Publication Date:
February 15, 2016
Genre:
History/Medieval History
Series:
Hourly History
Length: 61 pages
Book Description (Amazon):
The Crusades are the prototype and epitome of the Holy War. The fight to take control of the city of Jerusalem, believed to be the most sacred Holy City to two distinct religions of Christianity and Islam, has lasted far longer than the two centuries of the Crusades and its reach has extended far further than Europe and the Middle East. Over the course of nine organized campaigns and many more unorganized ones, the Christian west militarized in the name of God to push back the threat of Islam advancing from the east. Understanding the Crusades is key in understanding the religious divides that still threaten the order of the world.
Publication Date:October 6, 2019
Genre:
History/Medieval History
Series:
Hourly History
Length: 47 pages
Book Description (Amazon):
The Hundred Years’ War was a series of conflicts waged between England and France between 1337 and 1453. The war involved several generations of kings on both sides and was fought over a single issue: whether the English had the right to rule the kingdom of France. The origins of the war can be traced back to the invasion of England in 1066 by William the Conqueror, the duke of Normandy. William became king of England, but he also retained control over his lands in Normandy. From that time on, English kings ruled not just over their own country but also over areas of western France. What is now France was at the time of the Norman conquest not a single country but rather a group of semi-independent principalities. By the early 1300s, the kingdom of France was consolidating and emerging as an important European power, and it was almost inevitable that there would be a conflict between France and England over the English lands in western France.
The Hundred Years’ War marked important changes in the very nature of warfare. When it began, the principal weapons on both sides were heavily armored knights who generally followed an agreed code of conduct. By the time the war ended, the Age of Chivalry had been superseded by the appearance of gunpowder weapons which rendered these knights and their notions of chivalrous combat obsolete. The Hundred Years’ War was an important element in the creation of modern Europe and in the definition of the national characters of both England and France. This book tells the story of this long, complex, and fascinating conflict.
Publication Date:
March 13, 2023
Genre:
History/History of India
Series:
Hourly History
Length: 45 pages
Book Description (Amazon):
The British Raj refers to the time from 1858 to 1947 when the British Crown directly ruled the Indian subcontinent. During those 90 years, India saw enormous social, political, and cultural upheaval. New systems of education were introduced, and increasing industrialization brought societal change. The British administration also united large numbers of indigenous people, though they were often united mainly by their opposition to the British and their desire for independence.
The growing independence movement saw the emergence of one of the most influential and charismatic political leaders ever: Mahatma Gandhi. His policy of non-violent opposition inspired people across the world and helped to guide India to independence. However, with independence came partition as the British divided the region according to religious and ethnic lines. Instead of a single independent nation, the Indian subcontinent became two and then three separate nation-states, something that led to violence and conflicts that persist today.
This is the story of how the British Raj inadvertently created the modern nations of India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.
My Thoughts:
I have made a list of things I want to work on for my blog and personal reading goals this year. One is to read and review more history books. These hourly history ones are a great way to learn basic historical facts and major themes quickly while still getting accurate information. I already knew a lot about The Crusades and next to nothing about The Hundred Years War or British India. The Crusades book followed everything I knew in a timeline covering all the major Crusades and historical figures from 1096 to the late 1200's. I came away with some gaps filled in my knowledge as well. The books on the other two were great in that I learned about all the major points like Agincourt and Ghandi's movement without being given too much detail that might make me feel confused being newly exposed to the topic.
If you love history and biographies you will love these books. It is going to be difficult to choose which ones to read first because there are so many. With Kindle Unlimited you can read most of them for nothing. Also, if you sign up for their newsletter at HourlyHistory.com you get free e-books each Friday!
