Anarchy and Authority

In Anarchy and Authority, readers follow contemporaneous accounts of Irish men and women who ventured into the Russian empire during the two long centuries of Romanov rule. Human connections, political intrigues, cultural cross-pollination mesh with sweeping historical narratives in the story of the island and the empire. Meticulously researched and energetically told, these are the stories of Irish residents, travellers and migrants to Russia from that time, ranging from diplomats and governesses, to early tourists, travel writers, soldiers, servants and even a revolutionary music-teacher. From the Irishmen and women who benefitted from the imperial wars waged by the Russian state, to those Irish observers who bore witness to the horrors of serfdom and the oppression of dissenting voices. Anarchy and Authority brings to vivid life these Irish perspectives. Their fascinating insights and unique depths of field give increasing relevance to the turbulent geo-politics of modern times.

Dr Angela Byrne is a historian of women, migration, and travel and exploration in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. She is editor at the Dictionary of Irish Biography (Royal Irish Academy), and has previously held research and lecturing positions at the University of Greenwich, University of Toronto, NUI Maynooth, and EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum. She has published widely and was elected Fellow of the Royal Historical Society in 2021. Anarchy and Authority will be her fourth book.