The History Book Club discussion

This thread discussed the period in history called the Middle Ages or High Medieval Period.



"The High Middle Ages (or High Medieval Period) was the period of European history around the 11th, 12th, and 13th centuries (c. 1001–1300). The High Middle Ages were preceded by the Early Middle Ages and followed by the Late Middle Ages, which by convention end around 1500.

The key historical trend of the High Middle Ages was the rapidly increasing population of Europe, which brought about great social and political change from the preceding era.

By 1250 the robust population increase greatly benefited the European economy, reaching levels it would not see again in some areas until the 19th century.

This trend was checked in the Late Middle Ages by a series of calamities, notably the Black Death but also including numerous wars and economic stagnation.

From about the year 780 onwards, Europe saw the last of the barbarian invasions and became more socially and politically organized. The Carolingian Renaissance led to scientific and philosophical revival of Europe.

The first universities were established in Bologna, Salerno, Paris and Modena.

The Vikings had settled in the British Isles, France and elsewhere, whilst Norse Christian kingdoms were developing in their Scandinavian homelands.

The Magyars had ceased their expansion in the 10th century, and by the year 1000, a Christian Kingdom of Hungary was recognized in central Europe, forming alliances with regional powers.

With the brief exception of the Mongol invasions in the 13th century, major nomadic incursions ceased. The powerful Byzantine Empire of the Macedonian and Komnenos dynasties gradually gave way to resurrected Serbia and Bulgaria and to a successor Crusade state from 1204 to 1261, while countering the continuous threat of the Seljuk Turks in Asia Minor.

In the 11th century, populations north of the Alps began to settle new lands, some of which had reverted to wilderness after the end of the Roman Empire. In what is known as the "great clearances", vast forests and marshes of Europe were cleared and cultivated.

At the same time settlements moved beyond the traditional boundaries of the Frankish Empire to new frontiers in Europe, beyond the Elbe River, tripling the size of Germany in the process.

The Catholic Church, reaching the peak of its political power at this time, called armies from across Europe to a series of Crusades against the Seljuk Turks, who occupied the Holy Land, thereby founding the Crusader States in the Levant.

Other wars led to the Northern Crusades, while Christian kingdoms conquered the Iberian Peninsula from the Moors, and the Normans colonized southern Italy, all part of the major population increase and resettlement pattern of the era.

The High Middle Ages produced many different forms of intellectual, spiritual and artistic works. This age saw the rise of ethnocentrism, which evolved later into modern civic nationalisms in most of Europe, the ascent of the great Italian city-states, and the rise and fall of the Muslim civilization of Al-Andalus.

The rediscovery of the works of Aristotle led Thomas Aquinas and other thinkers of the period to develop Scholasticism, a combination of Catholicism and ancient philosophy. For much of the time period Constantinople remained Europe's most populous city and Byzantine art reached a peak in the 12th century. In architecture, many of the most notable Gothic cathedrals were built or completed during this era.

The Crisis of the Late Middle Ages, beginning at the start of the 14th century, marked the end of this era."

Source: Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Mid...



Topics Include:

1 Historical events and politics
 1.1 Great Britain and Ireland
 1.2 Scandinavia
 1.3 France and Germany
 1.4 Hungary
 1.5 Poland and Lithuania
 1.6 Spain and Italy
 1.7 Southeastern Europe
 1.8 Climate and agriculture
 1.9 The rise of chivalry

2 Religion
 2.1 The Church
 2.2 The Crusades
 2.2.1 Military orders
 2.3 Scholasticism
 2.4 Golden age of monasticism
 2.5 Mendicant orders
 2.6 Heretical movements
 2.6.1 Cathars
 2.6.2 Waldensians

3 Trade and commerce

4 Science
 4.1 Technology

5 Arts
 5.1 Visual arts
 5.2 Architecture
 5.3 Literature
 5.4 Music
 5.5 Theatre

Also Included:

Holy Roman Empire 
Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia 
Second Bulgarian Empire 
Feudalism 
Great Schism 
Investiture Controversy 
Crusades 
Scholasticism 
Monasticism 
Communalism 
Manorialism 
Medieval Warm Period 
Mongol invasion of Europe

Please make sure when adding books that you are recommending that you add both the book's cover and the photo or link to the author. This helps populate the site properly.

Europe in the High Middle Ages

by John H. Mundy (no photo)

Synopsis:

A thematic survey of medieval Europe offering a portrait of social, economic, political and intellectual life in Latin Christendom.

1066

by Frank McLynn (no photo)

Synopsis:

Everyone knows what William the Conqueror won the Battle of Hastings in 1066, but in recent years is has become customary to assume that the victory was virtually inevitable, given the alleged superiority of Norman military technology. In this new study, underpinned by biographical sketches of the great warriors who fought for the crown of England in 1066, Frank McLynn shows that this view is mistaken. The battle on Senlac Hill on 14 October was a desperately close-run thing, which Harold lost only because of an incredible run of bad fortune and some treachery from the Saxon elite in England. Both William and Harold were fine generals, but Harold was the more inspirational of the two.

