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The seminal work, originally published in two separate clothbound volumes, is now made available in a revised one-volume edition, both in hardback and in paperback. It brings to light an aesthetic passage of European history which has never before received full-scale treatment in English. It explains, monumentum of a magnificent movement of German art, and shows, through this powerful and expressive art, how religion and political ideaology were interwined in Ottonian culture from about 950 to 1050. Besides dealing with the great imperial books such as the Gospels of Otto III and the Pericopes Book of Henry II, as well as other splendid liturgical manuscripts, the author also writes with penetrating insight about the great art-loving bishops such as Egbert of Trier and Bernard of Hildesheim, whose aims and personalities are expressed in the books they commissioned. In addition, the most important art centres of the Ottonian Empire - Reichenau, Cologne, Fulda and Corvey - are discussed in detail. ... Read more

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The book has no illustrations or index. Purchasers are entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Subjects: Great Britain; East Anglia (England); History / General; History / Europe / Great Britain; History / Medieval; Literary Collections / Essays; Religion / Monasticism; Religion / Christian Church / History; ... Read more

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The cultural remains of England's abbeys and priories have always attracted scholarly attention but too often they have been studied in isolation, appreciated only for their artistic, codicological or intellectual features and not for the insights they offer into the patterns of life and thought - the underlying norms, values and mentalité - of the communities of men and women which made them. Indeed, the distinguished monastic historian David Knowles doubted there would ever be sufficient evidence to recover 'the mentality of the ordinary cloister monk'. These twelve essays challenge this view. They exploit newly catalogued and newly discovered evidence - manuscript books, wall paintings, and even the traces of original monastic music - to recover the cultural dynamics of a cross-section of male and female communities. It is often claimed that over time the cultural traditions of the monasteries were suffocated by secular trends but here it is suggested that many houses remained a major cultural force even on the verge of the Reformation.

Contributors: DAVID BELL, ROGER BOWERS, JAMES CLARK, BARRIE COLLETT, MARY ERLER, G. R. EVANS, MIRIAM GILL, JOAN GREATREX, JULIAN HASELDINE, J. D. NORTH, ALAN PIPER, AND R. M. THOMSON. ... Read more

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The first in a series of three books--with PowerPoint® CD-ROM--that survey the history of the church from its beginning to the present day. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Useful, but not incredible
I got this book as a recommended, but not required text for a church history class.For the most part the charts are really just very nice Powerpoint graphics.They can help to visualize some things, but they are hardly packed with information.When I think "charts" I think information, not just pretty pictures.

I do have a feeling that I will use the CD for presentations if I ever have to teach on any of these subjects.I think that is where the book really shines.I don't think it's as useful for the students as it is for the teacher.

Very Helpful Resource
This work is an excellent source for visualizing concepts of church history during its early years.The charts are well done and organized. The included CD-Rom includes Power Point presentations of the charts without the footnotes and makes use in a classroom situation easy.The limited copy permission makes this an invaluable tool in studying and teaching church history.

Useful but CD lacking
Although the charts are useful, the CD would be much more useful if the comments in the printed charts were in the powerpoint material as "Notes".In order for this to be completely useful as a training tool, those printed comments for each chart must be typed into the powerpoint slides on the notes pages for each slide.

A Must-Have for Students and Teachers of Church History
With many images to help the visual learner and clear explanations for all students of church history, this book is a wonderful asset to a personal, academic, or church library. The CD includes all the charts, making it an easy-to-use resource for teachers. Highly recommended!

Average
I feel this book of charts is a bit oversimplified. The CD is useful. If I had looked thorugh the book prior to purchase I probably would not have purchased it. With that said it is worth the money. ... Read more

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A History of Business in Medieval Europe, 1200-1550, demolishes the widely held view that the phrase "medieval business" is an oxymoron. The authors review the entire range of business in medieval western Europe, probing its Roman and Christian heritage to discover the economic and political forces that shaped the organization of agriculture, manufacturing, construction, mining, transportation, and marketing. Then they deal with the responses of businessmen to the devastating plagues, famines, and warfare that beset Europe in the late Middle Ages. Medieval businessmen's remarkable success in coping with this hostile new environment prepared the way for the economic expansion of the sixteenth century. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The trade revolution of the Middle Ages
I advise anybody who has interest in broadening his views in the European Middle Ages to read and study this research work. It's a pity that just a little space is dedicated to the Baltic trading but it is due to the limited competence of the author's in the specific topic. Anyhow guidelines for further study are quite well exposed in the mass of punctual information that the books bears and therefore you may use it as an updated reference for your studies. ... Read more

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Written over the span of a lifetime, this collection of S. Nurul Hasan's essays (edited and introduced by Satish Chandra) covers a wide range of topics: historiography and new sources; state, religion, and the ruling class; and urban and rural life. The various essays demonstrate Hasan's varied interests and the evolution of his ideas on medieval Indian history. Satish Chandra's introduction familiarizes the reader with his personality, achievements, and monumental contribution to Indian history-writing. The section on historiography deals with the manner in which Indian history has been distorted, both in the past, by British imperial historians, and in more current times by Indian communal historians. It also raises the problem of nationalities in medieval India, once a subject of intense debate. Part II of the volume deals with the state, religion, and ruling classes. It offers a new interpretation of Akbar's religious views, and also includes a number of articles on the crucial role of zamindars in medieval India. There is also a well-researched essay on the theory of the Nur Jahan Junta. The third section of the book examines urban and rural life in the period and includes essays on agrarian production and prices of food grain in the territory of Amber. The final section looks at some important sources of late Mughal history, and also considers the Afghan-Mughal conflict. ... Read more

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The Cambridge History of Medieval Philosophy comprises over fifty specially commissioned essays by experts on the philosophy of this period. Starting in the late eighth century, with the renewal of learning some centuries after the fall of the Roman Empire, a sequence of chapters take the reader through developments in many and varied fields, including logic and language, natural philosophy, ethics, metaphysics, and theology. Close attention is paid to the context of medieval philosophy, with discussions of the rise of the universities and developments in the cultural and linguistic spheres. A striking feature is the continuous coverage of Islamic, Jewish, and Christian material. There are useful biographies of the philosophers, and a comprehensive bibliography. The volume illuminates a rich and remarkable period in the history of philosophy and will be the authoritative source on medieval philosophy for the next generation of scholars and students alike. ... Read more

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A collection of essays tackles a neglected field of Japan's history. ... Read more

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This classic account of the medieval world, from end of the Roman Empire, through the Barbarian Invasions, has been updated. Packed full of new research this is a vital resource for anyone new to medieval history.

