History

The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Japan is the essential reference to all facets of Japan past and present. Up to date, authoritative and wide ranging in scope, it covers all the general reader, student, business person, journalist, researcher, tourist or armchair traveler would want to know. A highly absorbing read, the Encyclopedia is also filled with the facts, figures and general data on Japan that make it an indispensable source of information. Learn, for example, that the safest place to be during an earthquake in Japan is in a bamboo grove; or that one of the greatest delicacies of Japanese cuisine, the fugu, is deadly poisonous in the hands of an unskilled chef. Also included are the latest statistics on Japan's dramatically aging population, a complete listing of its prime ministers, and valuable data on the powerful Japanese advertising industry.

In 1517, Martin Luther's legendary Ninety-five Theses set in motion a chain of events that fundamentally altered European history. The resulting Reformation of the sixteenth century proved to be one of the most important and far-reaching phenomena of an era marked by dramatic religious and social upheaval. A critical chapter in the history of Christian thought, the movement provoked political, social, and cultural transformations that profoundly changed the Western world. The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Reformation is the first major reference to cover the immense subject of the Reformation in its entirety. Setting the issues of theology and ecclesiology within the broader context of the social and intellectual history of the time, it is the most authoritative reference available on early modern European society as a whole. The Encyclopedia is a unique compendium of contemporary scholarship focusing on the complete range of religious and social changes wrought by the Reformation-- including not only issues of church polity and theology but also related developments in politics, economics, demographics, art, and literature. It is an unparalleled source of information on the personalities and events of the era, with broad coverage ranging from biographies to extensive treatments of topics such as Lutheranism, women, law, the Augsburg Confession, music, the Holy Roman Empire, peasants, the Bible, persecution, and literacy. Offering exhaustive interdisciplinary and international coverage of all aspects of the Reformation, this is the ultimate reference on the subject. Transcending the bounds of denominational encyclopedias and dictionaries of Reformation history currently available, it offers the only comprehensive picture of western Europe and the British Isles, along with southern Europe, Scandinavia, and east-central Europe in the early modern period. It is the first source scholars, students, and general readers in any discipline will reach for when studying the Reformation.

The extraordinarily rich cultural legacy of the Roman world has had a profound affect world civilization. Roman achievements in architecture, law, politics, literature, war, and philosophy serve as the foundation of modern Western society. Now, for the first time in an A-Z format, A Dictionary of the Roman Empire assembles the people, places, events, and ideas of this remarkable period in one easy-to-use source. With over 1,900 entries covering more than five hundred years of Roman history, from Julius Caesar and the Gallic Wars (59-51 B.C.) to the fall of Romulus Augustus, the last Roman emperor (476 A.D.), this accessible guide provides quick reference to one of the most studied periods of all antiquity. Every aspect of Roman life is included. Here are profiles of the great emperors, such as Marcus Aurelius, one of the most profoundly intellectual monarchs in western civilization, and the aberrant Gaius Caligula, who, after draining the Roman treasury with his eccentric behavior, made it a capital crime for citizens not to bequeath him their estates. Informative entries describe the complex workings of Roman government, such as census taking, the creation of civil service, coinage, and the venerable institution of the Senate, and offer insight into the various trends and cultural tastes that developed throughout Roman history. For example, a discussion on baths, the most common type of building in the Roman Empire, demonstrates the unique intermingling of luxury, community, recreation, and, in the provinces, an association with Rome, that served as the focus of any city aspiring to greatness. Other entries describe the practice of paganism, marriage and divorce, ludi (public games held to entertain the Roman populace), festivals of the Roman year, and gluttony (epitomized by famous gourmands such as the emperor Vitellius, who according to the historian Suetonius, lived for food, banqueting three or four times a day, routinely vomiting up his meal and starting over). Also featured are longer essays on such topics as art and architecture, gods and goddesses, and the military, as well as a chronology, a short glossary of Roman terms, and appendices listing the emperors of the Empire and diagram the often intertwined family trees of ruling dynasties. Comprehensive, authoritative, and illustrated with over sixty illustrations and maps, A Dictionary of the Roman Empire provides easy access to the remarkable civilization upon which Western society was built.

