The culture of insurgents in early modern Europe was primarily an oral one; memories of social conflicts in the communities affected were passed on through oral forms such as songs and legends. This popular history continued to influence political choices and actions through and after the early modern period. The chapters in this book examine numerous examples from across Europe of how memories of revolt were perpetuated in oral cultures, and they analyse how traditions were used. From the German Peasants’ War of 1525 to the counter-revolutionary guerrillas of the 1790s, oral traditions can offer radically different interpretations of familiar events. This is a ‘history from below’, and a history from song, which challenges existing historiographies of early modern revolts. 'This substantial and impressive volume is exceptionally well-constructed, covering a wide range of relevant material. This is an intellectually coherent, interesting and important collection which should make an impact and be consulted for many years to come.' Andrew Hadfield , University of Sussex, UK 'This is a book abundant in fascinating case studies, creative collisions, and consistently ferocious scholarship by both its editors and contributors. It is provocative in the best possible sense, asking stimulating questions and providing enough evidence of its claims to energize a major field of historical enquiry.' Oskar Cox Jensen - Folk Music Journal ‘The contributions to this volume impressively confirm the significance of oral cultures in the memory, but not just the memory, of rebellions and revolts; they also make a strong case for intensifying the exchange between history, folkloristics, folklore and cultural anthropology.’ ‘The contributions to this volume impressively confirm the significance of oral cultures in the memory, but not just the memory, of rebellions and revolts; they also make a strong case for intensifying the exchange between history, folkloristics, folklore and cultural anthropology.’ Jan-Friedrich Missfelder , Basel Éva Guillorel is a lecturer in early modern history at the University of Caen Normandie. She studied history, ethnology, and Celtic languages at the universities of Rennes and Brest, and was awarded her doctorate in 2008. In 2012-13 she was a British Academy funded Newton Fellow, attached to the University of Oxford, and this book is one of the outcomes of that fellowship. David Hopkin studied history at Churchill College, University of Cambridge. He was a Junior Research Fellow at Churchill College from 1997 to 1999 and lecturer, then senior lecturer, in the Department of Economic and Social History, University of Glasgow, from 1999. He joined the University of Oxford and Hertford College in 2005. William G. Pooley is a lecturer in 19th/20th Century Western European History at the University of Bristol, having previously studied at the Universities of Oxford and Utah State. His research focuses on the folklore collections of the long nineteenth century.