1350–1750. Weltreiche und Weltmeere

Geschichte Der Welt

by Wolfgang Reinhard (Editor), Akira Iriye (Editor), Jürgen Osterhammel (Editor)

In den Jahrhunderten zwischen 1350 und 1750 wird die Geschichte der Welt endgültig zu einer zusammenhängenden Weltgeschichte. Auf allen Kontinenten expandieren neue Großreiche, während westeuropäische Seefahrer den Atlantik in ein Binnenmeer verwandeln und der Islam die Handelssysteme vom Mittelmeer bis nach Südostasien beherrscht. Mit dem Band Weltreiche und Weltmeere liegt nun der dritte Band der großen, auf insgesamt sechs Bände angelegten Geschichte der Welt vor.

Genres: History, World History

1008 pages, Hardcover

First published October 17, 2014

Reviews

[Cerebralcortext · Rating 3 out of 5]

Global history is an attempt to break out of colonial mindsets and find continuities and changes across the face of the planet. While illuminating comparisons are possible (see Lieberman's Strange Parallels), they can also become rather vacuous and dry. This book is, unfortunately, the latter. With so much content to cover in so little space, we are given only a gloss of historical data over a churning morass of repetitive comparisons in technical jargon appropriate to each region. In other words, this is not exactly a fun read, but it does give you a quick overview of various regions and issues within it that can direct one's interest towards further research. But that just sounds like a glorified bibliographical essay. While restrictive, it might have been better if they focused on one aspect (like tensions between centres and their peripheries, taxation systems, etc.) and analyzed how disparate societies responded to similar issues diachronically. That way, you still get a global history, albeit with a lot more depth. Trying to fit all analyses into one book, on the other hand, quickly becomes a muddle.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dense, packed with info, good not-exclusively-euro historiography. LOTS of editing errors, though (maybe due to translating some of the authors?). At least two discrepancies in dates. But overall not the worst, I guess?