Fernand Braudel originally wanted to write a history of Philip II and the Mediterranean during his time in a prison camp in WWII, however, his thesis quickly became the Mediterranean and Phillip II. In other words, it was imperative to understand the situation in the Mediterranean before one could understand the role of the Spanish Empire. Braudel expanded his work to include the economic, social, and demographic history in the Mediterranean. He studied how other cultures and civilizations had influenced the Mediterranean and Spain to identify the wider picture in the historical landscape. Braudel succeeded Fabvre as director of the Annales in 1956 until his death in 1985.
Why is it important to study the history of a region before focusing on a particular nation?
Why is it important to understand the economic and social history of the region?
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