Between Dying and Dancing

The centuries between 1500 and 1800, known as the early modern period, mark the transition from the Christian worldview of the Middle Ages to the Enlightenment on the eve of Modern Age: Old certainties fade, and the search for new ways becomes fraught with conflict. This epoch is often associated with the splendor of the Renaissance and Baroque, but behind the shining facade lies a blood-soaked era of endless wars and bitter distress.