• Best Introductory book in medieval history for 50 years
• Packed full with new rserach and intepretations
• Contains moe maps, tables adn illustrations

Customer Reviews (2)

Sweeping narrative
I read this book from cover to cover as part of a course I did on Medieval Church History - this book is about history in general, but I guess that it deals with a time period where the church was so ubiquitous that there is little need to deal 'separately' with church matters. Indeed, Davis gives entire chapters on things like the rise of the Papacy and the First Two Crusades. His book deals with a massive expanse of history and geography. He delves into matters concerning Russia, the Mongols, the Sassanids etc. etc. when needed, but his focus is overwhelmingly continental Europe - as the title leads us to expect.

The book is actually organised thematically, which is quite amazing. Of course the chapters come in a kind of chronological sequence, but what Davis seeks to do, daringly, is to highlight the major issues of this period of time (such as Feudalism, or the Investiture Controversy, for instance), and tell history that way. Only a master of the field would attempt such as thing, and Davis pulls it off remarkably. Nonetheless, the result is kind of... potted. It's just too easy to lose a sense of flow as he shifts gears to move from one theme to another. You come out of the book appreciating medieval history, and understanding certain things (such as Justinian's conquests and the Fall of Rome, for example) really well. What's lacking sometimes is a sense of how these things fit together and what the overall sequence of events actually was.

Don't get me wrong - this is a brilliant book. The timelines at the beginning of each chapter and the appendices at the end are excellent frames for what is a lucid and incredibly informative text. For all I know, this is the best book there is dealing with this expanse of history, and I feel so enriched to really understand the 'whys and wherefores' of so many crucial turning-points in history such as the rise of monasteries and the sickening Fourth Crusade. I do definitely recommend this book, but it gets 4 stars from me because I found it just a bit too potted.

(The most bizarre thing of all is that the introduction to the second half of the book is all about architecture - but at no other point does Davis say anything about architecture other than in that 'introductory' section. Weird! I guess things like this give 'character' to a book.)

[Footnote: Just so people know, Davis was a brilliant medieval scholar who wrote this book about 60 years ago for an introductory course he taught on medieval history - it was a compulsory background unit for students of modern history! Now, another scholar named Moore has revised the text a little, updated the 'Further Reading' sections and added Appendicies dealing with major debates and research that have occurred since the book was published. As I've said, these updates and new sections are good. What's most astonishing, however, is the way that Davis seems to have 'anticipated' a great deal of the scholarly work that would be done later - his analysis of Feudalism is a great example of this.]

not just knights, castles, and cathedrals
This is the thinking man's intro to medieval history.It's complex, thoughful, never dry, lucidly organized, and, surprisingly, barely dated at all.This man must have been on the cutting edge of his time for his work to be so strong after 50 years.Be sure to get the newer edition with the little update at the end of each chapter, responding to recent scholarship.You won't find a smarter or easier-to-read short survey of medieval history anywhere. ... Read more

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A lively, detailed picture of village life in the Middle Ages by the authors of Life in a Medieval City and Life in a Medieval Castle. "A good general introduction to the history of this period."--Los Angeles Times ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

Not a story but a documented history
An amazing book loaded with fascinating detail about city life in the Middle Ages. I've read dozens of books about medieval life, and am beyond beginner level, but not yet at the scholar level.The Gieses' books are perfect for what I need.While this one may be dry to some, I found it engaging. Black and white photos and illustrations.Ages high school through adult.

History being made.
A fascinating book of all sorts of interesting information of this period from work routines and marketing to medicine with it's bizarre remedies and treatments.Did they work or is it just survival of the fittest?
Religious life, superstitions and education are also covered from the perspective of being written in the 1200's.

It's just the facts, ma'am.Win?
I was very torn when thinking about what to give this book.I felt, as a research tool, it was indispensible.However, It also was dry far more than neccesary and suffered from what I will call 'reader expectation'.

'reader expectation' is, from my point of view, the success of a book by measure of ambition, but falling short of the mark by gauge of the reader.Allow me to clarify;

LIFE IN A MEDIEVAL VILLAGE is a very well researched account of the breakdown of life in a subsistence agrarian collective.It backs up all statements and is, by all accounts, accurate in it's portrayal.Where it fails is two-fold:It is both a painfully accurate chronicle of the mundane life of the peasant, as well as a perhaps too specific in scope.

I originally picked this up as an account of medieval life, and by technical standards, I got what I wanted.However, to any future readers let me iterate what others have said in this page; this is SPECIFICALLY life in the 1300's in England, and not a reference material for people wishing to know how life was for the many centuries after the fall of the Roman Empire.You will find this book very succinct in life and political breakdown in villages of 1300's England, but you will be left wanting as far as general Feudal life was for Europe as a whole.Which was what I wanted to know on a more general level.

I guess you can chalk that up to reader expectation.It is by no means a bad book but I was hoping it would tell me more about life in all post Roman rule, not merely the administrative ledger-notes ofclerks in the 1300's.Altho, if this is what you want to know about, add another star to my review.It's definitely THAT.

Solid introduction
Life in a Medieval Village by Frances and Joseph Gies. Recommended.

Life in a Medieval Village is one of a series, including Life in a Medieval City and Life in a Medieval Castle, written by Frances and Joseph Gies. This series rarely touches upon the great people and events romanticized by Hollywood and numerous fiction writers (and perhaps even a few historians), but focuses on the basics of everyday life for the average person or even the average lord or cleric. The Gies use a number of primary and secondary sources, the latter of which reveal how the historian's view of the medieval village has changed in the 20th and 21st centuries and how flexible historians must be in interpreting the evidence.

