Books in the Short Histories series

Martin Luther pinned his Ninety-Five Theses to the door of All Saints' Church in Wittenberg he shattered foundations of western Christendom. The Reformation of doctrine and practice that followed Luther's seismic action, and protest against the sale of indulgences, fragmented Church and overturned previously accepted certainties and priorities.

In 1917 revolutionary fervour swept through Russia, ending centuries of imperial rule and instigating political and social changes that would lead to the formation of the Soviet Union. This book provides a concise yet thorough overview of the revolution and the path to civil war.

The years of the Spanish Civil War filled twentieth-century Spain with hope, frustration and drama. Charting the most significant events and battles alongside the main players in the tragedy, the author provides answers to some of the pressing questions that have been asked since the painful defeat of the Second Republic.

The American war against British imperial rule (1775-1783) was the world's first great popular revolution. Ideologically defined by the colonists' formal Declaration of Independence in 1776, the struggle has taken on something a mythic character, especially in the United States.

In discussing its textual origins, as well as its later reception, Moxnes shows above all how the New Testament has been employed both as a tool for liberation and as a means of power and control.

The idea of a rebirth in the art and civilization of the western world during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries has proved an enduring one. Expertly traversing religion, art, history and culture, the author suggests that the region that produced Luther and Durer owed as much to its own past heritage as to new ideas from Italy.

Featuring new material on the Irish Famine which has never been published before, this is a comprehensive and accessible overview of one of the most significant periods of Irish history.

Few island nations have stirred the soul like Cuba.

Using archaeological insights and discoveries, the author describes the birth, growth and demise of ancient people, whose nemesis was the growing power of Rome. She discusses the mysterious Etruscan language; the 6th-century BCE growth of Etruscan cities and Mediterranean trade; and the fatal incorporation of Etruria into Rome's political orbit.

An exciting story for children set during the Great Fire of London.

From the first symptoms of serious unrest to the tortuous political manoeuvrings culminating in the 2003 Assembly elections, the book traces the reality of life in Northern Ireland during the Troubles.

Three centuries of the Mughal Empire in one short book

Cities, scripts, literature, the rule of law all were born in Iraq. That so many see this ancient land as nothing more than a violent backwater steeped in chaos is a travesty. This is the place where, for the first 5,000 years of human history, all innovations of worth emerged. It was the cradle of civilization. In this unrivalled study, John Robertson details the greatness and grandeur of Iraqs achievements, the brutality and magnificence of its ancient empires and its extraordinary contributions to the world. The only work in the English language to explore the history of the land of two rivers in its entirety, it takes readers from the seminal advances of its Neolithic inhabitants to the aftermath of the American and British-led invasion, the rise of Islamic State and Iraq today. A fascinating and thought-provoking analysis, it is sure to be greatly appreciated by historians, students and all those with an interest in this diverse and enigmatic country. This paperback edition features a new epilogue, bringing the work up to date and looking ahead to Iraqs future.

An exciting story for children about Guy Fawkes and the gunpowder plot.

The American Civil War (1861-65) remains a searing event in the consciousness of the United States. Melding social, cultural and military history, the author explores iconic battles like Shiloh, Chickamauga, Antietam and Gettysburg as well as the bitterly contesting forces underlying them.