The Short Oxford History of Europe. The Central Middle Ages. Europe 950–1320

Contents......Page 10 List of Maps......Page 13 List of Contributors......Page 14 Introduction......Page 18 Why the ‘central Middle Ages’?......Page 20 Europe in the central Middle Ages: climate and environment......Page 24 The faultlines of European culture......Page 28 The political divisions of Europe......Page 32 Europe around the year 1000: a continent transformed?......Page 39 An age of expansion......Page 42 1 Society......Page 45 Scholarly discourses versus social realities......Page 46 The castellan aristocracy in the eleventh and twelfth centuries......Page 49 A ‘nobility of privileges’ in the thirteenth century......Page 54 The peasantry: servitude and freedom......Page 57 Proud to be merchants......Page 60 The poor and marginalized......Page 62 The family......Page 64 The village and the lordship......Page 71 2 Economy......Page 74 The first phase of rural economic expansion (to c.1180): an agricultural revolution?......Page 75 The towns and the development of a market economy......Page 80 The expansion of the rural economy: the second phase (c.1180–c.1330)......Page 83 The coinage revolution......Page 86 The commercial changes of the thirteenth century......Page 89 The situation of Italy......Page 97 Credit and banking......Page 99 The fairs......Page 103 The ‘commercial revolution’ of the late thirteenth century?......Page 105 The political geography of Europe......Page 108 Qualifications for kingship......Page 113 The theory and practice of kingship......Page 117 The community of the realm......Page 125 The means and ends of political communication......Page 130 Sources......Page 138 The Church’s ancien régime: bishops and ritual c.1000......Page 140 The process of transition......Page 143 Law and the Church hierarchy in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries......Page 145 The lay experience of religion......Page 150 Monks, nuns, regular canons, and friars......Page 155 Heretics......Page 161 Jewish communities......Page 162 Muslims in Spain......Page 164 5 Intellectual and Cultural Creativity......Page 166 Education and learning: the schools......Page 167 Education and learning: the universities......Page 175 Historians and (auto)biographers at work......Page 181 Vernacular culture......Page 187 A twelfth-century Renaissance?......Page 192 6 The Expansion of Latin Christendom......Page 195 Christianization in Scandinavia and central Europe......Page 196 The new polities of central Europe......Page 202 The new polities of northern Europe......Page 207 Iberia......Page 211 Crusades......Page 217 Travels, mission, and discoveries......Page 223 Conclusion......Page 226 Further Reading......Page 236 Chronology......Page 256 C......Page 274 L......Page 275 S......Page 276 U......Page 277 Maps......Page 278 A......Page 300 B......Page 301 C......Page 303 D......Page 305 E......Page 306 G......Page 307 H......Page 308 I......Page 309 K......Page 310 L......Page 311 M......Page 312 N......Page 313 P......Page 314 R......Page 316 S......Page 317 T......Page 319 W......Page 320 Z......Page 321 Contents 10 List of Maps 13 List of Contributors 14 Introduction 18 Why the ‘central Middle Ages’? 20 Europe in the central Middle Ages: climate and environment 24 The faultlines of European culture 28 The political divisions of Europe 32 Europe around the year 1000: a continent transformed? 39 An age of expansion 42 1 Society 45 Scholarly discourses versus social realities 46 The castellan aristocracy in the eleventh and twelfth centuries 49 A ‘nobility of privileges’ in the thirteenth century 54 The peasantry: servitude and freedom 57 Proud to be merchants 60 The poor and marginalized 62 The family 64 The village and the lordship 71 2 Economy 74 The first phase of rural economic expansion (to c.1180): an agricultural revolution? 75 The towns and the development of a market economy 80 The expansion of the rural economy: the second phase (c.1180–c.1330) 83 The coinage revolution 86 The commercial changes of the thirteenth century 89 The situation of Italy 97 Credit and banking 99 The fairs 103 The ‘commercial revolution’ of the late thirteenth century? 105 3 Politics 108 The political geography of Europe 108 Qualifications for kingship 113 The theory and practice of kingship 117 The community of the realm 125 The means and ends of political communication 130 4 Religion 138 Sources 138 The Church’s ancien régime: bishops and ritual c.1000 140 The process of transition 143 Law and the Church hierarchy in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries 145 The lay experience of religion 150 Monks, nuns, regular canons, and friars 155 Heretics 161 Jewish communities 162 Muslims in Spain 164 5 Intellectual and Cultural Creativity 166 Education and learning: the schools 167 Education and learning: the universities 175 Historians and (auto)biographers at work 181 Vernacular culture 187 A twelfth-century Renaissance? 192 6 The Expansion of Latin Christendom 195 Christianization in Scandinavia and central Europe 196 The new polities of central Europe 202 The new polities of northern Europe 207 Iberia 211 Crusades 217 Travels, mission, and discoveries 223 Conclusion 226 Further Reading 236 Chronology 256 Glossary 274 A 274 B 274 C 274 D 275 E 275 F 275 H 275 I 275 J 275 L 275 M 276 N 276 O 276 P 276 Q 276 S 276 T 277 U 277 Maps 278 Index 300 A 300 B 301 C 303 D 305 E 306 F 307 G 307 H 308 I 309 J 310 K 310 L 311 M 312 N 313 O 314 P 314 Q 316 R 316 S 317 T 319 U 320 V 320 W 320 Y 321 Z 321 The period from the late tenth to the early fourteenth centuries was one of the most dynamic in European history. Latin Christendom found a new confidence which has left its mark upon the landscape in the form of the great cathedrals and castles, while thousands of new towns and villages were founded. The continent was carved up into dynastic kingdoms and principalities from which the European state system would evolve. An age of great religious enthusiasm, it developed a darker side in the form of the Crusades and the persecution of heretics and Jews. In this book seven experts in the field examine how Europe was transformed in the Central Middle Ages. Thematic chapters analyse the political, social, economic, religious and intellectual history of Latin Christendom, and trace its expansion to the north, south and east. As well as many familiar topics the authors discuss less well known aspects of the period such as the popular experience of religion or the new kingdoms of east-central Europe. The book includes a chronology of developments, a glossary, maps, illustrations and guidance for further reading.-- publisher The 370 years discussed in this book represent a period of momentous change in Europe. Edited By Daniel Power. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [219]-238) And Index.