Real Lives in the Sixteenth Century

<p><em>Real Lives in the Sixteenth Century</em> presents a global history using four sets of biographies to illustrate similar situations in different geographical regions. The vibrant narratives span four continents and include the following pairs: Henry IV of France and Hideyoshi of Japan Hürrem Sultan (Roxelana) of the Ottoman Empire and Lady Zheng of the Ming Dynasty Afonso I of Kongo and Elizabeth I of England and Pope Clement VII and Moctezuma II of Mexico.</p><p>Through exploring the lives of eight individuals from a variety of cultural settings this book encourages students to think about the ‘big questions’ surrounding human interactions and the dynamics of power. It introduces them to a number of key historical concepts such as feudalism dynasticism religious syncretism and slavery and is a springboard into the history of the wider world blending together aspects of political cultural intellectual and material history. </p><p>Accessibly written and containing timelines genealogical tables and a number of illustrations for each biography <i>Real Lives in the Sixteenth Century</i> is the ideal introductory text for undergraduates of pre-modern World History and of the sixteenth century in particular. </p>