Researched and written for the layperson, Life in a Medieval Village is more accurately about life in an English medieval village, with most of the detail coming from the records of Aethelintone/Aethelington/Adelintune/Aylington (Elton) in Huntingdon, one of Ramsey Abbey's manors. The Gies provide a history of the village concept and its definition; its role in the manorial system (contrasted to the seigneurial system); a description of its people, physical structure, buildings, administration and administrators, judicial system, family and spiritual life, and work; and the background behind its decline.

The world of Elton and similar villages is not found in movies or novels. Social and economic statuses are not always clear cut, economic upward mobility is possible primarily through acquisition of land, and even the distinction between "free" and "unfree" is not distinct. Life revolves around the manor and the villeins' and cotters' obligations to the mostly absent lord and the manor, which come in the form of work, rents, fees, taxes, and fines. The administrative structure of the manor is somewhat like that of a modern corporation, with the lord as CEO of multiple manors (and primary consumer of goods) who "wanted the certainty of rents and dues from his tenants, the efficient operation of his demesne, and good prices for wool and grain." His steward, or seneschal, serves as senior executive, while the bailiff, reeve, beadle, woodward, and others are the manor's day-to-day managers and supervisors.

As the villagers acquire surnames (from where they live, what they do, the offices they hold, and personal characteristics), patterns emerge from the records. Some families become dominant economically and politically (e.g., holding many offices such as reeve or juror many times); others decline; while yet others show a propensity for violence and petty crimes. Such infractions are punished primarily with fines rather than corporal punishment; the stocks and hanging are resorted to only in the most egregious cases. The judicial system is often compassionate (or at least practical); many fines for minor trespasses are lowered or forgiven by the court because "she is poor." When laws are broken, a jury hears the case, but the entire village decides.

The Gies also provide an excellent overview of the passing of the medieval village, which began with a sustained famine and the Black Death. The labor-intensive manorial system simply could not survive the depletion of workers, the increase in expenses, the onerous taxes brought on by wars, and, perhaps more importantly, the sense of change and discontent that began to pervade the villein class.

The challenge for the Gies as authors is to take the minimal material available (ranging from books about estate management written for lords and stewards to court and ecclesiastical records) and to bring the village to life from these records. What emerges are people who live in fragile houses; are rarely well fed from a nutritional perspective and whose food supply is always in doubt; work hard and are not above trying to wheedle out of work; who drink and fight and are sometimes brutal; fornicate (primarily a woman's crime but not a particularly reviled one); vandalize; commit petty crimes against the lord and their neighbors; and in short live lives of struggle every day without the expectation or vision of change in the future.

The Gies focus on Elton, with supplemental material from other English villages, so the reader who is interested in village life on the continent will need to explore other works to flesh out the picture. Because the mostly illiterate villagers themselves left few personal records, it is up to the thoughtful reader to discern the village's character and personality and to conceive of what day-to-day life must have been, based on the little that is known-to put oneself into the worn shoes of the working villein and to imagine his or her thoughts, feelings, and aspirations. Life in a Medieval Village is a good beginning.

Diane L. Schirf, 30 October 2003.

Lifeless
On the positive side, this book contains an enormous quantity of well-documented detail and scholarship.On the negative side, the writing is colorless and, to my eye, devoid of any unifying theme.Even someone seriously interested in the history of the period will find it soporific.Having struggled to the end, I still cannot decide if the juice was worth the squeeze. ... Read more

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The Church was the central institution of the European Middle Ages, and the foundation of medieval life. Professor Lynch's admirable survey (concentrating on the western church, and emphasising ideas and trends over personalities) meets a long-felt need for a single-volume comprehensive history, designed for students and non-specialists.

Customer Reviews (8)

An undergrad's review for Hist of Medieval Church class
Lynch's goal when writing The Medieval Church was to create a reliable and manageable introduction to the medieval church for beginning students. (xii) His resulting success is an excellent survey text for history and theology students to obtain a solid base of knowledge for further study. This text is easy for an undergraduate student to read and comprehend. It is written in a way that compels the reader's interest and attention, a quality much appreciated by the modern student. Even while being entertaining, it does not lack in substance. His overview of the origins and development of ancient Christianity is a necessary background for fuller understanding of the church during the medieval period. His writing flows with ease from the origins of organized Christianity in chronological form up to the beginnings of the Reformation.
Lynch goes in a little too much depth with monasticism and cuts the reaction of the Church to dissenters short. It may be that traditionally monasticism has been neglected and the Inquisition and heretics overly dramatized, but it seems the balance in this text has swung to the opposite of tradition instead of balancing the two proportionally.
The most obvious omission is that of the Christian church east of Rome. Lynch wrote this history of the medieval church entirely from the catholic Christian viewpoint. He hardly discusses the development of the Eastern Orthodox branch or any developments in that part of the world. Historians and westerners in general see the Medieval Ages in a purely European, particularly Western European, manner and completely ignore the developments that expand outside those boundaries. It seems to me that because the Byzantine Empire and Constantinople were more prosperous and cultured than the contemporary westerners, it is not to be considered "medieval" or part of the "dark ages." Although separated culturally and geographically, the Christian church did spread outside of the Roman boundaries during the medieval era. This book is sorely lacking concerning that part of the history of the medieval church.
Overall Lynch has written a very good account of the western medieval church for the beginning student. It is easy to read, lacks over usage of Latin phrases and translations, and provides a short glossary for the most important vocabulary. I particularly appreciate the format of the recommended reading. It is useful to the student researcher that the recommendations are separated by the sections of the book instead of a long list of must-read books. Though a bit of the book was review for me, it filled many gaps in my own learning. It gave a broad and basic knowledge while inciting the investigation into different aspects of particular interest. When I started reading, I was interested in the conversion of pagans and the barbarians by the Christian church; this book helped me to decide where and when to start my research.

From Sunrise to Sunset
From Sunrise To Sunset
By Ralph E. Hawkins/ Hawk

Book Review: Lynch Joseph H. The Medieval Church. A brief history: London and New York: Longman , 1992

Joseph H. Lynch text The Medieval Church, A brief history is a wonderful book that covers Christianity from its early Christian origins all the way up to the eve of the reformation. The writer takes you right into how Christianity made its transition from Judaism, and became a living breathing organism, and the corporation that I believe it is today. The writer also shares in great detail the power of the Catholic Church, and their definition of the Catholic (`Universal') church, and their strong belief that Peter pass them, and them only the keys to the church. He also shares with his readers how the Catholic Church believed that salvation could only come through the Catholic Church and through the pope.