Making use of all the latest scholarship, McLynn shows that most of our 'knowledge' of 1066 rests on myths or illusions: Harold did not fight at Hastings with the same army with which he had been victorious at Stamford Bridge three weeks earlier; the Battle of Senlac was not won by Norman archery; Harold did not die with an arrow in the eye. In overturning these myths, McLynn shows that the truth is even more astonishing than the legend. An original feature of the book is the space devoted to the career and achievements of Harald Hardrada, who usually appears in such narratives as the shadowy 'third man'. McLynn shows that he was probably the greatest warrior of the three and that he, in turn, lost a battle through unforeseen circumstances.

Richard and John: Kings at War

by Frank McLynn (no photo)

Synopsis:

Legend and lore surround the history of kings Richard and John, from the ballads of Robin Hood and the novels of Sir Walter Scott to Hollywood movies and television. In the myth-making, King Richard, defender of Christendom in the Holy Land, was the “good king,” and his younger brother John was the evil usurper of the kingdom, who lost not only the Crown jewels but also the power of the crown. How much, though, do these popular stereotypes correspond with reality? Frank McLynn, known for a wide range of historical studies, has returned to the original sources to discover what Richard and John, these warring sons of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine, were really like, and how their history measures up to their myth. In riveting prose, and with attention to the sources, he turns the tables on modern revisionist historians, showing exactly how incompetent a king John was, despite his intellectual gifts, and how impressive Richard was, despite his long absence from the throne. This is history at its best-revealing and readable.

Frederick II: A Medieval Emperor

by David Abulafia

Synopsis:

Frederick II of Hohenstaufen, Holy Roman Emperor, King of Sicily, King of Jerusalem, has, since his death in 1250, enjoyed a reputation as one of the most remarkable monarchs in the history of Europe. His wide cultural tastes, his apparent tolerance of Jews and Muslims, his defiance of the papacy, and his supposed aim of creating a new, secular world order make him a figure especially attractive to contemporary historians. But as David Abulafia shows in this powerfully written biography, Frederick was much less tolerant and far-sighted in his cultural, religious, and political ambitions than is generally thought. Here, Frederick is revealed as the thorough traditionalist he really was: a man who espoused the same principles of government as his twelfth-century predecessors, an ardent leader of the Crusades, and a king as willing to make a deal with Rome as any other ruler in medieval Europe.
Frederick's realm was vast. Besides ruling the region of Europe that encompasses modern Germany, Czechoslovakia, Poland, eastern France, and northern Italy, he also inherited the Kingdom of Sicily and parts of the Mediterranean that include what are now Israel, Lebanon, Malta, and Cyprus. In addition, his Teutonic knights conquered the present-day Baltic States, and he even won influence along the coasts of Tunisia. Abulafia is the first to place Frederick in the wider historical context his enormous empire demands. Frederick's reign, Abulafia clearly shows, marked the climax of the power struggle between the medieval popes and the Holy Roman Emperors, and the book stresses Frederick's steadfast dedication to the task of preserving both dynasty and empire. Through the course of this rich, groundbreaking narrative, Frederick emerges as less of the innovator than he is usually portrayed. Rather than instituting a centralized autocracy, he was content to guarantee the continued existence of the customary style of government in each area he ruled: in Sicily he appeared a mighty despot, but in Germany he placed his trust in regional princes, and never dreamed of usurping their power. Abulafia shows that this pragmatism helped bring about the eventual transformation of medieval Europe into modern nation-states.
The book also sheds new light on the aims of Frederick in Italy and the Near East, and concentrates as well on the last fifteen years of the Emperor's life, a period until now little understood. In addition, Abulfia has mined the papal registers in the Secret Archive of the Vatican to provide a new interpretation of Frederick's relations with the papacy. And his attention to Frederick's register of documents from 1239-40--a collection hitherto neglected--has yielded new insights into the cultural life of the German court.
In the end, a fresh and fascinating picture develops of the most enigmatic of German rulers, a man whose accomplishments have been grossly distorted over the centuries.

The Lombard League, 1167-1225

by Gianluca Raccagni (no photo)

Synopsis:

The Lombard League, an alliance which included many of the cities in northern Italy, played a crucial role in the evolution of Italy's political landscape. The League enjoyed an iconic status, glorified in 19th-century political and historical pamphlets, and also in paintings, novels and even operas. Historiography has overlooked the cooperation among the Italian city republics and has instead labelled medieval Italy as politically fragmented. This volume offers new interpretations, by examining the League's structure, activity, place in political thought, and its links with regional identities. Using documentary evidence, histories, letters, inscriptions and contemporary troubadour poems as well as rhetorical and juridical treatises, Dr Raccagni argues that the League was not just a momentary anti-imperial military alliance. It was a body that also provided collective approaches to regional problems ranging from the peaceful resolution of disputes to the management of regional lines of communication.

