The Early Middle Ages: Europe 400-1000

Short Oxford History of Europe

by Rosamond McKitterick (editor)

The Early Middle Ages (400-1000) was one of the most dynamic and crucial periods in the formation of Europe. It covers the transition from the relatively diverse world of Roman Empire in late antiquity to the disparate world of early medieval Europe--where local differences assumed far greater significance, but where the institution of Latin Christianity lent coherence to the successor states. In this book, McKitterick and five other leading historians have collaborated closely to produce a set of thematic interpretations covering politics, society, economy, culture, religion, and Europe and the wider world. Military matters and warfare are treated within these chapters, reflecting their entrenchment in social, economic, and political structures. The definition of 'Europe' is ambiguous in this period, but for the most part 'Europe' coincides with the ever-expanding horizons of Latin Christendom. It also looks at crucial interactions with other areas, such as Scandinavia, eastern
Europe, the Islamic Middle East and North Africa, and Byzantium. Providing a coherent view of the most important elements within the period, this book gives a sense of the complexities and excitements of six hundred years of transition.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Medieval, Medieval History, European History

328 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

Rosamond Deborah McKitterick is one of Britain's foremost medieval historians. Since 1999, she has been Professor of Medieval History at the University of Cambridge where she is a Fellow of Sidney Sussex College. Much of her work focuses on the Frankish kingdoms in the 8th and 9th centuries and uses palaeographical and manuscript studies to illuminate aspects of the political, cultural, intellectual, religious and social history of the early Middle Ages.

From 1951 to 1956 McKitterick lived in Cambridge, England, where her father had a position at Magdalene College. In 1956 she moved with her family to Western Australia where she completed primary and secondary school and completed an honours degree at the University of Western Australia. She holds the degrees of M.A., Ph.D., and Litt.D.

In 1971 she returned to Cambridge University to pursue her career. She was a Fellow of Newnham College, Cambridge and then became a Professorial Fellow of Sidney Sussex. She is also on the Editorial Board of the journal 'Networks and Neighbours'.

She married David John McKitterick, Librarian of Trinity College, Cambridge, and they have one daughter.

Reviews

[Ernest · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is an admirable effort and reconciling breadth and depth- something very tricky with a period as broad as this. Beginning with a few identities: geographical, Roman continuity, Latin Christendom, McKitterick and four other specialists use few broad lenses to give an impression of Europe. This is done through some very uncontroversial angles: Politics, Society, Economics, Religion, Culture, and interaction with the wider world. In the space of about 30 pages per chapter, there's a good mix of examples from the 6 centuries this book encompasses, as well as fair attempts by the author to give some caveats and exceptions.

To me, some chapters are better than others: Politics and Economics are quite well-written, but other portions (e.g culture) tend to cover more narrow areas, in my opinion. It's both a limitation of the source material, but there's not much explanation in these weaker chapters as to why the author has focused on such areas.

In any case, a good overview and introductory text. This is my first foray into medieval history for my upcoming undergraduate studies, and I'm intending to do so chronologically. This has given me a good starting point to research more into areas that interest me, and Oxford University Press once again delivers with a well-researched primer.

[Petauroak · Rating 5 out of 5]

La Alta Edad Media (Rosamond Mckitterick).

Tiempos convulsos de continuos cambios, que sientan los precedentes del mundo actual, desconocidos ante la mirada ajena; se hace necesario comprender todas las facetas de la realidad para comprender su tejido en su máxima plenitud.

[Tharkun · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting view at the middle ages

[Grady · Rating 3 out of 5]

An uneven collection of chapters by different specialists that are intended to add up to a short but through overview of (western) Europe in the early middle ages, or 400 - 1000. Originally published in 2000 the book covers a period that has been much addressed in longer tomes by single authors in the years since - Chris Wickham, Framing the Early Middle Ages: Europe and the Mediterranean, 400-800 and The Inheritance of Rome: Illuminating the Dark Ages, 400-1000; Peter Heather, The Restoration of Rome: Barbarian Popes and Imperial Pretenders. In fact, Wickham's chapter in this book, on 'Society', is a good precis of his arguments in the Inheritance. I also found Jean-Pierre Devroey's chapter on 'The economy' provided a helpful overview. To the extent this volume is still worth reading, it's probably best as an overview or introduction to themes that have been explored in greater detail since its publication.

[Pedro · Rating 4 out of 5]

En una obra poblada por medievalistas del peso de Wickham, McKitterick y Wood, es interesante destacar cómo, a pesar de lo limitado de la consigna editorial (alrededor de 100.000 palabras), los seis autores se entregaron al esfuerzo de construir una narrativa coherente y acorde a las expectativas.

Parafraseando lo dicho por McKitterick en la introducción, los autores han destacado los elementos más importantes dentro del período, procurando hacer generalizaciones lo suficientemente válidas con relación a las pruebas documentales que se han conservado y sobre las que, en mayor o en menor medida, están de acuerdo. Al no poder ofrecer un panorama homogéneo de este período crucial para la historia de Europa, han pretendido al menos ofrecer uno coherente.

El resultado es más que satisfactorio. Este es un título que cumple su objetivo de ofrecer una mirada general de un periodo que puede extenderse en alrededor de 600 años, tarea que no es nada sencilla.

[Lauren Albert · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I could understand why it was done, I don't think the kind of "clumping" method the writers use is very successful--though it did succeed in confusing me. I think the book would have been better if the areas had been separated out even if the book had to be longer. I thought the chapter on religion was the best. It stood out from the others, at least to me.