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Protagonists of War

Q: What is "Protagonists of War" about?

A new vision on the Revolt of the Low Countries through the eyes of Spanish commanders Julián Romero, Sancho Dávila, Cristóbal de Mondragón, and Francisco de Valdés were prominent Spanish military commanders during the first decade of the Revolt in the Low Countries (1567–1577). Occupying key positions in this conflict, they featured as central characters in various war narratives and episodical descriptions of the events they were involved in, ranging from chronicles, poems, theatre plays, engravings, and songs to news pamphlets. To this day, they still figure as protagonists of historical novels: brave heroes in some, cruel oppressors in others. Yet personal, first-hand accounts also exist. Archival research into the letters written by these commanders now makes it possible to include their perspectives and the way they describe their own experiences. Looking through the eyes of four Spanish commanders, Protagonists of War provides the reader with an alternative reading of the Revolt, contrasting the subjective experiences of these protagonists with fictionalised perceptions. Ebook available in Open Access. This publication is GPRC-labeled (Guaranteed Peer-Reviewed Content).

Q: Who wrote "Protagonists of War"?

"Protagonists of War" was written by Raymond Fagel. Raymond Fagel is lecturer in early modern history at the Institute of History, Leiden University.

Spanish Army Commanders and the Revolt in the Low Countries

Raymond Fagel (Author),

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Series: Avisos de Flandes 18

Category: History, History 1500-1800

Language: English

ISBN: 9789462702875

Publication date: September 17, 2021

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Number of pages: 388

Size: 244 x 170 x 23 mm

Number of illustrations: 20

Funded by: NWO Free competition

Stock item: 143292

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Series: Avisos de Flandes 18

Category: History, History 1500-1800

Language: English

ISBN: 9789461664044

Publication date: October 1, 2021

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Number of pages: 388

Number of illustrations: 20

Funded by: NWO Free competition

Series: Avisos de Flandes 18

Category: History, History 1500-1800

Language: English

DOI: 10.11116/9789461664037

ISBN: 9789461664037

Publication date: October 1, 2021

Download Free PDF

Number of pages: 388

Number of illustrations: 20

Funded by: NWO Free competition

Summary
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About the Author
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A new vision on the Revolt of the Low Countries through the eyes of Spanish commanders

Julián Romero, Sancho Dávila, Cristóbal de Mondragón, and Francisco de Valdés were prominent Spanish military commanders during the first decade of the Revolt in the Low Countries (1567–1577). Occupying key positions in this conflict, they featured as central characters in various war narratives and episodical descriptions of the events they were involved in, ranging from chronicles, poems, theatre plays, engravings, and songs to news pamphlets. To this day, they still figure as protagonists of historical novels: brave heroes in some, cruel oppressors in others. Yet personal, first-hand accounts also exist. Archival research into the letters written by these commanders now makes it possible to include their perspectives and the way they describe their own experiences. Looking through the eyes of four Spanish commanders, Protagonists of War provides the reader with an alternative reading of the Revolt, contrasting the subjective experiences of these protagonists with fictionalised perceptions.

Ebook available in Open Access.
This publication is GPRC-labeled (Guaranteed Peer-Reviewed Content).

Abbreviations
Introduction
Words of gratitude
Chapter I: Captain Julián: the hero of the battlefield
Chapter II: Sancho Dávila: the champion of Catholic Spain
Chapter III: Cristóbal de Mondragón: the good Spaniard
Chapter IV: Francisco de Valdés: the exemplary soldier
General conclusion: episodic war narratives in comparison
Bibliography Index

Raymond Fagel

Raymond Fagel is lecturer in early modern history at the Institute of History, Leiden University.

To a large extent, the malleability, contradictions, and diverse interpretations of
these figures are rightly presented by Fagel as inherent to the process of narrative appropriation and re-creation. Indeed, showing the numerous ways that the presentation of the
actions, motives, and reputation of these figures have been shaped through the hands of
chroniclers, historians, and playwrights is key to these accounts. Yet stressing this aspect of
the study would understate the extent that Fagel has also deployed a wealth of administrative and personal correspondence to set the anecdotes, interpretations, and assumptions
against a more substantive, verifiable account of the lives and actions of these men.
In consequence, while the book tells us much about their shifting historical reputations
from the sixteenth century to the present day, it also offers detailed evidence about the
dynamics of military service for these officers in the Army of Flanders. Parrott, D., Early Modern Low Countries, 6(2), 299–301. https://doi.org/10.51750/emlc13432

Obwohl eine vorgeschaltete Darstellung der Revolte sich gelohnt hätte, sodass Wiederholungen in der Darstellung vermieden worden wären, bietet Fagels Darstellung einen Zugang zum Aufstand in den Spanischen Niederlanden, der es auch dem interessierten Laien ermöglicht, spannende Informationen zu gewinnen, ohne dessen eigentliche wissenschaftliche Fragestellung genauer verfolgen zu müssen. - Martin Meier, Militaergeschichtliche Zeitschrift, vol. 83, no. 2, 2024, pp. 562-565. https://doi.org/10.1515/mgzs-2024-0080

Frequently Asked Questions

What is "Protagonists of War" about?

A new vision on the Revolt of the Low Countries through the eyes of Spanish commanders

Ebook available in Open Access.
This publication is GPRC-labeled (Guaranteed Peer-Reviewed Content).

Who wrote "Protagonists of War"?

"Protagonists of War" was written by Raymond Fagel.

Raymond Fagel is lecturer in early modern history at the Institute of History, Leiden University.

Is "Protagonists of War" part of a series?

Yes, "Protagonists of War" is part of the "Avisos de Flandes" series. It's book 18 in the series.

The series Avisos de Flandes focusses on the history of the Spanish Empire in the early modern period, and in particular on the Southern Netherlands (contemporary Belgium) as part of this empire in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. It publishes monographs and edited volumes regarding the political, cultural, and economic links between the Southern Netherlands and the other parts of the Empire, including the overseas territories in America and Asia, the Spanish presence in the Empire’s northern territories, and the circulation of people, commodities, and ideas within the empire between 1500 and 1700. The series accepts manuscripts in English, French, and Spanish. Avisos de Flandes is a peer-reviewed series.

Series editor

Werner Thomas, KU Leuven

Proposals

To submit a proposal please send a preliminary abstract (1-2 pp.) and a short bio to series editor Werner Thomas. The evaluation process takes an average of four weeks. Upon approval of the abstract, the full manuscript will be submitted to international peer review. Two peer reviewers will be asked for expert advice, three in case of conflicting reports.

Please make use of the submission form to present the full manuscript to our board.
Authors interested in Open Access can consult the available funding options.