This is a starry love story; a tale of seething jealousies and subterfuge; a political imbroglio; and religious cruelties. It sounds like Shakespeare and it could have very well been the plot of one of his plays. --Toronto StarIn 1494; award-winning author Stephen R. Bown tells the untold story of the explosive feud between monarchs; clergy; and explorers that split the globe between Spain and Portugal and made the world's oceans a battleground.When Columbus triumphantly returned from America to Spain in 1493; his discoveries inflamed an already-smouldering conflict between Spain's renowned monarchs; Ferdinand and Isabella; and Portugal's João II. Which nation was to control the world's oceans? To quell the argument; Pope Alexander VI―the notorious Rodrigo Borgia―issued a proclamation laying the foundation for the Treaty of Tordesillas of 1494; an edict that created an imaginary line in the Atlantic Ocean dividing the entire known (and unknown) world between Spain and Portugal. Just as the world's oceans were about to be opened by Columbus's epochal voyage; the treaty sought to limit the seas to these two favored Catholic nations. The edict was to have a profound influence on world history: it propelled Spain and Portugal to superpower status; steered many other European nations on a collision course; and became the central grievance in two centuries of international espionage; piracy; and warfare. The treaty also began the fight for "the freedom of the seas"―the epic struggle to determine whether the world's oceans; and thus global commerce; would be controlled by the decree of an autocrat or be open to the ships of any nation―a distinctly modern notion; championed in the early seventeenth century by the Dutch legal theorist Hugo Grotius; whose arguments became the foundation of international law.At the heart of one of the greatest international diplomatic and political agreements of the last five centuries were the strained relationships and passions of a handful of powerful individuals. They were linked by a shared history; mutual animosity; and personal obligations―quarrels; rivalries; and hatreds that dated back decades. Yet the struggle ultimately stemmed from a young woman's determination to defy tradition and the king; and to choose her own husband.
#149012 in Books Godbeer Richard 2011-01-11Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 7.72 x .34 x 5.50l; .44 #File Name: 0312484550208 pagesThe Salem Witch Hunt A Brief History with Documents
Review
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful. Surprisingly comprehensive; even for the common public.By JuneisyThis book was required reading for a undergraduate course I took but I ended up loving it. In the US; we've all hear about the Salem witch trials; but most of what the public knows comes not from their own interpretation of the events but rather from what we've been told by others. Oftentimes that information is severely diluted and even erroneous. This book gives lay people; and by that I mean non-historians; the opportunity to read the documents and make up their own mind. The most valuable aspect of this book is that it contains documents not only from the famous Salem trials but also from the lesser known trials at Stamford; which took place within the same period of time. The documents from both town trials show a extraordinary difference in how the trials were handled and in the outcome. The Stamford trials; combined with the circumstances in which Salem found itself at the time; makes it possible to truly get to the heart of the Salem trials. This book breaks it all down without necessarily dumbing it down; so to speak.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Five StarsBy CynthiaI really enjoyed this book.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. For the casual historianBy Kevin McBeeA very good introduction to a full understanding of the Salem Witch Crisis. Not as detailed as other sources might be but that isn't the intention of this book. Rather; this book is introductory reading for the casual historian.
