As before, the new edition of this widely-used survey is in two main parts. The first analyzes the major themes of 17th-century European history on a continent-wide basis. The second part moves on the outline political, diplomatic and military events in the various states and nations of the time. France has the fullest treatment, although this new edition devotes much greater space to Eastern Europe, while other countries, including Britain, are discussed on a regional basis. For the new edition all the chapters have been rewritten to take account of recent scholarship. Moreover, many new topics are discussed: the family; crime; the impact of printing; climate; population and social mobility; Islam in 17th-century Europe. Throughout, the book emphasizes the history of the period of a process of enquiry and argument rather than incontrovertible fact.