The Normans: From Raiders to Kings

by Lars Brownworth (no photo)

Synopsis:

There is much more to the Norman story than the Battle of Hastings. These descendants of the Vikings who settled in France, England, and Italy - but were not strictly French, English, or Italian - played a large role in creating the modern world. They were the success story of the Middle Ages; a footloose band of individual adventurers who transformed the face of medieval Europe. During the course of two centuries they launched a series of extraordinary conquests, carving out kingdoms from the North Sea to the North African coast.

In The Normans, author Lars Brownworth follows their story, from the first shock of a Viking raid on an Irish monastery to the exile of the last Norman Prince of Antioch. In the process he brings to vivid life the Norman tapestry’s rich cast of characters: figures like Rollo the Walker, William Iron-Arm, Tancred the Monkey King, and Robert Guiscard. It presents a fascinating glimpse of a time when a group of restless adventurers had the world at their fingertips.

Thank you Jose.

Saint Louis

by Jacques Le Goff

Synopsis:

“Life of a king, life of a saint, life of a man. In this work, Jacques LeGoff, one of the truly great medieval historians of our times, magisterially plumbs the depths of the fundamental contradiction of Saint Louis: is it possible to be both a king and a saint? St. Louis lies at the intersection of reasons of state and divine reason; he is an individual around whom LeGoff turns like a detective searching for an ever-elusive truth, that of a life and a legend inextricably intertwined. A fine, eminently readable translation. “ —Robert J. Morrissey, University of Chicago

Canonized in 1297 as Saint Louis, King Louis IX of France (1214–1270) was the central figure of Christendom in the thirteenth century. He ruled when France was at the height of power; he commanded the largest army in Europe and controlled the wealthiest kingdom. Renowned for his patronage of the arts, Louis was equally famous for his decision to imitate the suffering Christ as a humbly attired, bearded penitent.

Armed with the considerable resources of the nouvel historien, Jacques Le Goff mines existing materials about Saint Louis to forge a new historical biography of the king. Part of his ambitious project is to reconstruct the mental universe of the thirteenth century: Le Goff describes the scholastic and intellectual background of Louis’ reign and, most importantly, he discusses methodology and the interpretation of written sources—their composition, provenance, and reliability.

Le Goff divides his unconventional biography into three parts. In the first, he gives us the contours of Louis’ life from birth to death in the usual context of family dynamics and genealogy, courtly and regional politics, and shifts in economic, social, and cultural life. In sifting through the historical accounts of the king’s life, Le Goff determines that it is Louis IX’s profound sense of moral and religious purpose—his desire to become the ideal Christian ruler—that colors his every action from boyhood on; it is also, for Le Goff, what renders contemporary accounts problematic and what necessitates further scrutiny.

That dissection of sources occupies the second part. Le Goff’s intention is to pare away the layers of homily and anecdote produced by the king’s early biographers to discover the true Saint Louis. Questioning whether Saint Louis was merely the invention of his eulogists, Le Goff penetrates beyond the literary and hagiographical evidence to the human behind the legend. He brilliantly analyzes Louis’ progress toward his unique self-creation and its subsequent mythologizing. In the third part, Le Goff highlights the contradictions within Louis and his historical image that previous chroniclers have elided or overlooked. In the end, he leaves us with the saint, rather than the king, with all the paradoxes embedded in that role.

Europe in the High Middle Ages

by William Chester Jordan (no photo)

Synopsis:

With a lucid and clear narrative style William Chester Jordan has turned his considerable talents to composing a standard textbook of the opening centuries of the second millennium in Europe. He brings this period of dramatic social, political, economic, cultural, religious and military change, alive to the general reader. Jordan presents the early Medieval period as a lost world, far removed from our current age, which had risen from the smoking rubble of the Roman Empire, but from which we are cut off by the great plagues and famines that ended it. Broad in scope, punctuated with impressive detail, and highly accessible, Jordan's book is set to occupy a central place in university courses of the medieval period.

Thank you Jose

Europe in the High Middle Ages, 1150-1309

by John H. Mundy (no photo)

Synopsis:

Europe in the High Middle Ages is one of the most original and personal volumes in the set. Rather than pursue a chronological narrative of events, Professor Mundy has instead provided a vivid portrait of social, economic, political and intellectual life of Latin Christendom in the period. Fully revised and updated in the light of the latest research this second edition retains its appeal and will prove invaluable to a new generation of readers.

