Basque History of the World, The Unknown - 1999

The Basques. “They are mythical people, almost an imagined people,” writes amrk Kurlansky. Settled in seven provinces in a corner of France and Spain in a land that is marked on no maps except for their own, separated by the daunting Pyrenees Mountains, the Basques are a nation without a country, with an ancient and dramatic story that illuminates Europe’s own saga.Where did they come from? Signs of their civilization exist well before the arrival of the Romans in 218 B.C., and their culture appears to predate all others in Europe. Their ancient and forbidden tongue—Euskera—is equally mysterious: No one has ever discovered its origin, and it is related to no other language on Earth. The Basques have stubbornly preserved and defended their unique customs and laws against the Celts, the Romans, the Visigoths and Moors, the kings of Spain and France, Napoleon, Franco, the modern Spanish state, and the European Union.Yet as much as their origins are obscure, the Basques’ contributions to world history have been clear and remarkable. They made fortunes whaling well before the year 1000, and then became the premier cod fishermen in Europe. Prior to and during the age of exploration, they connected Europe to North and South America, Africa, and Asia, and on of their own, Juan Sebastian de Elcano, was the first man to circumnavigate the globe in 1522. Their influence has been felt in religion (the charismatic Ignatius of Loyola founded the Jesuits in 1534) and in business: At the dawn of capitalism, they were among the first capitalists, and they later led the Industrial Revolution in southern Europe. Today, freed from Franco’s iron hand, they are enjoying what may be the most important cultural renaissance in their long existence.

Details

• Title Basque History of the World, The
• Author Mark Kurlansky
• Binding unknown
• Edition First Edition
• Pages 387 pages.
• Publisher Random House of Canada, Limited, Toronto
• Date 1999
• ISBN 9780676972672