Italy in the Central Middle Ages: 1000-1300

by David Abulafia (editor), Edward Coleman, Hiroshi Takayama

Incorporating the latest developments in the study of the period, a team of leading international scholars provides a fresh and dynamic picture of a period of great transformation in the political, cultural, and economic life of the Italian peninsula, which witnessed the rise of autonomous city states in the north, the creation of a powerful kingdom in the south, and the development of the Italian language as a vehicle for literary expression.

Genres: History, Italy, Nonfiction, Medieval

316 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

David Samuel Harvard Abulafia is a British historian with a particular interest in Italy, Spain and the rest of the Mediterranean during the Middle Ages and Renaissance.
His published works include Frederick II, The Mediterranean in History, Italy in the central Middle Ages, The Discovery of Mankind: Atlantic encounters in the age of Columbus and The Great Sea: a human history of the Mediterranean.

Reviews

[Lauren Albert · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 11 thematic chapters, historians give an excellent overview of Italy in the Middle Ages. A relatively short book, it covers a wide area. It covers “outsiders” who weren’t outside the culture-Greeks, Jews and Muslims. It shows the variety of languages, politics, etc that was present in what is now one country but wasn’t then. Overall I recommend it.

[Freido · Rating 2 out of 5]

The worst out of david's books from the 3 I've read. It's a collection of essays which often rehash the same ideas. Lacks continuity and overall is written for scholastic reasons I think. Don't regret it or anything, in fact it whetted my appetite for the history of this period but not satiating.

[Daniel Schotman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good introduction that does a particular good job in outlining the (rather and extremely) complex political relations in the North of Italy in the time this book is focussing on.

[Marks54 · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fine collection of review essays about how the various parts of Italy developed together into the Italian Renaissance.

Full review to follow.