Medieval Islamic Civilization examines the socio-cultural history of the regions where Islam took hold between the seventh and sixteenth century. This important two-volume work contains over 700 alphabetically arranged entries, contributed and signed by international scholars and experts in fields such as Arabic languages, Arabic literature, architecture, art history, history, history of science, Islamic arts, Islamic studies, Middle Eastern studies, Near Eastern studies, politics, religion, Semitic studies, theology, and more. This reference provides an exhaustive and vivid portrait of Islamic civilization including the many scientific, artistic, and religious developments as well as all aspects of daily life and culture. For a full list of entries, contributors, and more, visit www.routledge-ny.com/middleages/Islamic.

A completely revised and updated edition of the reference work originally compiled and edited by William L. Langer, now packaged together with a fully searchable CD-ROM, covering all of world history.

This reference guide throws light on almost every aspect of postwar international history from the rise of Mao's China to the Bosnian Civil War. It provides a huge wealth of information on East-West relations setting events, crises and conflicts in their full international context.

The Vietnam War remains a major point of reference in discussions of U.S. foreign policy and national character. The lessons and legacies of the most divisive event in U.S. history in the twentieth century are hotly debated to this day. Written by a renowned scholar of the conflict, The Columbia Guide to the Vietnam War provides students and researchers with the materials to think seriously about the conflict's many paradoxes and ramifications.

Written for high school or beginning undergraduate students, this four-volume reference valiantly attempts to provide a historical framework for the perhaps overly broad concept of world trade. Entry topics were selected on trade organizations, influential people, commodities, events that affected trade, trade routes, navigation, religion, communic

Featuring a wealth of new information and the work of acclaimed scholars from around the world, this monumental resource is the new standard reference on the 20th century's most influential conflict. The Encyclopedia of World War I: A Political, Social, and Military History treats its monumental subject with the scope and insight it deserves. Its lavishly illustrated volumes, produced by an international team of experts, offer a deeper, more richly researched presentation of the battles, campaigns, and weapons technologies of the Great War than any previous work. The encyclopedia also ranges well beyond the day-to-day battlefield struggles to capture the whole impact of the war, offering in-depth portraits of historic figures, everyday soldiers, and civilians on all home fronts. It provides the latest thinking from experts around the world on the war's buildup (the Anglo-German naval arms race), legacy (the Russian Revolution and Civil War, the Red Scare in the United States), and unresolved questions such as the ultimate responsibility for the war. With over 1,200 entries (over one million words), plus a volume of primary documents, The Encyclopedia of World War I is the definitive scholarly reference on a struggle whose aftershocks are still being felt. * 1,219 A-Z entries covering military culture and tactics for all engaged armies in unprecedented depth, describing important events (the sinking of the Lusitania, the Arab revolt), cultural and political figures (Ferdinand Foch, Wilfred Owen), geopolitical agreements (the covenant of the League of Nations), social issues (the role of religions), and much more * 175 contributors, including scholars from the United States, Britain, China, Japan, Australia, France, Germany, Austria, and Scandinavia, giving this encyclopedia an unprecedented global perspective * A separate primary source volume with 195 official documents, diary entries, and letters from all types of people involved in the war, with introductory information to place the documents in historical context * An opening section of 35 battle and locational maps providing the geographic context necessary to understand how the conflict moved and where and why the battlefield stalled * Insightful introductory essays that discuss the root causes of the war, the catalyzing events that lead to the outbreak of war, an overview of the war itself, and a discussion of the long-term impact of the war, providing context for the A-Z entries that follow * A list of comparative military ranks, glossary, historiography, and general bibliography, plus a comprehensive chronology providing researchers and readers with a sense of time and relationship between the major events of the conflict

The author covers one of the most explosive and most exciting periods of world history, spanning the time from the eruption of the French Revolution through the end of the Napoleonic wars (1789-1815). These twenty-six years of history saw the birth of nationalism and Western democracy, economic crisis and political convulsion, the growth of industrialism, the death of ancient traditions, and the birth and break-up of empire. It was the time of Napoleon, who gave his name to this period of tremendous change: the period in which the roots of modern Europe were planted. This work is intended as a broad review, devoting a majority of its attention to the military and political events and personalities of the period, while also surveying the major artistic, social and cultural events and personalities that formed this period.