Eleanor of Aquitaine: A Life

by Alison Weir

Synopsis:

Renowned in her time for being the most beautiful woman in Europe, the wife of two kings and mother of three, Eleanor of Aquitaine was one of the great heroines of the Middle Ages. At a time when women were regarded as little more than chattel, Eleanor managed to defy convention as she exercised power in the political sphere and crucial influence over her husbands and sons. In this beautifully written biography, Alison Weir paints a vibrant portrait of this truly exceptional woman, and provides new insights into her intimate world. Eleanor of Aquitaine lived a long life of many contrasts, of splendor and desolation, power and peril, and in this stunning narrative, Weir captures the woman— and the queen—in all her glory. With astonishing historic detail, mesmerizing pageantry, and irresistible accounts of royal scandal and intrigue, she recreates not only a remarkable personality but a magnificent past era.

Tuscan Countess: The Life and Extraordinary Times of Matilda of Canossa

by Michele K. Spike (no photo)

Synopsis:

This is a fast-paced and colorful exploration of the life of Matilda of Canossa (c. 10461115), the woman who loved a pope and was loved by him, successfully defied the Holy Roman Emperor, and changed the map of Europe. A new kind of history, this biography also carries the flavor of present-day Italy.

France in the Middle Ages 987-1460: From Hugh Capet to Joan of Arc

by Georges Duby

Synopsis:

In this book, now available in paperback, he examines the history of France from the rise of the Capetians in the mid-tenth century to the execution of Joan of Arc in the mid-fifteenth. He takes the evolution of power and the emergence of the French state as his central themes, and guides the reader through complex - and, in many respects, still unfamiliar, yet fascinating terrain. He describes the growth of the castle and the village, the building blocks of the new Western European civilization of the second millenium AD.

The Devil's Horsemen: The Mongol Invasion of Europe

by James Chambers (no photo)

Synopsis:

The Mongols formed one of the finest armies ever known--and when they swept across the Danube on Christmas Day 1241, the west lay at the mercy of these "horsemen from hell." From a wealth of contemporary sources comes the story of these soldiers, and especially of Subedei Bahadur, the illiterate military genius who brought 20th-century warfare to Medieval Europe. A fascinating examination of their tactics and training--good enough to invent strategies that Rommel and Patton would later use to such devastating effect--proves the Mongols were more than mere barbarians: they were martial masterminds of the highest order.

The Kingdom of Leon-Castilla Under King Alfonso VII, 1126-1157

by Bernard F. Reilly (no photo)

Synopsis:

The reign of Alfonso VII occupied more than a quarter century during which the political landscape of medieval Spain was altered significantly. It was marked by the enhancement of royal administration, an increased papal intervention in the affairs of the peninsular church, and the development of the church's territorial structure. With the publication of The Kingdom of Leon-Castilla Under King Alfonso VII, 1126-1157, Bernard Reilly completes a detailed, three-part history of the largest of the Christian states of the Iberian peninsula from the mid-eleventh through the mid-twelfth century. Like his earlier books on the reigns of Queen Urraca and King Alfonso VI, this will no doubt be an essential resource for all students of European and Spanish history and anyone investigating the antecedents of Castile's eventual preeminence in Iberian affairs.

by Bernard F. Reilly (no photo)

(no image) The Kingdom of Leon-Castilla Under King Alfonso VI, 1065-1109 by Bernard F. Reilly (no photo)

Great adds Jose.

Spain 1157-1300: A Partible Inheritance

by Peter Linehan (no photo)

Synopsis:

"Spain, 1157-1300" makes use of a vast body of primary and secondary source material to provide a balanced overview of a crucial period of Spanish as well as of European history. Examines the most significant phase of Spanish mainland development. Considers the profound intellectual consequences of Christian advances into Islamic Spain. Explores the varying fortunes of the kingdoms of Castile and Aragon, and focuses on the reign of the learned Alfonso X of Castile.

The Quest for El Cid

by Richard Fletcher

Synopsis:

Rodrigo Diaz, the legendary warrior-knight of eleventh-century Castile known as El Cid, is remembered today as the Christian hero of the Spanish crusade who waged wars of re-conquest for the triumph of the Cross over the Crescent. He is still honored in Spain as a national hero for liberating the fatherland from the occupying Moors. Yet, as Richard Fletcher shows in this award-winning book, there are many contradictions between eleventh-century reality and the mythology that developed with the passing years.
By placing El Cid in a fresh, historical context, Fletcher shows us an adventurous soldier of fortune who was of a type, one of a number of "cids," or "bosses," who flourished in eleventh-century Spain. But the El Cid of legend--the national hero--was unique in stature even in his lifetime. Before his death El Cid was already celebrated in a poem written in tribute of the conquest of Almeria; posthumously he was immortalized in the great epic Poema de Mio Cid and became the centerpiece for countless other works of literature. When he died in Valencia in 1099, he was ruler of an independent principality he had carved for himself in Eastern Spain. Rather than the zealous Christian leader many believe him to have been, Rodrigo emerges in Fletcher's study as a mercenary equally at home in the feudal kingdoms of northern Spain and the exotic Moorish lands of the south, selling his martial skills to Christian and Muslim alike. Indeed, his very title derives from the Arabic word sayyid meaning "lord" or "master." And as there was little if any sense of Spanish nationhood in the eleventh century, he can hardly be credited for uniting a medieval Spanish nation.
In this ground-breaking inquiry into the life and times of El Cid, Fletcher disentangles fact from myth to create a striking portrait of an extraordinary man, clearly showing how and why legend transformed him into something he was not during his life. A fascinating journey through a turbulent epoch, The Quest for El Cid is filled with the excitement of discovery, and will delight readers interested not only in Spanish history and literature, but those who want to understand how myth can shape our perception of history."

