After the Deluge: Poland-Lithuania and the Second Northern War, 1655 - 1660

Cambridge Studies in Early Modern History

by Robert I. Frost

The Swedish invasion of 1655, known to Poles ever since as the 'Swedish deluge', provoked the political and military collapse of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, the second-largest state in Europe. Robert Frost examines the reasons for Poland's fall and the conduct of the war by the Polish government, and addresses the crucial question of why, despite widespread recognition of the shortcomings of the political system, subsequent attempts at reform failed. War has long been seen as crucial to the development of more effective systems of government in Europe during the seventeenth century, but studies usually concentrate on states which responded successfully to the challenges. Much can be learned from those that failed, and the paucity of English-language material on this important conflict means that After the Deluge will appeal to a broad audience among historians of Poland, Germany, Scandinavia, Russia, and early modern Europe in general.

Genres: History, European History, Poland, Nonfiction, Military History, 17th Century

236 pages, Hardcover

First published March 18, 1993

About the author

Robert Frost was educated at the universities of St Andrews, Cracow, and London. After teaching for eighteen years at King's College London, he moved in 2004 to the University of Aberdeen, where he currently holds the Burnett Fletcher Chair in History. He is interested in the history of eastern and northern Europe from the fourteenth to the nineteenth centuries. His principal research interests are in the history of Poland-Lithuania, and in the history of warfare in the early modern period.

Reviews

[Davy Bennett]

I have the Northern Crusades by Christiansen.
I wish there were some reviews on this book,
sounds poetic, wink wink.
I am 1/4 Lithuanian, so there is interest.
Next to nothing was passed on about this heritage, but I have read up in the last 20 years.

Pasting some reviews:

1. I bought the book thinking it dealt with warfare in the XVII century but it is not. The main topic is how The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth tried to survive by looking for the right alliance with others powers. These outer diplomatic strategies were obstaculized by the inner political problems.

Its interesting and it has showed me the political situation in the Commonwealth, but do not look for warfare. It is not a warfare book.

2. So Polish Lithuanian history in the 17th century is not exactly mainstream but I love this book. It was very reasonably priced, in better condition than advertised and arrived well-packed before the expected deadline. I will certainly use this provider again - thank you very much.

Paperback is $45 on Amazon, not sure where review 2 picked it up at a reasonable price.

Review 1 gets extra points for the use of "obstaculized.