Great Commanders of the Early Modern World

Book excerpt: What qualities made the Duke of Wellington a strategic genius? How did Oliver Cromwell, a gentleman farmer, create an army that overthrew a king and changed the course of British history? Why was Simón Bolívar able to overcome early defeats to become the greatest figure in the Latin American struggle against Spanish colonialism. In Great Commanders of the Early Modern World, Andrew Roberts has assembled some of our most distinguished historians (including such names as Antonia Fraser, Saul David and Philip Dwyer) to provide an authoritative account of the lives and careers of the 26 greatest military commanders of the period, from the Duke of Marlborough to Napoleon Bonaparte, Robert Clive to Carl von Clausewitz, and Frederick the Great to Shaka Zulu. As accessible and informative as it is rigorous and scholarly, Great Commanders of the Early Modern World is the perfect introduction to its subject for the general reader, but also a stimulating and thought-provoking read for those with greater knowledge of military history. Along with the other volumes in the Great Commanders series, it is an indispensable guide to the greatest generals the world has seen.