"The Age of Enlightenment" provides a comprehensive overview of the Early Modern period, starting from the end of the Thirty Years' War to the French Revolution. This revised edition highlights central themes such as the shift in consciousness at the dawn of modernity, the emergence of the knowledge society, as well as the development of state systems and colonialism. Additionally, it addresses discourses on power and authority, as well as the significant places, protagonists, and thinkers of the European Enlightenment. The book is aimed at anyone interested in the complex interconnections of this formative era and offers a well-founded introduction to the historical and social developments.