{"product_id":"9781350273290","title":"European Unity League Sir Max Waechter and the European Idea, 1904-1924","description":"\u003ch1\u003eEuropean Unity League\u003c\/h1\u003e\u003ch2\u003eSir Max Waechter and the European Idea, 1904-1924\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003ch3\u003eUlrich Tiedau\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cb\u003eHistory \/ General\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis book uncovers a largely forgotten early vision of European unity that emerged in Britain before the First World War. By tracing the remarkable career of Sir Max Waechter (1837–1924), entrepreneur, philanthropist and the British representative of the Nobel brothers' Caspian oil interests, it reveals how British actors were among the earliest in arguing that Europe's growing rivalries could be addressed through closer economic cooperation and political understanding. The study shows that ideas of a federated Europe were already being energetically developed, debated and promoted before 1914.\u003cbr\u003eCentral to the book is Waechter's creation of the European Unity League, whose ambitious programme provides a fresh lens to reassess the intellectual and political climate of the pre-war years. Drawing on extensive archival research, the volume reconstructs Waechter's 1906 manifesto to King Edward VII, his extraordinary diplomatic tour across the continent aboard the former Austrian archducal yacht \u003ci\u003eRovenska\u003c\/i\u003e and his ability to secure audiences with most reigning heads of state, despite opposition from the Foreign Office. It follows how these efforts led to the 1909 Inaugural Congress of the European Federation in Rome, co-organized with the like-minded Italian pacifist Prince di Cassano (1855–1926), and the formal establishment of the League in London in 1913.\u003cbr\u003eWithin fifteen months, the organization attracted 20,000 members, including a tenth of Parliament, senior military figures and a future Prime Minister. Although the outbreak of war curtailed its activities, the League stands as one of the earliest mass movements for European unity, anticipating Richard von Coudenhove-Kalergi's better-known interwar Pan-European Union by two decades and a world war.\u003cbr\u003eBy situating Waechter's campaign within broader British and European debates about armaments, decline and the future of the continent, the book offers a new understanding of the roots of the European idea and of Britain's unexpected role in shaping it. Written accessibly, it will appeal to readers interested in modern European history, international politics and the life of a visionary yet overlooked figure.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eUlrich Tiedau \u003c\/b\u003eis Professor of European History at University College London (UCL) and an Associate Director of the UCL Centre for Digital Humanities. Recent publications include \u003ci\u003ePieter Geyl and Britain\u003c\/i\u003e (with Stijn van Rossem, 2022).\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePublication Date: \u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e17 September 2026\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePublisher: \u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBloomsbury Academic\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eImprint: \u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBloomsbury Academic\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eISBN-13: \u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e9781350273290\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFormat: \u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHardback\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePage Count: \u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e344\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eWeight (oz): \u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e17.92\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e","brand":"Bloomsbury Academic","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51369662283916,"sku":"9781350273290","price":103.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0710\/9545\/1788\/files\/getimage_4dabe25f-ae7d-4d53-99f7-3ce02336168c.jpg?v=1783880065","url":"https:\/\/lateknightbooks.com\/products\/9781350273290","provider":"Late Knight Books and Services, LLC","version":"1.0","type":"link"}