Exile was a central feature of society throughout the early modern world. Political and religious disputes meant hundreds of thousands of people directly experienced exile either as a victim, a perpetrator or as a host to refugees. The impact of exile was wide-ranging, affecting religious identity, political institutions, economic welfare, charitable systems and gender roles in cities and towns across Europe. The contributors to this volume see exile as a critical framework for analysing and understanding the period, showing how the experience of exile had a profound effect on the way that individuals understood themselves and the world around them.
