By 1400, the once-mighty Byzantine Empire stood on the verge of destruction. Most of its territories had been lost to the Ottoman Turks, and Constantinople was under close blockade. Against all odds, Byzantium lingered on for another fifty years unti...

It has become commonplace to think that globalization has produced a race to the bottom in terms of labour standards and quality of life: the cheaper the labour and the lower the benefits afforded workers, the more a country can competitively partici...

In the midst of a resurgence of pride in Ireland's history during the 18th century, William Burton, later Conyngham (1733-1796), strove to emulate his British counterparts in producing albums of engravings illustrating the beauties of the country's h...

Definitive in its scholarship and thrilling in its scope, this lavishly illustrated volume offers the first book-length study of Luca Signorelli (1445-1523), sometimes described as the "least-known major artist" of the Renaissance. Twenty years of pa...

Bold, bright, and functional, stoneware ceramics produced in the German-speaking centres of what is today Germany and the Low Countries were highly valued and widely traded in Europe and North America from the 16th through to the 18th century. In the...

This fascinating book offers the first comprehensive study in English of Baldassare Longhena (1598-1682), the indispensable architect of the Venetian Baroque. While Longhena's legacy is most visible in his iconic Madonna della Salute, the 17th-centur...

This hard hitting and timely book explores the roots of militant Islam in South Asia and how it has grown to become a source of profound global alarm. Dilip Hiro tracks the growth of the jihadist movement from its first violent activities in Afghanis...

The Wars of the Roses (1455-85) were a major turning point in English history. But the underlying causes for the successive upheavals have been hotly contested by historians ever since. In this original and stimulating new synthesis, distinguished hi...

This sumptuously illustrated book offers a completely new way of looking at the art of Vincent van Gogh, by exploring the artist's approach to nature through his innovative use of the close-up view. Focusing on the last years of the artist's career –...

This comprehensive manual offers accurate, up-to-date, and clear information for identifying New England's remarkable array of tracheophytes (vascular plants, excluding mosses). With fully researched entries on some 3,500 native and non-native specie...