Lynch covers in great detail the persecution that the Christians endure from its pagan neighbors, and the beginning of Monasticism and how important it was to not only the early and medieval church, but to the laity as well. Lynch shows the power of the Papacy and the means by which it used to obtain that power. The reform of the church was a major era within the Catholic Church, but it did not come without strong resistance. The writer gives the reader an insight into the different schools, and how they got started, and the major difference between the Cathedral Schools and the Monastic Schools, and how education along with the teaching of the liberal arts began to empower the people, which I believe began to lay the foundation for the reformation, which came later.

The writer shares the events in this book as if you are reading a narrative, and the reading from chapter to chapter is a good as any movie you can watch. In each chapter he leads you into a more fascinating story of the history of the church, from the three popes all claiming to have power at the same time, to those who were called heretics simple because they disagreed with the church. Towards the end the writer shares with the reader the importance of the sacraments and what they each meant to that society.

I wish Lynch had cover more in detailed the reaction of the people when the papal authority was out of control particular when they had the three popes, and how that affected the credibility of the church. In his book he spent a great deal of time on the Monastic life, and what all it entail. I believe this was somewhat over the top, but over all I believe he did a great job. He had a cliffhanger at the end, because if you had not read any information on the reformation there is no way you can just stop with this book. It begs you to read more information about the history of the church, and why you as a Christian believe what you believe, regardless of what your particular denomination may be. I found this book very enjoyable to read, and it was extremely informative, and would be a blessing to any scholar, or laity to read who wanted to know the true history of the church

Ralph E. Hawkins

Lynch


Lynch, Joseph H. The Medieval Church a brief history, Longman London and New York
© 1992
Joseph Lynch is Professor of History at Ohio State University.
Lynch present's Christianity as a religion which historical events are important. The presentation of Jesus' life, and teaching was not in philosophical treatises, but in narratives. The gospels included place, time, circumstances, and other elements of history. The humanists' notion of a middle age was generally a negative one. They saw the media aetas as a period of darkness and barbarism separating them from their beloved Rome and Greece. Lynch's main objective in this book was for it to be an introduction for beginners, and to be frank, beginners neither Latin, nor extensive knowledge of modern foreign languages. The church is International, multinational and yet, intimately local. The church was the central institution of the European Middle Ages of the medieval world, and was influenced and untouched by its influence. It shaped the daily round of peasant and magnate alike.
Lynch was selective in the writing he concentrated on the western church and has emphasized ideas and trends over personalities. The notion of the Medieval Christianity in so many attempts to chop history into manageable pieces is a modern one created by historians. There was a pervasive unhappiness with the state of the Church, and also the society as a whole. After a generation of religious strife the medieval Christendom was permanently divided into several major parts (Catholic, Lutheran, Calvinist and Anglican) and numerous smaller groups such as the Anabaptists. The book traces the development of Christianity and the church that embodied it in the Western Europe, from the decline of the Roman empire to the fifteenth century. Lynch emphasis throughout this study is on change, and development for the medieval society.
Although the book is informative, Lynch is more concerned with the movement and ideas than names and dates. He made it very clear that the book is for beginners and the reading must take pace in order to understand where the church is going. The book was brief and to the point, it is a short book and easy to read. It is good book for this study. This book is a good source for a academic lecture, its a smaller book and readable and easy to obtain the information. It would be a good book for a new student studying Church History Joseph H. Lynch splendid book now fills the gap. I agree with Lynch this book can be used for students and non-specialist readers, it is both authoritative and accessible, and its appearance will be widely welcomed.
Ruth

An Accessible Retropective of Medieval Church and Life
Book Review: Lynch, Joseph H. The Medieval Church. A Brief History. London and New York: Longman, 1992, 385 pp. Paper, 38.87.

Reviewed by: Valencia E. Edner

The Medieval Church: A Brief History, is a compelling retrospective of the historic era that encompasses the Medieval Church. Written by Dr. John H Lynch, Distinguished Professor of History at Ohio State University, this text, while its title indicates brevity, is loaded with information, both historical and theological. The text is more than a mere reflection on the events of the Middle Ages and the Medieval Period, for within its pages the people and issues of the era are woven into the history to present what resembles a reflective narrative as opposed to a history text.

Lynch begins the text by offering the reader a glance back at the church prior to the sixth century. This backward look allows the reader to perceive the Medieval Period through a lens with continuity, consequently helping to provide the framework for this long, dynamic period in the life of Christianity.

After setting the stage for the Medieval Period, Lynch takes the reader on a chronological journey though the major European ecclesiological events up until the 12th century. Within these rudimentary divisions, though, Lynch addresses with great detail the effect of these events not only on the church, but on the people. Notably, he spends three chapters (5-7) on the Carolingian Empire because the reign of Charlemagne and his reforms and developments resonate with so much importance for the landscape of the Medieval Church and society.

One of the most notable chapters is chapter ten, where Lynch discusses the Rise of Christendom. This term, used loosely in contemporary theological and seminarian lingo, was more an attitude that spawned a movement, and Lynch skillfully paints the picture of how societal "awareness of "us" sharpened the awareness of "them" and in turn brought about unity although often misplaced (161).

Lynch's text surveys the entire medieval era, from the crumble of the Roman Empire, the infiltration of the Barbarians, the establishment of monastic life, right up to the eve of the reformation, and although not exhaustive, he manages to effectively explicate each movement within the time period. While he acknowledges too little time is given to Eastern Christianity, he fills the gap with several chapters that are not within a chronological structure. These chapters are devoted to an understanding of Monastic life, the Heretics, the Friars, and to the importance of the schools developed in the Medieval Period (xiii). Lynch purposely does not allow the text get too bogged down with people and dates, (although the major kings, popes and theologians are there) for he is more concerned with the narrative of this history and how it has influenced current contemporary ecclesiology and liturgical practices. One chapter in particular is chapter 18, where the sacraments of the Catholic Church are explained historically, theologically and sociologically.