Empress Matilda: Queen Consort, Queen Mother and Lady of the English

by Marjorie Chibnall (no photo)

Synopsis:

This is the first comprehensive and fully documented study of the Empress Matilda to be published in English. Much of the serious work on her life and historical importance has never been translated from German, and almost all has concentrated on the years of her struggle with Stephen for the English crown. This book examines her career as a whole, including the years as consort of the Emperor Henry V and as regent in Normandy for her son Henry II. It illustrates the problems of female succession in the early twelfth century, and gives a balanced assessment of Matilda's character and achievements in the context of her own times.

Thank you Jose.

The Perfect Heresy: The Revolutionary Life and Spectacular Death of the Medieval Cathars

by Stephen O'Shea (no photo)

Synopsis:

Chronicles the life & death of the Cathar movement, led by a group of heretical Christians whose brutal suppression by the Catholic Church unleashed the Inquisition.

The Northern Crusades

by Eric Christiansen (no photo)

Synopsis:

"For a one-volume history of the northern crusades, the reader has but one choice; this is it". -- William Urban, American Historical Review.

The crusades to Catholicize and conquer the pagan and Orthodox Baltic regions were far more successful in leaving long-term effects than the campaigns in the Mediterranean. This lucid study begins when the first holy war against the heathen north was declared by the Pope in the twelfth century and concludes in the sixteenth century, when Rome issued its last crusading bull.

Thanks Jose for enriching all these Medieval History threads. Well done, sir.

Frederick II: The Wonder of the World

by Richard Bressler (no photo)

Synopsis:

One of the most remarkable personalities of the Middle Ages, Frederick II of Hohenstaufen was born in 1194. His parents—the reigning Holy Roman Emperor and the heiress to the Kingdom of Sicily—belonged to two of the leading ruling families in medieval Europe. The lands controlled by these two families extended from southern Denmark to Sicily, from modern Belgium to Bohemia. Frederick II eventually ruled the joint kingdom, and the story of how he gained and maintained this status is the primary thread running through his life. As a child in Sicily, Frederick was a ward of Pope Innocent III. When he came of age, he sought to be crowned Holy Roman Emperor but only succeeded in 1220 after many years of negotiations with the Vatican, which was reluctant to give up or share power. Resenting the influence and pressure from the papacy, Frederick became its leading opponent. As a result, the new pope, Gregory IX, condemned Frederick as the Antichrist. However, Frederick believed he was a sincere Christian, and led the Sixth Crusade to the Holy Land while under excommunication.As a ruler, Frederick was unusually modern in his sensibilities. Sicily was a cultural melting pot in the thirteenth century and Frederick ended up speaking several languages. He protected Jews and Muslims in his realms and prosecuted Christian heretics throughout his thirty-year reign. Frederick was married three times, and had four legitimate and eleven illegitimate children. He was a polymath with interests ranging from sculpture, architecture, and poetry to mathematics and science in many forms, earning him admiration from his contemporaries who called him Stupor mundi, “Wonder of the World.” His lifelong interest in hunting with birds of prey led to the writing of the classic work De Arte Venandi cum Avibus (The Art of Falconry), which is still in print. Based on the latest scholarship and written for the general reader, Frederick II: The Wonder of the World by Richard Bressler provides the complete story of this complex and fascinating man.

You're welcome, Bryan.

Charles I of Anjou: Power, Kingship and State-Making in Thirteenth-Century Europe

by Jean Dunbabin (no photo)

Synopsis:

This text aims to provide a balanced portrait of one of the most controversial figures of 13th-century Europe and an assessment of the long-term significance of his career. The author describes how Charles I was able to carve out and control a huge power block in the Mediterranean, where he became ruler of Provence, Jerusalem and the kingdom of Naples (including Sicily) as well as that of Anjou. She also discusses his pivotal role in the crusades, as well as his military reform, trading, diplomacy, learning and the arts. The book explores through the life of Charles I of Anjou the international power politics of 13th-century Mediterranean Europe and shows that, as a result of his actions, the political map of Europe was redrawn.

