Wealth from trade was the mainspring of Western material advance; the visible agents of change were great guns. These came of age in Europe in the 15th century. On land their potency in reducing castle walls favoured central over local… — Peter Padfield Copy Share Image
The reason territorial monarchs failed time after time against maritime powers was not that absolutist, non-consensual governments were incapable of building great fleets in peace - quite the reverse - but that they were unable to fund them in the… — Peter Padfield Copy Share Image
Wealth from trade was the mainspring of Western material advance; the visible agents of change were great guns. These came of age in Europe… — Peter Padfield Copy Share Image
Our faith in democracy, personal freedoms and human 'rights', and the other comforting prescriptions of the humanist liberal credo stem from the supremacy of… — Peter Padfield Copy Share Image
It is clear that the flame of True Freedom had passed with naval supremacy and constitutional, consultative government from the United Provinces to Great… — Peter Padfield Copy Share Image
The reason territorial monarchs failed time after time against maritime powers was not that absolutist, non-consensual governments were incapable of building great fleets in… — Peter Padfield Copy Share Image
Philip could not have wanted to annex England militarily, since this would have opened another costly occupation struggle, and brought France in against him.… — Peter Padfield Copy Share Image
