‎"‎‎.‎‎.‎‎.‎admirable‎.‎‎.‎‎.‎the work is undoubtedly an impressive achievement‎.‎‎"‎ European History Quarterly ‎"‎Bireley‎'‎s study represents a major achievement‎.‎ By providing a comprehensive‎,‎ collective treatment to those supranational agents‎,‎ the Jesuits‎,‎ he has taken a hitherto neglected dimension for the study of the Thirty Years War and given it sustained‎,‎ meaningful analysis and significant clarification for the period of Europe‎'‎sgestation and crisis‎.‎‎"‎ John M‎.‎ Headley‎,‎ University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ‎"‎In a tour de force of scholarship‎,‎ Professor Bireley dispels the hoary myth of the Jesuits as a monolithic power behind the thrones of Europe‎'‎s Catholic monarchs‎.‎ His painstaking reconstruction of their activities in Madrid‎,‎ Paris‎,‎ Rome‎,‎ Munich and Vienna demonstrates the considerable variations in both political intent and influence‎,‎ not only between these great power centers‎,‎ but also withing them‎.‎ It also provides scholars with an invaluable trove of information about the great power diplomacy of the Thirty Years War‎.‎‎"‎ Charles Ingrao‎,‎ Purdue University ‎"‎Bireley brings a fresh perspective to the study of the Thirty Years‎'‎ War‎.‎‎"‎ H‎-FRANCE ‎"‎Jesuit confessors at the major courts of Catholic Europe during the Thirty Years War regularly corresponding with the Father General in Rome‎?‎ This looks like a conspiracy‎.‎ But instead the fascinating story that this magisterial book from the leading expert in the field reconstructs‎,‎ after years of research in the archives of Europe‎,‎ turns out to be one of conflicting personalities and loyalties‎-some promoting holy war‎,‎ others intriguing for peace‎,‎ and a Father General continuously arguing for more political restraint‎.‎‎"‎ Wolfgang Reinhard‎,‎ Albert‎-Ludwigs‎- Universit‎"‎at Freiburg ‎"‎Birely‎'‎s research is wide‎-ranging and meticulous‎,‎ his narrative satisfying in its detail and his unique study will be of great value to research collections in history‎.‎‎"‎ Catholic Library World ‎"‎‎.‎‎.‎‎.‎this book is an outstanding synthesis of Bireley‎'‎s historical interests‎.‎‎"‎ Central European History ‎"‎Bireley makes a valuable contribution to the diplomatic history of the Thirty Years War‎,‎ and to the history of Catholic engagement with politics‎.‎‎.‎‎.‎All historians interested in religion and politics in the early modern era will find this book fascinating‎.‎‎"‎ ‎- Canadian Journal of History‎,‎ Erik Thomson‎,‎ The University of Toronto ‎"‎‎.‎‎.‎‎.‎a work that will be consulted in the years to come as a definitive account on the subject‎,‎ one that will be repeatedly referenced when new studies come out about the Jesuits and other religious orders in other areas of Europe‎.‎ It is extremely well written and succinct‎.‎‎"‎ ‎- The Journal of Religion‎,‎ James R‎.‎ Palmitessa‎,‎ Western Michigan University