Routledge - Anthony Ashley Cooper, First Earl of Shaftesbury

Explore the life of a major figure in seventeenth-century English politics with this Routledge publication. Anthony Ashley Cooper, First Earl of Shaftesbury, was a central force in the political landscape of his time. This book details his complex journey from taking up arms against the king during the Civil War to his active role in the republican governments of the 1650s. Learn how Shaftesbury maintained a leading position in public affairs even after the Restoration of Charles II. The text covers his rise to the peerage, his tenure in major offices, and his eventual transition to the leader of the opposition faction. It tracks his commitment to the Protestant cause and his final flight from the country, providing a detailed look at a man who shaped the history of Great Britain.