The Lynch text provides a mixture of chronology and people's history. It covers a large span of time without becoming pedantic or predictable. The designation of "brief" in its title allowed the reader to exercise some latitude about abbreviated discussions, yet they were few, although the prelude to the crusades could have been stronger. It is a readable text for the non-scholar, and when accompanied with other polarized texts from the era, helps to provide a scholar or seminarian, with a hands-on manual to the Medieval Church that is accessible yet scholastically sound.

It is a readable text for the non-scholar, and when accompanied with other polarized texts from the era, helps to provide a scholar or seminarian, with a hands-on manual to the Medieval Church that is accessible yet scholastically sound.

Lynch indicates in the preface the text that he desired to provide people with "something both reliable and manageable to read on the medieval church," and from this reader's perspective, he was immensely successful(xii).

A Captivating Glance into the Medieval Church History
Book Review
The Medieval Church: A Brief History by Joseph H. Lynch
Reviewed by Betty Vattakunnel

Lynch, Joseph H. The Medieval Church: A Brief History. London: Longman, 1992.

Joseph H. Lynch is a Professor of History at Ohio State University and is also the author of the following books: Early Christianity: A Brief History, Christianizing Kinship: Ritual Sponsorship in Anglo-Saxon England, and many other books.Through the reading of his book, The Medieval Church, Lynch's passion to teach the history of Christianity is evident in his writings. Lynch's books provide readers an in depth, yet readable glance into the history of Christianity. He provides his readers a captivating viewpoint of the history that took place and changed the world and the growth of the church. The importance of studying the history of Christianity is illustrated through Lynch's books that display the necessity to learn about our church history in order to understand where we are today.

The book, The Medieval Church, provides readers a chronological and fairly detailed look into the medieval era of the history of Christianity. Lynch does an excellent job in setting out the facts without providing a stale encyclopedia historical outlook, but uses a language that entices the readers interest by bringing to life the realities of the history of Christianity. From Ancient Christianity to the eve of the Reformation, Lynch descriptively introduces his readers to what the world was like for the church during this era. Lynch divides his book up into twenty sections that are divided by time periods and also important events that took place. This book provides good historical facts with a timeline that guides readers through the history of the church and at the same time introduces readers to the various movements that took place that affected the overall growth of the church. Lynch does an outstanding job in exploring all areas of the medieval era including monasticism, missions, growth of the schools, details in regards to the church structure, and illustrates details of the challenges faced by the church from opposition outside of the church and even within the church.

As the medieval era is the precursor for the reformation, Lynch does a beautiful job in building up the climax of this era towards the eve of the Reformation era. The use of clear and concise language throughout the book grasps readers attention and sustains their interest in learning about the medieval era. When reading this book, readers should have some background of the early church history to completely understand the language and conflicts that arise during this time period. Lynch provides his readers in the preface a list of books to reference while reading this book as it uses language and refers to events that the reader should have some knowledge of. Taking this into consideration, The Medieval Church: A Brief History is a book that should not be read individually. As this book is historically built upon other historical facts about the history of the church, it is necessary for readers to have basic knowledge of early Christian history.

For myself, a student of the study of the history of Christianity, Lynch's book has provided me a comprehensive and chronological study of the development of the church including details of contributors to the growth of the church, the events that took place, and the events that foreshadowed the events to come.

Lynch's book The Medieval Church is a book that would be suitable for students who already have a basic background on the early church history. As a seminary student, I would highly recommend this book to those in seminary. This book should not be read on its own, but should be read with prior and post historical information from the medieval church era.

Overall, Joseph H. Lynch presents a book that is a great historical book that provides a clear and concise outlook on the medieval church era and provides readers a diverse look at the all aspects that contributed to the development and growth of the church towards the eve of Reformation.

Betty Vattakunnel
Houston Graduate School of Theology, Houston, Texas ... Read more

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"The authors allow medieval man and woman to speak for themselves through selections from past journals, songs, even account books."--Time ... Read more

Customer Reviews (19)

4 stars for the book 3 stars for the Kindle Edition
Let me start of by saying:I love my Kindle and I really like the book "Life in a Medieval Castle".That being said these two are not made for each other.

In the book there are photographs and drawings interspersed with text.This is easy to follow in hard copy.On the Kindle, the text is interrupted by sometimes one or more illustrations with captions.As a result this reader lost the train of thought from the written text.

The book itself is easy to read and understand, even if you are not a Medieval scholar.You can appreciate the engineering genius that helped the castle evolve.Many people may not realize that William the Conqueror had a relatively easy time consolidating his hold over England,The Saxon Lords only had 5 castles before 1066.There were hundreds by the 1100s.

What I liked most about the narrative is that this was not a romanticized or patronizing account of Medieval times.The descriptions were easy and interesting enough for the lay reader. I found myself always wanting to read a little further.If the next chapter was about, say ,the castle gardener, I still wanted to go on based on the interest that was built before it.

It definitely is not a novel.It could, though, provide source material for an aspiring Historical or Fantasy novelist,

To sum up buy the hard copy book and not the digital edition.The book is only .20 cents more.Sorry Kindle not this time.

Amazing research, with readability
Extensively researched, yet fascinating, this volume is a standard source for all Medieval writers. Delightful quotes from servants' instruction manuals and journals of the time give a lively immediacy to the text. Black and white photos and illustrations. Ages high school through adult.

brief overview of castles / castle life
The Gies put together these concise overviews of medieval life. Also see Life in a Medieval Village by them. Their books are not researched extensively, but they are pretty good for starters as others have mentioned. They provide with some decent background information for specific things...such as life in a meideval castle.

My only issue with the text is that it takes an Annalist perspective by over generalizing the topic. Sure, there was a general way people survived in Castles, but a closer look one will find castle life different in different areas. However, they provide for very interesting reads, and the Gies always include some interesting citations.

The good and bad of days of yore
If you are someone (such as myself) who has never really grown up, one of the tremendous advantages of being a parent is that you get to buy your child lavish toys without the world suspecting that you take at least as much pleasure in them as the fortunate offspring.Hence, my son as a child was the proud owner of four Lego castles.When I was growing up, Lego had just been introduced, but had not specialised to the point of producing something like the Royal Knight's Castle or the Night Lord's Castle.I've always loved castles and the concept of the siege.Joseph and Frances Gies' book has now increased my knowledge and appreciation of them ten-fold.

