Title
Merchant Kings: When Companies Ruled the World, 16001900,Used
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Commerce meets conquest in this swashbuckling story of the six merchantadventurers who built the modern worldIt was an era when monopoly trading companies were the unofficial agents of European expansion, controlling vast numbers of people and huge tracts of land, and taking on governmental and military functions. They managed their territories as business interests, treating their subjects as employees, customers, or competitors. The leaders of these trading enterprises exercised virtually unaccountable, dictatorial political power over millions of people.The merchant kings of the Age of Heroic Commerce were a rogue's gallery of largerthanlife men who, for a couple hundred years, expanded their farflung commercial enterprises over a sizable portion of the world. They include Jan Pieterszoon Coen, the violent and autocratic pioneer of the Dutch East India Company; Peter Stuyvesant, the onelegged governor of the Dutch West India Company, whose narrowminded approach lost Manhattan to the British; Robert Clive, who rose from company clerk to become head of the British East India Company and one of the wealthiest men in Britain; Alexandr Baranov of the Russian American Company; Cecil Rhodes, founder of De Beers and Rhodesia; and George Simpson, the 'Little Emperor' of the Hudson's Bay Company, who was chauffeured about his vast fur domain in a giant canoe, exhorting his voyageurs to paddle harder so he could set speed records.Merchant Kings looks at the rise and fall of company rule in the centuries before colonialism, when nations belatedly assumed responsibility for their commercial enterprises. A blend of biography, corporate history, and colonial history, this book offers a panoramic, new perspective on the enormous cultural, political, and social legacies, good and bad, of this first period of unfettered globalization.
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This product may contain chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm.
For more information, please visit www.P65Warnings.ca.gov.
- Q: What is the main theme of 'Merchant Kings'? A: 'Merchant Kings' explores the intersection of commerce and conquest during the era of monopoly trading companies, highlighting how these entities shaped the modern world through their political and economic power.
- Q: Who is the author of 'Merchant Kings'? A: The book is authored by Stephen R. Bown, who provides a detailed narrative of the merchant-adventurers who influenced global commerce.
- Q: What historical period does the book cover? A: 'Merchant Kings' covers the period from 1600 to 1900, focusing on the rise and fall of company rule before the advent of colonialism.
- Q: How many pages is 'Merchant Kings'? A: 'Merchant Kings' contains 336 pages, offering an in-depth look at its subject matter.
- Q: What type of binding does the book have? A: 'Merchant Kings' is available in hardcover binding, which is durable and suitable for long-term use.
- Q: Is 'Merchant Kings' a biography or a history book? A: 'Merchant Kings' is a blend of biography, corporate history, and colonial history, providing a comprehensive view of its subjects.
- Q: When was 'Merchant Kings' published? A: 'Merchant Kings' was published on December 7, 2010.
- Q: What can readers expect to learn from 'Merchant Kings'? A: Readers can expect to gain insights into the cultural, political, and social legacies of merchant-adventurers, as well as a new perspective on globalization.
- Q: Who are some notable figures mentioned in the book? A: The book features notable figures such as Jan Pieterszoon Coen, Peter Stuyvesant, Robert Clive, and Cecil Rhodes, among others.
- Q: What is the condition of the book being sold? A: 'Merchant Kings' is sold in new condition, ensuring that buyers receive a quality product.