The Habsburgs

About the Book

The definitive history of a powerful family dynasty who dominated Europe for centuries—from their rise to power to their eventual downfall.

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 gained control of the Holy Roman Empire in the fifteenth 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 parts of the New World and the Far East. The Habsburgs continued to dominate Central Europe through the First World War.

Historians often depict the Habsburgs as leaders of a ramshackle empire. But Rady reveals their enduring power, 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 Habsburgs is the definitive history of a remarkable dynasty that forever changed Europe and the world.

About the Author

Martyn Rady is the author of 'The Habsburgs: Rise and Fall of a World Power' (2020, and also published as 'The Habsburgs: To Rule the World') and of 'The Middle Kingdoms: A New History of Central Europe', which came out in May 2023. His books have been published in UK and US editions and translated into Spanish,…