A needed take. [The Habsburgs by Martyn Rady]

The definitive history of the dynasty that dominated Europe for centuries

In The Habsburgs, Martyn Rady tells the epic story of a dynasty and the world they 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.

I don't know that one can truly review the history of a dynasty in impartial terms. Either you try and focus on the ethos of a line, the driving forces behind oft ill-fated attempts to flourish and survive (for however long they do), or you take into consideration the totality of their actions and life as it unfolded around them. There's a weird ease one finds when reflecting on dynasties, an ease that leads to a romanization and sterilization of the ills of imperialism. Let me get that out there before I talk about Martyn Rady's The Habsburgs.

The American history education, in my experience, even when it attempting to be global, is mostly self-centered and viewed through an Anglo-Franco lens. That's how it proceeds through centuries of pre-colonial and colonial Europe and discoveries and conflicts in the Americas. Learners have a rushed arrival at World War I, generally followed by another rushed and overly succinct summary of World War II. Maybe it's different for Gen Z, who knows. It bothers me, though I do enjoy learning unfettered, that I'm learning so many details of world history in my 30s. That I'm still learning about the concepts, the totalities of the empires that ruled the world and set the modern stage, is really wild. The name "Habsburg" however was not unfamiliar. It is so recognizable that despite general knowledge I was quite eager to read an entire book on the dynastic family and their origins. 

So yes, I learned a great deal. I learned of the scheming and public relations that went into centuries of power. Most notably I learned a great deal of the interconnected history of Central Europe. What I can't shake, what remained in my mouth a quizzical taste, was the tinge of admiration that permeated the discussion. Yes, relative progressive ideas and actions should be noted, especially for their historical significance. At the same time, let's talk about the horrors that accompany empire building, at home and abroad. That the blood quantum ideal that persists in Latin America ties back to the Habsburgs as it does was a wild thing to learn. And there were many fun tidbits of historical facts to learn and click into place (looking at you All Might). But I can't think admiringly, objectively, at the history of the Habsburg Empire without thinking of its tentacles abroad and the concurrent horrid history it had it's hands in, took its riches from. For me this was a bit of sanitized take. Still, it was a take I needed to read.  4 stars from me.

The Habsburgs was published August 2020.