Harold, the Last Anglo-Saxon King

by Ian W. Walker (no photo)

Synopsis:

King Harold Godwineson (c.1022-66) is one of history's shadowy figures, known mainly for his defeat and death at the Battle of Hastings. His true status and achievements have been overshadowed by the events of 1066 and the bias imposed by the Norman victory. This text aims to correct the common view of Harold, presenting an argument for being one of England's greatest rulers.

The Reconquest Kings of Portugal: The Creation of a Medieval Frontier Monarchy

by Stephen Lay (no photo)

Synopsis:

This book examines the development of Portugal between the eleventh and thirteenth centuries. During this period Portugal grew from an embattled county under the control of Leon-Castile into an independent kingdom with borders that have remained largely unchanged until the present day.

The History of the Renaissance World: From the Rediscovery of Aristotle to the Conquest of Constantinople

by Susan Wise Bauer

Synopsis:

Beginning in the heady days just after the First Crusade, this volume the third in the series that began with The History of the Ancient World and The History of the Medieval World chronicles the contradictions of a world in transition. Popes continue to preach crusade, but the hope of a Christian empire comes to a bloody end at the walls of Constantinople. Aristotelian logic and Greek rationality blossom while the Inquisition gathers strength. As kings and emperors continue to insist on their divine rights, ordinary people all over the world seize power: the lingayats of India, the Jacquerie of France, the Red Turbans of China, and the peasants of England.

New threats appear, as the Ottomans emerge from a tiny Turkish village and the Mongols ride out of the East to set the world on fire. New currencies are forged, new weapons invented, and world-changing catastrophes alter the landscape: the Little Ice Age and the Great Famine kill millions; the Black Death, millions more. In the chaos of these epoch-making events, our own world begins to take shape.

Impressively researched and brilliantly told, The History of the Renaissance World offers not just the names, dates, and facts but the memorable characters who illuminate the years between 1100 and 1453 years that marked a sea change in mankind s perception of the world."

England Under the Norman and Angevin Kings, 1075-1225

by Robert C. Bartlett (no photo)

Synopsis:

This lively and far-reaching account of the politics, religion, and culture of England in the century and a half after the Norman Conquest provides a vivid picture of everyday existence, and increases our understanding of all aspects of medieval society. There are colourful details of the everyday life of ordinary men and women, with their views on the past, on sexuality, on animals, on death, the undead, and the occult. The result is a fascinating and comprehensive portrayal of a period which begins with conquest and ends in assimilation.

1215: The Year of Magna Carta

by Danny Danziger (no photo)

Synopsis:

From bestselling author Danny Danziger and medieval expert John Gillingham comes a vivid look at the signing of the Magna Carta and how this event illuminates one of the most compelling and romantic periods in history.

Surveying a broad landscape through a narrow lens, 1215 sweeps readers back eight centuries in an absorbing portrait of life during a time of global upheaval, the ripples of which can still be felt today. At the center of this fascinating period is the document that has become the root of modern freedom: the Magna Carta. It was a time of political revolution and domestic change that saw the Crusades, Richard the Lionheart, King John, and—in legend—Robin Hood all make their marks on history.

The events leading up to King John’s setting his seal to the famous document at Runnymede in June 1215 form this rich and riveting narrative that vividly describes everyday life from castle to countryside, from school to church, and from hunting in the forest to trial by ordeal. For instance, women wore no underwear (though men did), the average temperatures were actually higher than they are now, and the austere kitchen at Westminster Abbey allowed each monk two pounds of meat and a gallon of ale per day. Broad in scope and rich in detail, 1215 ingeniously illuminates what may have been the most important year of our history.

The Capetians: Kings of France, 987-1328

by Jim Bradbury (no photo)

Synopsis:

Following the demise of the Carolingian dynasty in 987 the French lords chose Hugh Capet as their king. He was the founder of a dynasty that lasted until 1328. Although for much of this time, the French kings were weak, and the kingdom of France was much smaller than it later became, the Capetians nevertheless had considerable achievements and also produced outstanding rulers, including Philip Augustus and St Louis. This wide-ranging book throws fascinating light on the history of Medieval France and the development of European monarchy.

Philip Augustus: King of France, 1180-1223

by Jim Bradbury (no photo)

Synopsis:

This is the first major study in English this century of the life and reign of one of the greatest of medieval monarchs, Philip Augustus (Philip II), conqueror and crusader, who ruled France from 1180 to 1223 and in the process transformed both his kingdom and the fortunes of the Capetian dynasty. Friend and confidant of all the Angevins in turn - Henry II, and his sons Richard the Lionheart and John - he was a master at playing off the members of that notoriously turbulent family against each other; and he outlived, and outplayed, them all. His crushing defeat of John (and John's Flemish allies and the emperor Otto) at the battle of Bouvines on 29 August 1214 confirmed his ascendancy, and form the dramatic climax of both the reign and this book.

