DAWN OF THE NEW ERA – The Dramatic 16th Century

Embarking on new horizons and the world's transformation.

In the long 16th century, the world undergoes profound changes. When Christopher Columbus discovered an unknown continent in 1492, it marked the beginning of European claims over this "new" world, and Christianity became a global religion. Simultaneously, the Old World faced immense pressure from the expanding Ottoman Empire, and shortly thereafter, Martin Luther's posting of his theses shattered its religious unity.
Marina Münkler traverses this dramatic era of discoveries and conflicts, recounting the stories of the "Savages" of the New World and the "Saints" of the Old, along with the disputes involving the "Turks". Münkler describes the media revolution of the printing press, the Reformation that profoundly altered the relationship of individuals not only with the church but also with faith and destiny, the birth of modern natural science, as well as peasant uprisings and witch burnings. It was a century that was groundbreaking in every respect, and as Marina Münkler demonstrates, it has much in common with our own era. A significant historical work about the dawn of a new era, our era.

"Marina Münkler takes a new look at the 16th century. She sheds light on why its conflicts are so close to us." The non-fiction best book list of the month (Die Welt/WDR5/Neue Zürcher Zeitung/ORF Radio Österreich, May 2024)