This wide-ranging dictionary contains a wealth of information on all aspects of history, from prehistory right up to the present day. Over 4,000 clear, concise entries include biographies of key figures in world history, seperate entries for every country in the world (summarising keyhistorical events), and subject entries on religious and political movements, international organizations, and key battles and places.This new edition of the dictionary has been thoroughly updated to cover recent changes in world affairs. It includes new biographies for recent key figures (e.g. Vladimir Putin, Benedict XVI ), updated biographies for other major figures (e.g. Tony Blair), and the addition of recent major events andtheir after-effects (including the Orange Revolution and the 2004 tsunami).The book also contains twenty-five detailed maps linked to key historical events and topics. These include the African slave trade, the Black Death, and the Normandy campaign.Encyclopedic in scope, this ambitious dictionary provides an excellent overview of world history both for students and the general reader.

There are very few figures in history that have exerted as much and as varied an influence as Karl Marx. His work represents an unrivalled intervention into fields as various as philosophy, journalism, economics, history, politics and cultural criticism. His name is invoked across the political spectrum in connection to revolution and insurrection, social justice and economic transformation. The Bloomsbury Companion to Marx is the definitive reference guide to Marx 's life and work. Written by an international team of leading Marx scholars, the book offers comprehensive coverage of Marx 's- life and contexts; sources, influences and encounters; key writings; major themes and topics; and reception and influence. The defining feature of this Companion is its attention to the new directions in Marxism that animate the theoretical, scientific, and political sides of Marx 's thought. Gender and the growing importance of Marxist-feminism is treated as equally important to clarifying Marx today as traditional and diverse categories of critique such as class, capital, and mode of production. Similarly, this Companion showcases the methodological and political importance of Marxism to environmentalist politics. Finally, the volume examines in detail non-European Marxisms, demonstrating the centrality of Marxist thought to political movements both within and beyond the global north. This book is the ideal research resource for anyone working on Marx and his ideas today, and as an entry point, if you are approaching Marx's thought for the first time.

The Companion to Global Environmental History offersmultiple points of entry into the history and historiography ofthis dynamic and fast-growing field, to provide an essential roadmap to past developments, current controversies, and futuredevelopments for specialists and newcomers alike. Combines temporal, geographic, thematic and contextualapproaches from prehistory to the present day Explores environmental thought and action around the world, togive readers a cultural, intellectual and political context forengagement with the environment in modern times Brings together environmental historians from around the world,including scholars from South Africa, Brazil, Germany, andChina

A Companion to Mediterranean History presents a wide-ranging overview of this vibrant field of historical research, drawing together scholars from a range of disciplines to discuss the development of the region from Neolithic times to the present. Provides a valuable introduction to current debates on Mediterranean history and helps define the field for a new generation Covers developments in the Mediterranean world from Neolithic times to the modern era Enables fruitful dialogue among a wide range of disciplines, including  history, archaeology, art, literature, and anthropology

This Companion provides a comprehensive introduction to keytopics in the study of ancient history. Examines the forms of evidence, problems, approaches, and majorthemes in the study of ancient history Comprises more than 40 essays, written by leading internationalscholars Moves beyond the primary focus on Greece and Rome with coverageof the various cultures within the ancient Mediterranean Draws on the latest research in the field Provides an essential resource for any student of ancienthistory

Its sixteen thematic chapters - each written by an expert in the field - cover social and economic developments, the rise and fall of all the major political movements as well as the immense changes generated by war and international diplomacy across Europe.

Using new methodological and theoretical approaches, A Companionto Byzantium presents an overview of the Byzantine world fromits inception in 330 A.D. to its fall to the Ottoman Turks in 1453. Provides an accessible overview of eleven centuries ofByzantine society Introduces the most recent scholarship that is transforming thefield of Byzantine studies Emphasizes Byzantium's social and cultural history, as well asits material culture Explores traditional topics and themes through freshperspectives

The Oxford Handbook of Byzantine Studies presents discussions by leading experts on all significant aspects of this diverse and fast-growing field. The Oxford Handbook of Byzantine Studies deals with the history and culture of the Byzantine Empire, the eastern half of the Late Roman Empire, from the fourth to the fourteenth century. Its centre was the city formerly known as Byzantium, refounded as Constantinople in 324 CE, the present-day Istanbul. Under its emperors, patriarchs, and all-pervasive bureaucracy Byzantium developed a distinctive society: Greek in language, Roman in legal system, and Christian in religion. Byzantium's impact in the European Middle Ages is hard to over-estimate, as a bulwark against invaders, as a meeting-point for trade from Asia and the Mediterranean, as a guardian of the classical literary and artistic heritage, and as a creator of its own magnificent artistic style.