A Companion to the Global Early Middle Ages (Arc Companions)

This companion introduces the connections between early medieval societies that have previously been studied in isolation. By bringing together nineteen experts on different regions across the globe, from Oceania to Europe and beyond, it transcends conventional disciplinary boundaries and synthesizes parallel historiographical narratives. The period 600-900 CE witnessed important historical developments, such as the establishment of a Southeast Asian thalassocracy by the Shailendra dynasty and the expansion of the Frankish polity under Charlemagne on the far ends of Eurasia and the consolidation of the Abbasid and Tang empires in between. A Companion to the Global Early Middle Ages integrates these contemporaneous processes and presents new insights into a neglected phase of world history. Contents 6 List of Maps 8 Acknowledgements 10 Introduction • Erik Hermans 12 PART ONE: REGIONS 24 1. East Africa • Mark Horton 26 2. South Asia • Kenneth R. Hall 52 3. Southeast Asia • John K. Whitmore 76 4. Oceania • Glenn R. Summerhayes 106 5. Japan • Ross Bender 122 6. Korea • Richard D. McBride II 144 7. China • Tineke D’Haeseleer 172 8. Tibet • Lewis Doney 202 9. Inner Asia • Michael R. Drompp 236 10. West Asia • Khodadad Rezakhani 264 11. Byzantium • Michael J. Decker 288 12. Northeast Africa • George Hatke 310 13. Sahara and West Africa • Sonja Magnavita 344 14. Western Europe • Jennifer R. Davis 360 15. Mesoamerica • Heather McKillop 404 PART TWO: PROCESSES 434 16. Trade and Commerce • Richard L. Smith 436 17. Migration • Johannes Preiser- Kapeller 488 18. Climate and Disease • Peter Sarris 522 19. Intellectual Connectivity • Erik Hermans 550 Index 564 This companion introduces the connections between early medieval societies that have previously been studied in isolation. By bringing together nineteen experts on different regions across the globe, from Oceania to Europe and beyond, it transcends conventional disciplinary boundaries and synthesizes parallel historiographical narratives.00The period 600-900 CE witnessed important historical developments, such as the establishment of a Southeast Asian thalassocracy by the Shailendra dynasty and the expansion of the Frankish polity under Charlemagne on the far ends of Eurasia and the consolidation of the Abbasid and Tang empires in between. 'A Companion to the Global Early Middle Ages' integrates these contemporaneous processes and presents new insights into a neglected phase of world history