What a very interesting thesis! I look forward to reading the book to learn more. A minor note, the Mass Bay Colony Puritans expelled Roger Williams for his views. For a time, he was a Baptist in what is now Rhode Island. Also, it is refreshing to read a current take on the Mayflower legacy that doesn’t exclusively center those hardy survivors as “colonists”. Thanks to the author for the book and to this Contrarian review bringing our attention to it.
Just one correction -- you write "the Puritans, like Roger Williams, in 1652 passed the world’s first anti-slavery law in Rhode Island".
However, check https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liber_Paradisus ... on August 25, 1256, in the city-state of Bologna, in the main square (Piazza Maggiore), the city's government publicly announced a new law whereby slavery was abolished and all serfs were freed.
This gave freedom to almost 6,000 serfs; their owners were compensated according to the serfs' usual market price -- 10 Bolognese silver Liras for adults, 8 for children -- at the State's expense.
The following year, the law, the list of all freed serfs, and many related considerations, were published as the "Liber Paradisus", "the book of Paradise".
A few years ago, the city of Bologna put up a plaque at the Palazzo Comunale in Piazza Maggiore, remembering the 750th anniversary of what actually *was* "the world's first anti-slavery law" -- almost 4 centuries before the Rhode Island one!
The wikipedia article does a good job of outlining the historical and political context of the law: it came a few years after Bologna's army, together with many allies from Romagna and Ferrara, had defeated the Imperial army and their allies from Modena at the Battle of Fossalta (1249), capturing the King of Germany (and likely heir to the Imperial throne) Heinz, who was imprisoned for the rest of his life in a newly-built palace/fortress/prison, Palazzo Re Enzo, right next to Piazza Maggiore; this victory boosted Bologna's power and prestige, and thereby weakened the feudal lords in all the surrounding countryside (who tended to prefer the Emperor who Bologna had just defeated).
The 1256 law further discomfited said rural lords, who had owned almost all the serfs it freed; yes, they got money, but the hub of political power had clearly switched to the city, so, to remain politically relevant, the lords invested that money into building themselves new palaces in Bologna, and moved there, or rather, usually, alternated between the city and their fiefs.
Anyway -- as a proud native of Bologna, I particularly take pride in the Liber Paradisus law, and would like its primacy over other anti-slavery laws to be remembered and recognized.
That was very fascinating. Thank you.
very interesting
makes a lot of sense
What a very interesting thesis! I look forward to reading the book to learn more. A minor note, the Mass Bay Colony Puritans expelled Roger Williams for his views. For a time, he was a Baptist in what is now Rhode Island. Also, it is refreshing to read a current take on the Mayflower legacy that doesn’t exclusively center those hardy survivors as “colonists”. Thanks to the author for the book and to this Contrarian review bringing our attention to it.
I picked up a copy from my local bookseller today. So far, having completed Chapter 1, this book is proving a joy to read. Kudos to Mr. Reynolds!
Just one correction -- you write "the Puritans, like Roger Williams, in 1652 passed the world’s first anti-slavery law in Rhode Island".
However, check https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liber_Paradisus ... on August 25, 1256, in the city-state of Bologna, in the main square (Piazza Maggiore), the city's government publicly announced a new law whereby slavery was abolished and all serfs were freed.
This gave freedom to almost 6,000 serfs; their owners were compensated according to the serfs' usual market price -- 10 Bolognese silver Liras for adults, 8 for children -- at the State's expense.
The following year, the law, the list of all freed serfs, and many related considerations, were published as the "Liber Paradisus", "the book of Paradise".
A few years ago, the city of Bologna put up a plaque at the Palazzo Comunale in Piazza Maggiore, remembering the 750th anniversary of what actually *was* "the world's first anti-slavery law" -- almost 4 centuries before the Rhode Island one!
The wikipedia article does a good job of outlining the historical and political context of the law: it came a few years after Bologna's army, together with many allies from Romagna and Ferrara, had defeated the Imperial army and their allies from Modena at the Battle of Fossalta (1249), capturing the King of Germany (and likely heir to the Imperial throne) Heinz, who was imprisoned for the rest of his life in a newly-built palace/fortress/prison, Palazzo Re Enzo, right next to Piazza Maggiore; this victory boosted Bologna's power and prestige, and thereby weakened the feudal lords in all the surrounding countryside (who tended to prefer the Emperor who Bologna had just defeated).
The 1256 law further discomfited said rural lords, who had owned almost all the serfs it freed; yes, they got money, but the hub of political power had clearly switched to the city, so, to remain politically relevant, the lords invested that money into building themselves new palaces in Bologna, and moved there, or rather, usually, alternated between the city and their fiefs.
Anyway -- as a proud native of Bologna, I particularly take pride in the Liber Paradisus law, and would like its primacy over other anti-slavery laws to be remembered and recognized.