The Late Medieval Balkans: A Critical Survey from the Late Twelfth Century to the Ottoman Conquest

by John V.A. Fine (no photo)

Synopsis:

"Any further advances in scholarship on the late medieval Balkans will have to begin with this book."
---George Majeska, University of Maryland

The Late Medieval Balkans is the first comprehensive examination of the events of the late medieval Balkan history---events that were as important as they were fascinating.

The period that John Fine examines was an era of significant demographic, political, and religious change in the region. During this time, native populations were supplemented or replaced by the Bulgars and various Slavic tribes, who were to become the Bulgarians, Serbs, and Croats---ethnic identities whose historical conflicts have persisted to this day.

The Late Medieval Balkans is an important source for those who wish to expand their knowledge of this turbulent period and who wish to broaden their understanding of the region.

German Medieval Armies 1000-1300

by Christopher Gravett (no photo)

Synopsis:

In medieval Germany violence was accepted far more than in other kingdoms. Kings were recognised as guardians of order, but this had its limitations. Lords expected to use force to secure their rights or win an argument when peaceful methods were not sufficient. Christopher Gravett does a fine job of examining the organisation and campaigns of German medieval armies from 1000-1300, in a volume containing plenty of photographs and illustrations, including eight full page colour plates by Graham Turner.

Medieval Germany 1056-1273

by Alfred Haverkamp (no photo)

Synopsis:

This textbook aims to provide a portrait of the complex and generally unfamiliar history of medieval Germany. Every aspect of social, economic and political life is covered, and placed in its European context.

Henry IV of Germany, 1056-1106

by I.S. Robinson (no photo)

Synopsis:

This is the first book in English devoted to the German king and emperor Henry IV (1056 1106), whose reign was one of the most momentous in German history and a turning-point in the history of the medieval empire (the kingdoms of Germany, Italy and Burgundy). The reign was marked by continuous rebellions and fluctuating fortune. Earlier monarchs had also witnessed conflict between crown and aristocracy, but Henry IV's reign differed in that his conflicts could never be definitively resolved either by negotiation or by war. During the 1070s the young king gained a lasting reputation for tyranny, while his assertion of the crown's traditional rights over the imperial church aroused papal opposition. The alliance between the German princes and the papacy haunted Henry IV for the rest of his life. He meanwhile, by turns opportunist and compromiser, dedicated himself at all times to preserving the traditional rights of the monarchy."

Sleepwalking Into a New World: The Emergence of Italian City Communes in the Twelfth Century

by Chris Wickham (no photo)

Synopsis:

Amid the disintegration of the Kingdom of Italy in the eleventh and twelfth centuries, a new form of collective government--the commune--arose in the cities of northern and central Italy. "Sleepwalking into a New World" takes a bold new look at how these autonomous city-states came about, and fundamentally alters our understanding of one of the most important political and cultural innovations of the medieval world.

Chris Wickham provides richly textured portraits of three cities--Milan, Pisa, and Rome--and sets them against a vibrant backcloth of other towns. He argues that, in all but a few cases, the elites of these cities and towns developed one of the first nonmonarchical forms of government in medieval Europe, unaware that they were creating something altogether new. Wickham makes clear that the Italian city commune was by no means a democracy in the modern sense, but that it was so novel that outsiders did not know what to make of it. He describes how, as the old order unraveled, the communes emerged, governed by consular elites "chosen by the people," and subject to neither emperor nor king. They regularly fought each other, yet they grew organized and confident enough to ally together to defeat Frederick Barbarossa, the German emperor, at the Battle of Legnano in 1176.

"Sleepwalking into a New World" reveals how the development of the autonomous city-state took place, which would in the end make possible the robust civic culture of the Renaissance.

Medieval Rome: Stability and Crisis of a City, 900-1150

by Chris Wickham (no photo)

Synopsis:

Medieval Rome analyses the history of the city of Rome between 900 and 1150, a period of major change in the city. This volume doesn't merely seek to tell the story of the city from the traditional Church standpoint; instead, it engages in studies of the city's processions, material culture, legal transformations, and sense of the past, seeking to unravel the complexities of Roman cultural identity, including its urban economy, social history as seen across the different strata of society, and the articulation between the city's regions.

This new approach serves to underpin a major reinterpretation of Rome's political history in the era of the 'reform papacy', one of the greatest crises in Rome's history, which had a resonance across the entire continent.

Medieval Rome is the most systematic analysis ever made of two and a half centuries of Rome's history, one which saw centuries of stability undermined by external crisis and the long period of reconstruction which followed.