This book is mainly about castles in Great Britain, and gives special attention to Chepstow Castle, on the border of England and Wales.Prior to the Norman invasion, England had few castles.This is one reason that William the Conqueror had an astonishingly easy time consolidating his power after his initial victory. He then went on a castle building binge.By the year 1100, the number of castles in England had grown from less than a dozen to over 500.Castles were evolving at this time from crude, wooden motte and bailey fortresses to substantial stone edifices, capable of withstanding assaults by forces 10 times those inside.The architecture of the stone castle benefited greatly from knowledge brought back to Europe by Crusaders.Borrowing ideas and styles from their enemies and inventing their own improvements, the crusading Orders (the Templars and Hopitallers) had need to build powerful castles in order to hold out in hostile lands after the majority of their allies returned home.

As residences, castles provided their inhabitants with luxurious living when compared with the hovels the majority lived in.Even so, many of us would blanch at the prospect of living in one."Floors were strewn with rushes and in the later Middle Ages sometimes with herbs...The rushes were replaced at intervals and the floor swept, but Erasmus, noting a condition that must have been true in earlier times, observed that under them lay 'an ancient collection of beer, grease, fragments, bones, spittle, excrement of dogs and cats, and everything that is nasty.' "

These were dark and violent times, peopled by hard, ruthless, and ambitious men and women.For the sovereign, a disadvantage of the building of formidable castles was that they could serve as rallying points and strongholds for knights plotting against the crown.John Marshall, described by a contemporary as "a limb of hell and the root of evil", chose the losing side in a war of succession between Stephen of Blois (nephew of Henry I) and Matilda of Anjou (Henry I's daughter).Having been prevailed upon to hand over his son (William) as hostage to prevent further treachery against Stephen, Marshall went ahead and reinforced a castle that Stephen was besieging.Stephen threatened to hang William unless Marshall surrendered, to which Marshall replied that he didn't care what happened to his son since he had "the anvils and hammer to forge still better sons."Although some of his entourage would have hanged the lad, while others advocated catapulting him over the castle walls, Stephen was moved by William's "cheerful innocence" and took him on as a protégé.William Marshall grew up to be a loyal servant of the crown, and one of the most celebrated knights of the Middle Ages.

Justice in these times was rough and typically swift."Thieves were hanged, traitors blinded, other offenders mutilated.Sometimes a criminal was drawn and quartered.Prisoners might be confined in a castle tower or basement to await ransom or sentencing, but rarely as punishment, prison as punishment being little known in the middle ages."By 1219 the custom of trial by ordeal "in which a defendant strove to prove his veracity by grasping a red-hot iron without seriously burning his hand, or by sinking when thrown into water" was outlawed in England."Judicial combat, by which the defendant or his champion fought the accuser, survived longer."It seems to me that this custom still survives in the form of lawyers duking it out verbally within the adversarial legal system.If you can afford a powerful champion, you might get off whether you are guilty or not.

While males faced the hazards of brutal warfare, females did not necessarily enjoy an extended garden party -"Girlhood was brief.Women were marriageable at twelve and usually married by fourteen.Heiresses might be married in form as young as five and betrothed even younger, though such unions could be annulled before consummation.By twenty a woman had a number of children, and by thirty if she survived the hazards of childbirth, she might be widowed and remarried, or a grandmother."Some women put on armour and went to war, Empress Matilda, Dame Nicolaa de la Haye, and Eleanor of Aquitaine being fine examples.

The medieval castle and its environs celebrated many holidays, most of pagan/agricultural significance given Christian names to make them acceptable to the church.Some have survived to this day (Christmas, Easter, Halloween), but most have vanished and sound exotic and strange today:Michaelmas (September 29 -the start of winter), Kammas (August 1 -the start of autumn, harvest season, Pentecost or Whitsunday (the seventh Sunday after Easter), Candlemas (February 2, when tillage was resumed), Hocktide (the end of Easter week and the start of summer), Midsummer or St John's Day (June 24).Some of the customs practised on these holidays sound as if they were made up by Monty Python alumni -when ploughing resumed after the Christmas break, a 'foolplough' was hauled through the village by a group of young ploughmen who asked for pennies from door to door.If anyone refused, they ploughed up the ground before his door.Their leader was dressed as an old woman called Bessy, with a bullock's tail under her gown; sometimes they were accompanied by a man wearing a fox's skin as a hood and by a fool with a stick and bladder. The Rogation Days (the Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday before Ascension) were celebrated in the countryside under the name of gangdays.The people of the villages went "aganging" in a procession led by the priest and carrying the cross, banners, bells, and lights around the boundaries of the village, "beating its bounds" with willow wands.Small boys were ducked in brooks and ponds and their buttocks were bumped against trees and rocks to help them memorise the village bounds.

I had always assumed that the eating and drinking in castles would be pretty good.Not so."Wine in thirteenth century England, mostly imported from English-ruled Bordeaux, was drunk young in the absence of an effective technique for stoppering containers.Wine kept for a year became undrinkable.No attention was paid to vintage, and often what was served even at rich tables was of poor quality."Peter of Blois described in a letter wine served at Henry II's court:"The wine is turned sour or mouldy -thick, greasy, stale, flat and smacking of pitch.I have sometimes seen even great lords served with wine so muddy that a man must needs close his eyes and clench his teeth, wry-mouthed and shuddering, and filtering the stuff rather than drinking."What a lovely phrase -"wry- mouthed and shuddering.'Apparently the ale wasn't much better.

Amazing....
I know that some people like to say that the works of the Gies are dry. Try reading 500 pages of Peter Brown. Now THAT'S dry. It's hard to make history terribly informative and yet accurrate and interesting.The Gies are very clear and personally I found it extremely interesting.It was the only book (out of 7) that I was required to ready for my class on Medieval Europe that I found interesting (and actually read all of!).It is not a novel, so be forwarned. If that's what you want, you WILL be dissappointed, but it is an excellent HISTORY book. ... Read more

Product Description
Deftly written and beautifully illustrated, The Worlds of Medieval Europe, Second Edition, presents a distinctive and nuanced portrayal of a western world that was sharply divided between its northern and southern aspects. By integrating the histories of the Islamic and Byzantine worlds into the main narrative, author Clifford R. Backman offers an insightful, detailed, and often witty look at the continuum of interaction--social, cultural, intellectual, and commercial--that existed among all three societies.

