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The Habsburgs
- The Rise and Fall of a World Power
- Narrated by: Simon Bowie
- Length: 14 hrs and 58 mins
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The Habsburgs
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Summary
Brought to you by Penguin.
In The Habsburgs, Martyn Rady tells the epic story of a dynasty and the world it built - and then lost - over nearly a millennium. From modest origins, the Habsburgs grew in power to gain control of the Holy Roman Empire in the 15th century. Then, in just a few decades, their possessions rapidly expanded to take in a large part of Europe stretching from Hungary to Spain and from the Far East to the New World.
The family continued to dominate Central Europe until the catastrophe of the First World War.
With its seemingly disorganised mass of large and small territories, its tangle of laws and privileges and its medley of languages, the Habsburg Empire has always appeared haphazard and incomplete. But here Martyn Rady shows the reasons for the family's incredible endurance, driven by the belief that they were destined to rule the world as defenders of the Roman Catholic Church, guarantors of peace and patrons of learning.
The Habsburg emperors were themselves absurdly varied in their characters - from warlords to contemplatives, from clever to stupid, from idle to frenzied - but all driven by the same sense of family mission. Scattered around the world, countless buildings, institutions and works of art continue to bear witness to their overwhelming impact.
The Habsburgs is the definitive history of a remarkable dynasty that, for better or worse, shaped Europe and the world.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- John Shields
- 13-01-21
Average reading of a good book
The narrator could speak with greater clarity (though pace is excellent). Mispronunciation of French, Spanish, etc words is understandable, but of English words is plain annoying.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Elaine & Edward Jackson
- 06-08-20
A superb telling of an incredible history!
This was one of the best history books I’ve had on audible, equal to Bettany Woods history of Istanbul. The book is great at providing fascinating details of a dynasty that shaped a continent. I listened compulsively to the excellent narration and highly recommend this book for anyone interested in European history.
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5 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Neil Green
- 16-05-21
Good History.
This is a quite short history of the empire, none the less interesting. Simon Bowie the narrator is very good. I would have liked more detail about the first world war and the end of the Empire.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Well That Aged Well
- 30-09-23
A decent book for someone who is not familiar already with Habsburg History
The book works for someone who is new to Habsburg history. BUT if you are quite familiar with Habsburg history as I am it may not be for you. Chose to re read this one because it been a couple of years since I read it. But it was sadly not as goood as I remembered. The narrator was ok. But the story could easilly have been 10 or 20 hours longer. Certain rules that should have been written about more such as Charles V, Maria Theresa, and Joseph II to mention a few felt rushed. Especially Joseph II considering his bipgrapher Bales wrote two whole volumes on him. So this book is definatley not for someone who is familiar with Habsburg history it willl be underwhealming.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 09-07-21
Comprehensive and thrilling
A pretty wild ride through European history from the perspective of the Habsburg dynasty. The author manages to give a comprehensive and factual account while keeping you engaged with good writing and a constantly twisting narrative. The narrator is excellent apart from the occasional butchered German word, which is totally understandable as far as I’m concerned. Would definitely recommend!
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Breadfiend
- 13-12-22
Ultimate Habsburg History
A compelling account of the growth and decline of a world empire well told and narrated with understanding of its complexity. Rady’s account is made all the more significant and richer by his descriptions of the contextual setting and use of incidental detail. An essential contribution to understanding the behaviour of contemporary Eastern Europe and today’s world.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- JJ
- 29-05-21
Great book spoilt by narration
This is a very good book very informative and manages to condense the long reign of the Hapsburg family without losing too much. Unfortunately the narration is clunky, with pauses in middle of sentences and strange inflections. Could only listen is short stretches without the narration spoiling the book.
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3 people found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 02-07-23
An odd book
This took an odd approach..going into excessive detail on some peripheral aspects but then rushing over important and potentially more interesting things.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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- Turquelblue
- 07-08-20
4 Minutes per year is a tough ask.
This is a tough review to write. As a non historian who has lived and traveled extensively in Central and Eastern Europe , I came to this book with some background knowledge. Accordingly , there were times when I felt the amount dedicated to certain events was too short e.g. Charles V and the 30 years war. Equally , my knowledge of the Empire in the 18th century was enhanced.
It is always a problem for historians to decide how much context of what was happening outside the core subject to include in the narrative. Certainly, I felt at least a reference to Marlborough when discussing the Spanish War of Succession would have helped UK readers.
I do recommend the book to any reader with an interest in European history. It will be a stimulus to follow up on certain areas you previously knew little about.
Narration is good. By and large , Simon Bowle opens well with German expressions and Hungarian and Slavic names.
Finally, my thanks for giving me my Pub Quiz question of the year. Why does the Brazilian national soccer team play in yellow and green?
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5 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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- ZG
- 06-04-23
Fantastic
An entertaining and informative gallop through centuries of Habsburg rule in Europe. While some parts are a bit thin, overall I loved it.
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