The New Cambridge Medieval History: Volume 7, c.1415–c.1500 (The New Cambridge Medieval History, Series Number 7)

This seventh volume of The New Cambridge Medieval History covers the last century (interpreted broadly) of the traditional Western Middle Ages. It takes account of much new research and modern, interdisciplinary approaches to the study and writing of history to present a broad view of late medieval society across Europe. It deals with ideas about government, social and economic change and development, the world of the spirit, as well as the history of individual countries, in many of which the powers of central government were greatly extended. This volume covers the last century (interpreted broadly) of the traditional western Middle Ages. Often seen as a time of doubt, decline and division, the period is shown here as a period of considerable innovation and development, much of which resulted from a conscious attempt by contemporaries to meet the growing demands of society and to find practical solutions to the social, religious and political problems which beset it. The volume consists of four sections. Part I focuses on both the ideas and other considerations which guided men as they sought good government, and on the practical development of representation. Part II deals with aspects of social and economic development at a time of change and expansion. Part III discusses the importance of the life of the spirit: religion, education and the arts. Moving from the general to the particular, Part IV concerns itself with the history of the countries of Europe, emphasis being placed on the growth of the nation states of the 'early modern' world The fifth volume of The New Cambridge Medieval History brings together studies of the political, religious, social and economic history of the whole of Europe and of the Mediterranean world between about 1198 and 1300. Comprehensive coverage of the developments in western Europe is balanced by attention to the east of Europe, including the Byzantine world, and the Islamic lands in Spain, north Africa and the Levant. Thematic articles look at the fine arts, the vernacular, communications and other aspects of a period in which the frontiers of Latin Christendom were expanding vigorously outwards; and attention is paid to the frontier societies that emerged in Spain, the Baltic and the Mediterranean islands v. 2. c. 700-c. 900 / edited by Rosamond McKitterick v. 3. c. 900-c. 1024 / edited by Timothy Reuter v. 4, pts. 1-2. c. 1024-c. 1198 / edited by David Luscombe and Jonathan Riley-Smith v. 5. c. 1198-c. 1300 / edited by David Abulafia v. 6. c. 1300-c. 1415 / edited by Michael Jones. v. 7. c. 1415-c. 1500 / edited by Christopher Allmand. The final volume of the New Cambridge Medieval History covers what is traditionally regarded as the last century of the Western Middle Ages. Contrary to popular views, this period is shown to be a time of great innovation and development IN the summer of 1415 Henry V, king of England, invaded northern France.