
Francois Guizot (1787-1874) was a French historian, political philosopher, and politician.
Larry Siedentop was educated at Hope College, Harvard, and Oxford. He is Emeritus Fellow of Keble College, Oxford, and was for many years faculty lecturer in political thought in the university. His publications include The Nature of Political Theory, Tocqueville, and most recently, Democracy in Europe.
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