Filled with relevant primary documents, this compelling volume surpasses traditional textbook representations of the Middle Ages by balancing the conventional focus on political affairs, especially those of northern Europe, with equally detailed attention to medieval society as it developed in the Mediterranean. In addition, Backman describes the ways in which the medieval Latin West attempted to understand the unified and rational structure of the human cosmos, which they believed existed beneath the observable diversity and disorder of the world. This effort to re-create a human ordering of "unity through diversity" provides an essential key to understanding medieval Europe and the ways in which it regarded and reacted to the worlds around it.

Thoroughly updated and redesigned, the second edition features an inviting and accessible layout and integrates captivating new illustrations--nearly twice as many as in the previous edition--to stimulate students' engagement with the material. Moreover, it offers a sophisticated analysis of gender, along with an intriguing examination of the tumultuous relationship between the Mediterranean and Islam.

An invaluable resource for both students and instructors, The Worlds of Medieval Europe, Second Edition, is ideal for undergraduate courses in medieval history, Western civilization, the history of Christianity, and Muslim-Christian relations. It also serves as an excellent supplement on the history of a specific country in the medieval period, the history of medieval art, or the history of the European economy. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Acceptable, but not wholly factual
This is not the best nor the worst intro to medieval Europe. It can be interesting and a little less dry than other historical works but some of his opinions and facts are shaky, like his account of Sylvester III. A better choice might be Davis' or Riddle's medieval histories, yet I have used some of this work when writing essays. In combination with other works this one is OK, since you can compare them, but on its own some of the facts and conclusions are a little out there or simply incorrect. The church is not one of his strong suits, for that look to Davis, but some of his Viking incursion era material was interesting, though I disagree with his view about polygamy adding to overpopulation.
Sadly no medieval intro seems wholly satisfying, and they keep on making Latin mistakes (Backman has "iquisitio" in the index instead of "inquisitio," Riddle goes on a rant in the Epilogue about the phrase "deus veritatem est" and how it could mean "God is truth" or "a god is truth" etc, sadly it means God eats truth, he meant to write "deus veritas est," Davis misspells foederati twice.) I doubt you care much about Latin errors, but my point is don't trust it just because it's in a book, especially this one.

Very Engaging
This is by far one of the best general history books on the Middle Ages. It is written in a style that is lively, engaging, and humorous which is something missing in many works of history meant for a general readership. Backman covers the period from the collapse of Rome to the Renaissance. He touches on many different aspects of Medieval history. War and politics, society, economics, medieval philosophy, arts, sciences, and religion all recieve mention. The author looks at several different regions in Europe rather than focusing most of his work on one or two regions (usually England and France, in other works). Medieval Spain, Italy, the Holy Roman Empire, and the Byzantine Empire are given treatment along with England and France. This allows the reader to grasp the diverse nature of the medieval experience in Europe.
I was very impressed with the author's ability to dispel common myths about the period. His treatment on common society and on Spain are particularly enlightening. He also has a great appreciation for the people of this time period and approaches them with a great deal of respect. They are not treated as if they are a bunch of backward, unenlightened savages or barbarians who lack our proper modern views. Backman does not trivialize the beliefs, outlooks, and motivations of the people he discusses in the book.
I have only two minor complaints with the book. There was little in the way of discussion of Eastern Europe unless it is connected with the Holy Roman Empire. I was hoping there would be some discussion of the Kingdom of Hungary, but it was little mentioned. I cannot complain too much though as the author covers so much of Medieval Europe already. My second complaint is that the last part of the book seems a bit rushed and a little unfocused. It struck me that the late Middle Ages was not a strong area for the author and that he was rushing through it to finish the book.
Overall, this is a great book. I highly recommend it to students and general readers alike. There is a wealth of information in this book that will leave you with the realisation that the Middle Ages was a fascinating period of change and development in Western history, not one thousand years of non-history as it is so often taught to be.

Good work.
This is probably the best generalist study of the Middle Ages I have read.The author is clear, concise, and tends to get the broad outlines of history and its dynamics right.And the work is quite accessible.

However, I did notice a number of errors in his text, or at least contrarian statements offered with no evidence etc.My suspicion is that these are just misunderstandings.For example, his appraisal of side-rudders on ships is quite different from what people have said who have actually tried such designs, and I am not at all sure what he means by the Norse practising polygamy.However, I wouldn't expect a generalist to get everything right all the time.

All in all, though, I would recommend this work.

Fantastic!
One of the best overall history books I've read. Mr. Backman makes the history of Medieval Europe come alive with his insights and easy-reading style. Believe me, I've read quite a few Medieval history books; most of the older ones are a dull recitation of facts, dates, names and battles. In a reaction to this, most recent histories have all but ignored the "big picture" to focus on everyday life. That's fine, but I'd still like a reference point in history. Backman's book delivers. He lets you know what's going on at the lowest levels of society, while, at the same time, keeping in in context of the "major" history occurring at the same time.

Fantastic Read
This was not only an INTERESTING history book, but Backman is just a very funny guy and that completely comes across in his writings. The footnotes, typically a skipped portion of my reading, became my favourite details.

The man knows his stuff and likes to engage; there's no reason NOT to read this book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A Legal Culture of Europe
Manlio Bellomo's book, The Common Legal Past of Europe, 1000-1800, is a valuable work of historical scholarship.The author's explorationof law and its codification in European society gives the reader an appreciationof how central justice and legal learning and organization were in European society since the Middle Ages.The book's approach provokes oneto consider the common traditions connected to learning, law and justicethat many Europeans shared, regardless of ethnic or national boundaries.

