Examining William Pitt the Younger’s foreign policy from 1783 to 1797, Nathaniel Jarrett considers a question that has long vexed historians: Did Pitt adhere to the ‘blue water’ school, imagining a globe-trotting navy, or did he favour engagement nearer to shore and on the European Continent?
Nathaniel Jarrett Book order


- 2024
- 2022
The Lion at Dawn
Forging British Strategy in the Age of the French Revolution, 1783-1797
- 338 pages
- 12 hours of reading
Set against the backdrop of the turbulent era following the War of American Independence, the narrative explores how British Prime Minister William Pitt the Younger and his ministers crafted a diplomatic and military strategy in response to France's declaration of war in 1793. Historian Nathaniel Jarrett examines the complexities of this period, highlighting how their policies aimed to shape an international order that would ultimately culminate in the Vienna settlement of 1815. The book delves into the interplay of war and diplomacy during nearly twenty-five years of conflict.