The Cambridge Illustrated History of the Middle Ages

by Edited by Robert Fossier , Translated by Stuart Airlie , Robyn Marsack

• ISBN13: 9780521266451
• ISBN10: 0521266459
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 1997-06-28
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Summary

This is the second volume of one of the finest general introductions to the medieval world of recent times, first published in French by Armand Colin. Volume II begins at the turn of the millennium and covers the extraordinary rebirth of Europe, in terms of demographic expansion, agrarian settlement and organisation, the establishment of towns and villages, the ascendancy of the feudal system, the appearance of formal states and kingdoms, and the dramatic controlling ascendancy of the western Church. In the east, despite the external appearance of grandeur, the Islamic countries were being torn apart by mutual rivalry, while the Byzantime empire lost massive border territories through political and economic incompetence. Full coverage is given to both east and west, and their artistic heritage is displayed lavishly in many of the colour plates. A comprehensive bibliography is also included.

Table of Contents

List of colour plates	ix	(2)
List of maps	xi	(1)
Acknowledgements	xii	(2)
Glossary	xiv
Introduction	1	(16)
ROBERT FOSSIER
Part 1 Dawn in the West: c. 950-c. 1100	17	(226)
1 Europe in the year 1000	17	(63)
JEAN-PIERRE POLY
2 The birth of Christian Europe: 950-1100	80	(40)
ANDRE VAUCHEZ
3 The establishment of states	120	(26)
ROBERT FOSSIER
4 Explosions within Islam: 875-1200	146	(57)
HENRI BRESC
PIERRE GUICHARD
5 The twilight of empire: Byzantium, 950-1070	203	(40)
ALAIN DUCELLIER
Part 2 The rise of Europe: 1100-1250	243	(206)
6 The beginning of European expansion	243	(36)
ROBERT FOSSIER
7 The leap forward	279	(51)
ROBERT FOSSIER
8 The structuring of society	330	(66)
ROBERT FOSSIER
9 A strict normalisation	396	(53)
ANDRE VAUCHEZ
Part 3 The East in decline: 1100-1250	449	(76)
10 Islam dethroned	449	(40)
ROBERT MANTRAN
11 The death throes of Byzantium: 1080-1261	489	(36)
ALAIN DUCELLIER
Select bibliography	525	(12)
Index	537