British Liberators in the Age of Napoleon
Volunteering Under the Spanish Flag in the Peninsular War
1. Auflage
Erschienen am 20. Dezember 2012
288 Seiten
978-1-4411-0374-1 (ISBN)
Beschreibung
This book unveils the role of a hitherto unrecognized group of men who, long before the International Brigades made its name in the Spanish Civil War, also found reasons to fight under the Spanish flag. Their enemy was not fascism, but what could be at times an equally overbearing ideology: Napoleon's imperialism.
Although small in number, British volunteers played a surprisingly influential role in the conduct of war operations, in politics, gender and social equality, in cultural life both in Britain and Spain and even in relation to emancipation movements in Latin America. Some became prisoners of war while a few served with guerrilla forces.
Many of the works published about the Peninsular War in the last two decades have adopted an Anglocentric narrative, writing the Spanish forces out of victories, or have tended to present the war, not as much won by the allies, but lost by the French. This book takes a radically different approach by drawing on previously untapped archival sources to argue that victory was the outcome of a truly transnational effort.
Although small in number, British volunteers played a surprisingly influential role in the conduct of war operations, in politics, gender and social equality, in cultural life both in Britain and Spain and even in relation to emancipation movements in Latin America. Some became prisoners of war while a few served with guerrilla forces.
Many of the works published about the Peninsular War in the last two decades have adopted an Anglocentric narrative, writing the Spanish forces out of victories, or have tended to present the war, not as much won by the allies, but lost by the French. This book takes a radically different approach by drawing on previously untapped archival sources to argue that victory was the outcome of a truly transnational effort.
Rezensionen / Stimmen
British Liberators demonstrates a thorough understanding of the complexities of society, culture, and politics in Spain at the time, something that is not always appreciated in the English-language work on the subject . . . The academic credentials of the book are impeccable, and it is a model for future studies of conflict . . . [Its] painstaking level of research underpins cogent, thought-provoking and well written analysis. * The BARS Review, no. 44 * Rogers' work represents a valuable and fascinating contribution to the historiography of the Peninsular War. * European History Quarterly, Vol. 45 No. 1 * By shedding new light on a neglected aspect of the war makes Rogers' work important reading for those interested in the Napoleonic era. * NYMAS Review * An interesting addition to the historiography [of the subject]. * Journal for Eighteenth Century Studies * [This book] is excellent. It is full of strengths, original, clearly written, innovative, insightful. It overturns misconceptions about the British presence in the conflict, and opens up substantial new avenues for research.Weitere Details
Auflage
1. Auflage
Sprache
Englisch
Verlagsort
New York
USA
Verlagsgruppe
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC (Digital)
Zielgruppe
Für Beruf und Forschung
ISBN-13
978-1-4411-0374-1 (9781441103741)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Klassifikation
Weitere Ausgaben
Person
Graciela Iglesias Rogers is Tutor and Lecturer in Modern History at St. Peter's College, University of Oxford, UK. She is also a former Reuters fellow with a long career in journalism.
Inhalt
Acknowledgments \ Abbreviations \ List of Illustrations \ Introduction \ 1. The World of the Future Volunteers \ 2. Why Volunteer with the Spanish Forces? \ 3. Grounds for Action: The 'Spanish cause' \ 4. An Ideology of Single-Mindedness \ 5. Interpreters and Disseminators of Culture \ 6. Accidental Agents of Social Change \ 7. 'Half Spanish, half English, and wholly Patriot' \ 8. The Aftermath \ Conclusion \ Glossary \ Biographical Notes \ Bibliography \ Index
