The Rise of the Great Powers 1648 - 1815

Despite its age, The Rise of the Great Powers remains one of the best overviews of eighteenth-century European diplomatic history. Detailed enough for students, yet simple enough for those with no prior knowledge of the period, it charts the development of the European 'balance of power' from the end of the Thirty Years' War to the beginning of the Pax Britainica. The depth of McKay and Scott's uderstanding of such a complex subject is awesome, and they combine to produce a thoroughly enjoyable and informative book.