I'm not a lover of Lars Brownworth, but here's a podcast on the Normans made by him for those who want to start learning about them:

Norman Centuries: A Norman History Podcast by Lars Brownworth (podcast)



Speaker: Lars Brownworth, author of 'The Normans: From Raiders to Kings'

A Norman History Podcast is created and performed by Lars Brownworth. While popular Norman history focuses on the regions of France and England, Norman Centuries covers the lesser known Italian Normans as well.

Norman Centuries

by Lars Brownworth

José Luís Pinto wrote: "Medieval Rome: Stability and Crisis of a City, 900-1150

by Chris Wickham (no photo)

Synopsis:

Medieva..."

I'm really excited to read this one.

The Reformation of the Twelfth Century

by Giles Constable (no photo)

Synopsis:

"This book is concerned with the changes in religious thought and institutions from the late eleventh century to the third quarter of the twelfth. It concentrates on monks and nuns, but also takes into consideration hermits, recluses, wandering preachers, crusaders, penitents, and other less organised forms of religious life. In particular it studies the variety of reform movements, the relation of the reformers to each other and the outside world, and their spirituality and motivation as reflected in their writings and activities."

The twelfth century is my favorite of medieval centuries, and Giles Constable's book shows many of the reasons why. Constable - as you can probably tell by the title - is focused on religious life. It's primarily a monastic history, and Constable illuminates that fact that this period involved a 'reexamination of what it meant to be a Christian' in a world where traditional social ties and structures were changing and shaping themselves into something new. There is a continual emphasis on a few themes:
1. The growing tension between a contemplative life - previously thought to be the highest form of religious life - and an active life within the world, engaged with society.
2. Among all these social changes, an appeal towards the past - especially the life of the apostles and the early years of the church - in order to find solutions for current spiritual issues.
3. An increased sense of individuality and interiority in spirituality.
But the real joy of the book is in the details, whether Constable is addressing changing perception of nature, of history, of poverty, or of the Christian liturgy.

Thank you Katie.

Ottonische Neuanfaenge Symposion Zur Ausstellung "Otto Der Grosse, Magdeburg Und Europa"

by Bernd Schneidmüller(no photo) and Stefan Weinfurter(no photo)

Synopsis

This is a collection of papers on a conference held in Magdeburg on the impact of the Otto I on Europe. Taking Magdeburg, the most significan Ottonian foundation as its point of origin, the 17 papers cover architecture, but also the emergence of the coronation ritual, the impact of Otto I and II on Italy, the links between Wessex and Germany, but also an analysis of the coin issues and the role and importance of the Ottonian women (Mathilde, Edgytha, Adelheid and Theophanu).

Not an easy read, but exciting in its range and the carefully argued details. Something for the real fan/expert of the European Middle Ages.

NB: Although strictly speaking still 10th century Otto I is for the Holy Roman Empire considered the first of the High Medieval emperors, because of the far reaching changes in the constitution and size of the empire, he and his father created.
(I guess, he may not have got the memo about the period only starting in the 11th century.:-))

by Bernd Schneidmüller (no photo)

Birgitta - there is no need to use the 50 Books format here which looks particularly strange on the regular threads but there is a need for a proper citation. See above.

You might simply for the threads set up the books the way Jose and Katie have done.

Ottonische Neuanfänge Symposion Zur Ausstellung "Otto Der Grosse, Magdeburg Und Europa

by Bernd Schneidmüller (no photo)

Synopsis:

This is a collection of papers on a conference held in Magdeburg on the impact of the Otto I on Europe. Taking Magdeburg, the most significan Ottonian foundation as its point of origin, the 17 papers cover architecture, but also the emergence of the coronation ritual, the impact of Otto I and II on Italy, the links between Wessex and Germany, but also an analysis of the coin issues and the role and importance of the Ottonian women (Mathilde, Edgytha, Adelheid and Theophanu).

Not an easy read, but exciting in its range and the carefully argued details. Something for the real fan/expert of the European Middle Ages.

NB: Although strictly speaking still 10th century Otto I is for the Holy Roman Empire considered the first of the High Medieval emperors, because of the far reaching changes in the constitution and size of the empire, he and his father created.
(I guess, he may not have got the memo about the period only starting in the 11th century.:-))

or you could just write the following:

The following book is a collection of .....

And then place the citation at the bottom of the text box but the citations have to be there. Also the book cover is available on this book.

by Bernd Schneidmüller (no photo)

Thank you for trying to add it here.

Thank you. Different format for different threads. Got it. Thanks for your patience.

Thanks for that recommendation, Birgitta. Looks like a very interesting read and I'd like to know more about the Ottos.

Birgitta wrote: "Thank you. Different format for different threads. Got it. Thanks for your patience."

No problem Birgitta - you are doing very well - you may have an extra blank line or two before the Synopsis: line which you might want to fix but looking good for the book cover - however the author's link is missing and you can add it as I did in message 47. Thank you. Great effort so far - just a few nits.