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The Dreadful History and Judgement of God on Thomas Müntzer:The Life and Times of an Early German Revolutionary
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A searing, insightful portrait of a one of the most enigmatic figures of the German Reformation
How did the son of a coin-maker from central Germany, Thomas Müntzer, rise in just a few short years to become one of the most feared revolutionaries in early modern Europe? Andrew Drummond charts the life and times of the man Martin Luther denounced as a ‘Ravening Wolf’ and ‘False Prophet’. Far from the bloodthirsty devil of legend, he was a man of considerable learning and principle, deeply sympathetic to the misery of the peasantry and the poor.
Reviews
At last – a new account for our times of Thomas Müntzer, theologian and revolutionary. Drummond brings Müntzer and his world vividly to life. He shows us just why Müntzer hated Luther, and how he came to take up arms. What did it mean to be a revolutionary in sixteenth-century Germany? – Drummond shows us. You will be gripped and inspired by this exciting story – I couldn’t put it down.
Posterity has endorsed not just Luther’s victory but also his determined character assassination of his rival. Andrew Drummond’s scholarly but eminently readable, thoughtful, thorough and at times witty biography of Müntzer redresses the balance for English-speaking audiences
Among the famous figures associated with 16th century Germany, that of religious thinker and social revolutionary Thomas Müntzer deserves to be far better known. Andy Drummond's excellent, brilliantly written and entertaining, new biography delves deep into the archival material to draw out the history of a radical whose life is often obscured by propaganda and myth. As we approach the 500th anniversary of Müntzer's execution, this book is the definitive account of his life.
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A blisteringly good book about personal enmity, and the difference between revolution and reform.
, Daily Telegraph -
Drummond's marvellous romp of a biography - part jolly Simon Winder-like deep dive into 16th-century Germania, part sagacious reflection on the Reformation in the manner of Diarmaid MacCulloch - aims to free Müntzer from his detractors.
, Spectator -
Drummond's biography of this volatile and subversive thinker is both highly readable and carefully researched.
, Literary Review -
Andrew Drummond's skeptical and compassionate biography documents a life that is as much a warning as an inspiration to the modern left. Its evocative, exquisitely detailed panorama of Reformation Germany leads us to reflect on the tangled links between religious zeal and the successful exercise of political power.
, Jacobin -
Full of clear, crisp insights that helps us understand the obvious yet surprising impact technology has had on art.
Perceptive and highly readable ... in Drummond’s deft hands, Müntzer’s story testifies to the extraordinary dynamism and fervour of the early years of the German Reformation., Church Times -
An engaging book that gives a tidy primer on Thomas Müntzer.
, National Catholic Reporter -
Drummond’s skeptical and compassionate biography documents a life that is as much a warning as an inspiration to the modern left. Its evocative, exquisitely detailed panorama of Reformation Germany leads us to reflect on the tangled links between religious zeal and the successful exercise of political power.
, Jacobin -
Drummond makes a virtue of the scant information available...Those interested in the political and religious struggles that shaped the modern world will delight in this well-researched case study in zeal.
Publishers Weekly