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Iron Kingdom: The Rise and Downfall of Prussia, 1600-1947
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Binding: Hardcover
Dewey Decimal Number: 943
EAN: 9780674023857
ISBN: 0674023854
Label: Belknap Press
Manufacturer: Belknap Press
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 800
Publication Date: September 29, 2006
Publisher: Belknap Press
Studio: Belknap Press
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Editorial Review: In the aftermath of World War II, Prussia--a centuries-old state pivotal to Europe's development--ceased to exist. In their eagerness to erase all traces of the Third Reich from the earth, the Allies believed that Prussia, the very embodiment of German militarism, had to be abolished. But as Christopher Clark reveals in this pioneering history, Prussia's legacy is far more complex. Though now a fading memory in Europe's heartland, the true story of Prussia offers a remarkable glimpse into the dynamic rise of modern Europe. What we find is a kingdom that existed nearly half a millennium ago as a patchwork of territorial fragments, with neither significant resources nor a coherent culture. With its capital in Berlin, Prussia grew from being a small, poor, disregarded medieval state into one of the most vigorous and powerful nations in Europe. Iron Kingdom traces Prussia's involvement in the continent's foundational religious and political conflagrations: from the devastations of the Thirty Years War through centuries of political machinations to the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire, from the enlightenment of Frederick the Great to the destructive conquests of Napoleon, and from the "iron and blood" policies of Bismarck to the creation of the German Empire in 1871, and all that implied for the tumultuous twentieth century. By 1947, Prussia was deemed an intolerable threat to the safety of Europe; what is often forgotten, Clark argues, is that it had also been an exemplar of the European humanistic tradition, boasting a formidable government administration, an incorruptible civil service, and religious tolerance. Clark demonstrates how a state deemed the bane of twentieth-century Europe has played an incalculable role in Western civilization's fortunes. Iron Kingdom is a definitive, gripping account of Prussia's fascinating, influential, and critical role in modern times.
(20060812)
Customer Reviews
Average Rating: 
Rating:  - Overall, pretty decent work.
I read a lot of history books, but I don't review very many. In fact, I think this is only my second review of a history text. I think it's because I don't want to come across looking like an idiot since I'm only an amateur historian. :D
However, Iron Kingdom was so good that it inspired me to write something here. I bought this book purely for research purposes, but once I started reading, I devoured not only the chapters relevant to the time period I was researching, but the entire ... Read More
Rating:  - Outstanding
I will say it again this book was outstanding. This is one of the best historical works I have ever read. Clark is an eminent scholar and an excellent writer as well. This book offers the reader a wealth of knowledge and information in a style that is both eloquent and entertaining.
One of the things that most struck me about this book was the level of intimacy with which the author writes about the different figures and times. The author's level of erudition is such that the reader feels ... Read More
Rating: - A good overview of Prussian history
For those of us who just had a general idea about how Prussia expanded from a provincial backwater (Brandenburg) into one of the most formidable power players in Europe, Christopher Clark's welcome and detailed history of Prussia fills in the blanks.
Brandenburg was a landlocked territory in central Europe, with few resources, no coastline, and well-trampled by foreign armies coming and going. How did this modest electorate become the power that it became? Clark writes thoroughly about how ... Read More
Rating: - An excellent, very readable history
This book was fascinating. It was incredibly interesting to read how a country with few natural resources rose to become one of the most powerful in Europe--and then disappeared without a trace after WWII. The author writes extremely well and has produced a very readable book. I recommend it very highly.
Rating: - Truly the History of Brandenberg and Central Europe
Most people think of Prussia as this monolithic kingdom that grew like a cancer in central europe for three hundred years. In reality, it was Brandenberg and the Hohenzollens that created a myth and an empire. Prussia was never more than the far eastern province (and an agrarian one to boot) of what became the German Empire in 1871. In point of fact, Prussia was never part of the "Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation", but the remains of the lands of the "Teutonic Knights" who settled the land in the 1400s ... Read More
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