Essay collections often struggle to find a common theme. In this collection, the research interests displayed by the contributors are indeed diverse, but they reflect the range of the honoree himself. Some of the contributors are Geoffrey Parker’s former students; others are his colleagues in the profession, each focusing on one of the topics that have interested him over the years. These include military history, crime and punishment, politics and government, the administration of empire and its limitations, finance, and environmental concerns, often in the context of Spanish or Dutch history, but also in a global context. A brief preface by the editors discusses the contributions of the honoree as both a scholar and a mentor. A longer introduction provides an overview of the volume as a whole and summarizes the essays by individual contributors. The honoree’s graceful account of his intellectual trajectory and career to date closes the volume.

Many of the essays are based largely on fresh archival research or reinterpretations of known sources. This is particularly useful when the archives are not well known to English-speaking readers, such as those in Russia (Matthew Romaniello), China (Tonio Andrade), the Netherlands (Pamela McVay), Spain (Cristina Borreguero Beltrán, Bethany Aram), and Italy (Michael Levin). The authors cite their sources in appropriate places, and most follow the convention of providing a full citation the first time an archival source appears in the notes. Nonetheless, it would aid the reader to have a comprehensive list of the names, locations, and sections of archives consulted by each contributor.

In addition to the essays based largely on archival research, others contribute to ongoing scholarly debates with a rich record of publications, such as diplomacy, dynasty, and statecraft (Denice Fett, Paul Dover, Michael Levin, Richard Lundell, Cristina Borreguero Beltrán, Edward Tenace); the intersection of religion and politics (Andrew Mitchell, Andrea Smidt, Mary Sprunger); the challenges of composite monarchies (Robert Frost); and the problems posed by time and distance, which virtually all of the authors mention to one degree or another. Without exception, these essays are well documented, containing a wealth of citations that can introduce readers to a wide variety of published scholarship. Here again, it would aid the reader to have a bibliography of published work cited by the contributors, either with each essay or in a comprehensive list organized by topic or geographical area.

The general theme of the volume — the limits of empire — by definition deals with the failures of European empires to fulfill their goals for social and political control, religious conformity, territorial expansion, diplomatic efficacy, and so on. Without rejecting the accomplishments of empires altogether, virtually all of the authors nonetheless emphasize the limitations and failures of European “imperial formations,” rather than presenting a balanced approach. The exceptions include Matthew Romaniello on Russia and Tonio Andrade on European warfare in China. Jeremy Black, perhaps the most senior scholar among the contributors, is the only author to raise provocative questions about the discussion of imperial limitations as a whole and how best to frame research about the varied ventures of European states abroad.

Overall this is a useful volume for readers interested in what used to be called European expansion, and that now demands greater attention to the interactions between peoples around the globe and the Europeans who entered their space. The volume does not present world history in any rigorous sense, but all of the authors demonstrate an awareness of the diverse points of view that scholars must consider in trying to understand the early modern world.