The Best Historical Fiction Set in the 1700s

The 18th century marked a historical period in which rapid changes occurred, especially in the rise and fall of empires as revolutions and Enlightenment ideals spread throughout the second half of the century. At the beginning of the century, Saint Petersburg was founded under Peter the Great, the Asante Empire rose in what is now Ghana, and the Act of Union merged the Scottish and English Parliaments. Empires continued fighting over colonies, with the Seven Years’ War drawing in many of the major world powers, and there was the beginning of British imperial rule in India through the East India Company. As the 1700s continued, Enlightenment ideals and revolutions led to massive changes in government: the colonies that would become the United States declared independence from Britain, the French Revolution removed King Louis XVI from power, and the economic transformation of the Industrial Revolution began. The 1700s included the births of Beethoven, Jane Austen, Toussaint Louverture, and Bernoulli, as well as many others who would go on to shape culture, government, and science in the coming years. The historical fiction books below will give you a glimpse into this packed period o...