Medieval Europe, 395–1270

by Charles Bemont, Charles Bemont

"We have attempted to give to this volume a certain unity, not to make a simple chronological enumeration of events, but to group the details around the more important facts – the formation of the feudal system in succession to the Germanic invasions, the development of the Catholic Church, the strife of Christian Europe against the Muslim Orient, the struggle between the Papacy and the Empire leading to the fall of the German power, the formation of strong monarchies in France and in England. We have in particular given a large place to the rôle and to the history of the Church which dominates all this period, and which has been ordinarily so neglected in our schoolbooks, and have sought to make clear how France obtained in the thirteenth century a sort of political and intellectual hegemony in Europe. We hope those who read will understand what were the great ideas and directive tendencies which determined the historical evolution of the Middle Ages. We have always kept in mind in writing the conclusion to which we were advancing." - Charles Bémont & Gabriel The Roman Empire at the End of the Fourth Century. The Barbarians. The Germanic Invasions – The Vandals, The Visigoths, and the Huns (376-476). The Germanic Invasions – The Ostrogoths. The Germanic Invasions – The Barbarians in Gaul – Clovis. The Frankish Kingdom from 511 to 639. Institutions of Gaul after the Invasions. The Roman Empire of the East in the Sixth Century. The Last Invasions and the Papacy – The Lombards and Gregory the Great – The Anglo-Saxons and Monasticism. The Arabs – Mohammed. Arabian Empire – Conquests and Civilization. The Fainéant Kings – Foundation of the Carolingian Dynasty – Charlemagne. Empire of the Franks – Carolingian Customs and Institutions. The Carolingian Decadence, 814-888. The Last Carolingians – Invasions of the Saracens, Hungarians, and Norsemen – Origin of Feudalism. The Feudal System. Germany and Italy (888-1056). Emperor and Pope – Church Reform – Gregory VII. The Guelfs and Hohenstaufen – Alexander III. and Frederick I. Barbarossa. End of the Hohenstaufen – Victory of the Papacy over the Empire. The Christian and Mussulman Orient from the Seventh to the Eleventh Century. The Crusades. The Country Districts and Cities of France - Emancipation of Peasants and Bourgeois. French Royalty (987-1154). French Royalty (1154-1270). Institutions of Capetian Royalty. England from the Ninth to the Thirteenth Century. Continental Europe. The Roman Church in the Thirteenth Century. The Church and Heresies. Christian and Feudal Civilization – Instruction And Sciences – Literature And Arts – Worship. General Summary.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, European History, Historical

493 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1903

Reviews

[Jay Waghray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Does what it says on the box. Franco-centric.

[Caroline Mathews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well put together. Chronologically, as well as in explaining other factors - the church, the crusades, the dynasties, and the rise and fall of the feudal system - separately. If there weren't so many books in my stack, I'd read it again. A perfect reference book.

[Gerald Greene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very helpful; full of detail

[Sheffielder · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very detailed, to be sure, but ultimately unsatisfying. There's a lot of detail about which king fought which duke and so forth - but entire lifetimes go by in a couple of sentences and I'm no wiser as to what the world at the time was actually like for anyone (not even the people mentioned). Abandoned after completing 45%.

[Mr A · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reasonable read

I did feel it was over waited towards France/Gaul . It was a pleasant read could not see why the concluding section was in the book. What was the reason for stopping at 1270?

[Larissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Só tenho uma coisa a dizer: uma das piores leituras do tema acadêmico que fiz.

[Chic · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too detailed for my liking, too much on characters vs. the era.