Schorn-Schütte, Luise Die Teilung der Macht

Geschichte Europas in der Frühen Neuzeit

It began with Luther's hammer blows and culminated in the proclamation of liberty, equality and fraternity: the early modern period (1517-1789) is a key epoch in European history, whose upheavals were felt around the world. In her new book, Luise Schorn-Schütte recounts this era, so rich in upheaval, in a compact and clear manner, bringing it to life through the eyes of its protagonists: from the reformer Martin Luther to Queen Louise of Prussia to Martha Washington, the first First Lady of the United States. As one of the most distinguished experts on the early modern period, the author opens up a broad panorama of an era full of groundbreaking events: from the Reformation, the Thirty Years' War and the Peace of Westphalia to attempts at absolute rule, the Seven Years' War as the first world war and the colonisation of North America, to the Enlightenment, the French Revolution and the Declaration of Human Rights. The focus is on European history, but the book repeatedly broadens its horizons to include global contexts. The presentation is made particularly accessible by the fact that at the end of each chapter, the perspective of an individual is taken, through whose lens the historical events and developments are brought vividly to life.