| Product: |
King, Kaiser, Tsar: Three Royal Cousins Who Led the World to War - Catrine Clay |
| Date: |
06/06/09 (69 review reads) |
| Rating: |
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Advantages: A compelling read which does not need prior knowledge
Disadvantages: None
The title of this book gives you a very good idea of what it is about - it tells the story of the roles that Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany, Tsar Nicolas II of Russia and King George V of Britain played in the outbreak of World War I.
I bought this book having seen it listed on Amazon before it was published - having read a lot about European royalty at this time, I thought this sounded like a fascinating read and a take on the relationships which I hadn't come across before.
King Kaiser Tsar covers the stories of the three leaders from birth, and gives us detailed information about their early relationship and their relationships with their extended family. There are some interesting insights into the Kaiser's education and his association with homosexuals, a crime at the time. We also learn a lot about the relations between other family members, including the Danish sisters who became Queen Alexandra of Britain and Empress Marie of Russia, and of course it is inevitable that there is a lot of information on the cousins relationships with Queen Victoria, being as she was involved with all events and relationships relating to the monarchies across Europe.
It is the relationships which are studied with regards to the outbreak of war, and how the three cousins allowed their personal relationship to lead to war, or stand in the way of a peaceful solution. I have read before about the relationship between the Tsar and the Kaiser being linked to the outbreak of war, but this is the first time that I have read of it being equally attributed to them and King George, so I really found this a very interesting study.
I found this book a compelling read. It is very well written, and easy to read, unlike some history books - but that's not to say it is simple. I found it very comprehensive, despite being only 432 pages. Even though I knew the outcome of everything, I couldn't stop reading. Sometimes when I read history books, I read a chapter every couple of days alongside some fiction but not with this, I couldn't stop!
I would recommend this to you whether you already know something about these events and relationships or not. I do, and I still found it a worthwhile read with some interesting insights and elements to the story which I did not know before. Conversely, I don't think the book presumes or requires any prior knowledge and so you could come to as a complete beginner to the subject.
King Kaiser Tsar is available new from Amazon for £7.49, which is what I paid on release last year.
Summary: A comprehensive study of royal relationships
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Last comments:
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- 18/06/09 'Franz Joseph of Austria-Hungary would, I think, feel a bit miffed at being left out of the title and focus of this book, given that it was the assassination of his nephew and heir that triggered WW1.'
That's the short-term event that brought the machinations of the longer view to a head, and not the real reason why the war started. It's very likely that if Ferdinand had not been assassinated, then another small-scale event would have been made the scapegoat that led to a full-scale war anyhow. Captain Blackadder can explain it alot better than me:
Private Baldrick: The thing is: The way I see it, these days there's a war on, right? and, ages ago, there wasn't a war on, right? So, there must have been a moment when there not being a war on went away, right? and there being a war on came along. So, what I want to know is: How did we get from the one case of affairs to the other case of affairs?
Captain Blackadder: Do you mean "How did the war start?"
Lieutenant George: The war started because of the vile Hun and his villainous empire- building.
Captain Blackadder: George, the British Empire at present covers a quarter of the globe, while the German Empire consists of a small sausage factory in Tanganiki. I hardly think that we can be entirely absolved of blame on the imperialistic front.
Lieutenant George: Oh, no, sir, absolutely not.
[aside, to Baldrick]
Lieutenant George: Mad as a bicycle!
Private Baldrick: I heard that it started when a bloke called Archie Duke shot an ostrich 'cause he was hungry.
Captain Blackadder: I think you mean it started when the Archduke of Austro-Hungary got shot.
Private Baldrick: Nah, there was definitely an ostrich involved, sir.
Captain Blackadder: Well, possibly. But the real reason for the whole thing was that it was too much effort not to have a war.
Lieutenant George: By Gum, this is interesting. I always loved history. The Battle of Hastings, Henry VIII and his six knives, all that.
Captain Blackadder: You see, Baldrick, in order to prevent war in Europe, two superblocs developed: us, the French and the Russians on one side, and the Germans and Austro-Hungary on the other. The idea was to have two vast opposing armies, each acting as the other's deterrent. That way there could never be a war.
Private Baldrick: But, this is a sort of a war, isn't it, sir?
Captain Blackadder: Yes, that's right. You see, there was a tiny flaw in the plan.
Private Baldrick: What was that, sir?
Captain Blackadder: It was bollocks. |
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- 12/06/09 Sounds completely fascinating! |
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- 11/06/09 Yes there is very little coverage of that rather important event - but an interesting premise for the book anyway. |
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