Джеффри Паркер – лучшие книги

Це авторизований переклад англомовного видання Compact History of the World видавництва "Таймс". У ньому стисло викладено історію людства, починаючи від походження людини до суспільства ХХІ ст. Атлас висвітлює насамперед глобальні історичні події у світі, акцентуючи увагу на досягненнях різних народів планети в усі часи. Розділи, присвячені Україні, доповнені та подані з позиції сучасного бачення історичних подій, що відбувалися на її теренах.

Sovereign City examines the nature of the city-state's changing role and traces the evolution of the city as a political entity from ancient times, when it flourished, to the present day, when it is of much diminished importance. Geoffrey Parker examines the city-state as a geopolitical form, as well as its distinctive place within a range of types of states. The rise of the city-state in ancient times is analysed with particular reference to the Greek polis, which Plato and Aristotle considered the perfect type of state. He also examines the Roman example of city-state as imperial capital, as well as the political role of the city in the early Islamic world, assessing the extent to which the term 'city-state' is applicable. He goes on to consider the revival of the European city-state in late Medieval and Renaissance Italy, tracing its extension to northern Europe. The importance of the city-state, as one of the principal forms of geopolitical organization in early modern Europe, culminated with the Hanseatic League of city-states located around the Baltic and the North Sea. The relationship of the League with other emerging types of state, particularly the nation-state, is examined, and the extent to which the nation-state was a cause of the city-state's decline is addressed. The author concludes with an examination of the role of the city-state in the contemporary world, focusing on its re-emergence in parts of the Far East and the Islamic world in the post-imperial era. In this context, he assesses the possible role of the city-state in the twenty-first century and beyond.

The publication of The Army of Flanders and the Spanish Road in 1972 marked the birth of the 'new military history', which emphasized military organization - mobilization, pay, supply, morale and, above all, logistics - rather than military 'events' such as sieges and battles. Geoffrey Parker studied one of the great logistical feats of early modern Europe: how Habsburg Spain managed to maintain and mobilize the largest army in Europe in an 80-year effort to suppress the Dutch Revolt, at 700 miles' distance. Using a unique combination of surviving records, he presented strikingly the logistical problems of fighting wars in early modern Europe, and demonstrated why Spain failed to suppress the Dutch Revolt. The book has been constantly cited since its first publication in English (with translations into Spanish and Dutch). This revised second edition includes some new sources and updates some references but otherwise remains faithful to the original version.

Well before the Industrial Revolution, Europe developed the superior military potential and expertise that enabled her to dominate the world for the next two centuries. In this attractively illustrated and updated edition, Geoffrey Parker discusses the major changes in the military practice of the West during this time period--establishment of bigger armies, creation of superior warships, the role of firearms--and argues that these major changes amounted to a "military revolution" that gave Westerners a decided advantage over people of other continents. A new chapter addresses the controversies engendered by the previous edition

The definitive history of the Spanish Armada, lavishly illustrated and fully revised

In July 1588 the Spanish Armada sailed from Corunna to conquer England. Three weeks later an English fireship attack in the Channel—and then a fierce naval battle—foiled the planned invasion. Many myths still surround these events. The genius of Sir Francis Drake is exalted, while Spain’s efforts are belittled. But what really happened during that fateful encounter?

Drawing on archives from around the world, Colin Martin and Geoffrey Parker also deploy vital new evidence from Armada shipwrecks off the coasts of Ireland and Scotland. Their gripping, beautifully illustrated account provides a fresh understanding of how the rival fleets came into being; how they looked, sounded, and smelled; and what happened when they finally clashed.

Looking beyond the events of 1588 to the complex politics which made war between England and Spain inevitable, and at the political and dynastic aftermath, Armada deconstructs the many legends to reveal why, ultimately, the bold Spanish mission failed.