Foxe's Book of Martyrs
Will be published approx. on 4. May 2027
Book
Paperback/Softback
272 pages
978-0-14-139299-8 (ISBN)
Description
One of the most famous pieces of propaganda, a frenzied account of the persecution of Protestants in 16th century Europe
Few books match the historical influence of Foxe's Book of Martyrs. In vigorous, outraged prose, Foxe dramatized the "persecutions and horrible troubles" of those who had fallen victim to the Catholics, with lurid details and illustrations intended to agitate the reader's sense of horror and disgust. Foxe's book is a notorious work of propaganda, a founding Protestant text, and a mish-mash of serious scholarship, half-truths, and outrageous assertions. This selection from Foxe, with a full introduction, notes, and reproductions of key illustrations, is essential to understanding not only Elizabethan Britain, but also the core ideology that underpinned British anti-Catholicism and its centuries-long aversion to continental Europe.
Few books match the historical influence of Foxe's Book of Martyrs. In vigorous, outraged prose, Foxe dramatized the "persecutions and horrible troubles" of those who had fallen victim to the Catholics, with lurid details and illustrations intended to agitate the reader's sense of horror and disgust. Foxe's book is a notorious work of propaganda, a founding Protestant text, and a mish-mash of serious scholarship, half-truths, and outrageous assertions. This selection from Foxe, with a full introduction, notes, and reproductions of key illustrations, is essential to understanding not only Elizabethan Britain, but also the core ideology that underpinned British anti-Catholicism and its centuries-long aversion to continental Europe.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United States
Publishing group
Penguin Putnam Inc
Target group
Interest Age: From 14 years
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Dimensions
Height: 197 mm
Width: 129 mm
Weight
367 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-14-139299-8 (9780141392998)
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Schweitzer Classification
Person
John Foxe (c. 1516-1587) was one of the most important early historians of Britain and the author of Actes and Monuments (traditionally known as Foxe's Book of Martyrs), which appeared in several different editions during and after his lifetime. He spent Mary I's reign in exile due to the turbulence of the English reformation and returned to England once it was clear that Elizabeth I had embraced Protestantism. Upon his return, he continued with his Book of Martyrs, begun some years earlier, incorporating the persecution of members of the True Church from the Roman Empire to the burning of Protestants under Mary. Its first publication in 1563, as a book of 1,800 pages, was a sensation.
Thomas Freeman is a lecturer in History at the University of Essex. He is a leading expert on John Foxe and on the English Reformation more broadly.
Thomas Freeman is a lecturer in History at the University of Essex. He is a leading expert on John Foxe and on the English Reformation more broadly.