A Legal Culture of Europe
Manlio Bellomo's book, The Common Legal Past of Europe, 1000-1800, is a valuable work of historical scholarship.The author's explorationof law and its codification in European society gives the reader an appreciationof how central justice and legal learning and organization were in European society since the Middle Ages.The book's approach provokes oneto consider the common traditions connected to learning, law and justicethat many Europeans shared, regardless of ethnic or national boundaries. ... Read more

Product Description
This collection of sources demonstrates the variety of evidence that survives of English women in all walks of life from the time of Edward I to the eve of the Reformation. The sources are introduced by a substantial overview of current thinking about English medieval women below the level of the greater aristocracy. In addition, Goldberg explores many of the methodological problems and strengths of particular sources. Individual chapters explore the life-cycle themes of childhood, adolescence, married life, widowhood and old age. The study then moves on to examine such topics as work in town and country, prostitution, the law, recreation and devotion. In every case the reader is exposed to a range of sources, but particular attention is paid to those sources that reflect actual experience or provide insights into the lives of ordinary women rather than the prescriptive or purely literary texts. A particular feature of this collection is the extensive use of church court depositions that allow the voices of peasant women, servant girls, bourgeois wives, or poor widows to be heard across the centuries.The sources are presented in a form designed to be accessible to undergraduates, but of interest to teachers and researchers alike. ... Read more

Product Description
The first volume of The New Cambridge Medieval History covers the transitional period between the later Roman world and the early middle ages, c. 500 to c. 700. This was an era of developing consciousness and profound change in Europe, Byzantium and the Arab world, an era in which the foundations of medieval society were laid and to which many of our modern myths of national and religious identity can be traced. This book offers a comprehensive regional survey of the sixth and seventh centuries, from Ireland in the west to the rise of Islam in the Middle East, and from Scandinavia in the north to the Mediterranean south. It explores the key themes pinning together the history of this period, from kingship, trade and the church, to art, architecture and education. It represents both an invaluable conspectus of current scholarship and an expert introduction to the period. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The benchmark for all medieval histories
Surely few books are as daunting to the would-be reader as the Cambridge histories (and there are plenty of them, including Medieval, Ancient, Chinese, History of Christianity, of Judaism, etc.) The sheer size of the works is scary ... at first.

The intrepid reader, however, soon discovers that these huge studies are actually easier to absorb than it might seem at first glance. The main reason is that they are structured as a sequence of short essays (15-35 pages each) on individual topics or geographical regions of the period being surveyed. Each essay is written by a different author (though a few appear more than once) and it is perfectly feasible to read just one chapter a day and develop a good understanding of the topic being discussed. The whole Medieval History can thus be read over a couple of years at a very leisurely pace.

The style is inevitably academic, and the work is hardly a thriller. Still, the wording is usually elegant, the prose is smooth, and the books flows agreeably enough. In my view, the only chapters that are somewhat indigestible are those dealing with the very earliest periods of each region, because the discussions inevitably revolve around archaeological remains and there is hardly any narrative at all. This is a shame, because those are exactly the chapters that readers first stumble across (if they read the works in chronological order), so I would discourage such an approach, at least for the Ancient History. In the Medieval History, however, there is no such problem. Even in volume 1 the reader is thrown straight into the action, at the point where the Romans are slowly being replaced in Europe by Goths, Franks, Saxons, etc. The story is engrossing (if you like the middle ages).

In terms of content, the work is truly authoritative. Every contributor is an expert in their field, and most (if not all) refrain from presenting controversial theses (after all, they know their words will be exposed to criticism by all the best historians in the world). Instead, they are careful to say what is known for certain, what is speculative, and what remains to be determined. In short, the Cambridge Histories can be trusted as a standard reference for any period and geography they cover. Even in the space of so many pages, they hardly cover all there is to tell, but they do a fine job of listing plenty of secondary works and references.

A particularly pleasant aspect (in my view) of the way most periods are discussed in the Histories, is that the authors don't just describe the events that are believed to have taken place, but also discuss the implications and context of such events. They also mention the recent changes in view that new findings have elicited (when applicable) and talk about our understanding of the period in general and what debates have taken or are taking place surrounding the civilizations being surveyed. In other words, the Cambridge Histories are not just a good source for facts or broadly held beliefs, but also an excellent place to learn why historians know what they know, why they believe what they believe (or don't), and why the study of history is a living, changing discipline, rather than the fossilized pile of chronologies that many people still consider it to be. ... Read more

Product Description
The late middle ages were without doubt the most interesting period in Suffolk's history. By the end of the eleventh century Suffolk was wealthy, densely populated, highly commercialised and urbanised; in the fourteenth century its people faced three of the most tumultuous events of the last millennium, the Great Famine (1315-22), the Black Death (1349) and the Peasants' Revolt (1381). Their response was flexible and innovative, because by 1500 Suffolk was one of the richest and most industrialised regions of England, with a strong economy based on cloth manufacture, fishing, dairying and tanning. ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description
Medieval Europe introduces today's students to the medieval roots of our own society. In an accessible and engaging narrative, it tells how the peoples of medieval Europe built, understood, and changed their world. Never losing sight of the neighboring civilizations of Byzantium and Islam, it has its feet firmly planted in the medieval West, from whence it gives ample consideration to such subjects as women's lives, Jewish communities, ordinary people, and the experiences of Europeans in the often-neglected centuries of the Later Middle Ages. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (27)

Get the 8th Edition
The original author of this series (C. Warren Hollister) wrote in an engaging and humorous manner. Unfortunately, he died in 1997. As a result, a new editor (Judith Bennett) was hired to revise the new editions. The result is a more detached writing style.

For example: The eighth edition, when addressing the superstitions of the Medieval era, notes that our own century is still filled with superstition. The author notes that "an aunt of mine engages in intense conversations with my grandmother Cora, who has been dead since the late 1930s". Obviously, Judith Bennett cannot say the same thing about her aunt; that line is now gone from the book.

If you want to read pure Hollister, buy the 8th Edition.

Would purchase from this company again!
The item got to me way before I needed it and it was in good when I got it.

One of the best
Hollister here presents one of the best introductions to medieval history.I have read this book several times, and each time, I learn something new or gain a new insight.As other reviewers have said, the book is well organized, coherent, and comprehensive.It is replete with relevant maps, charts, timelines, and photographs, but without degenerating into childishness.Its multiple bibliographies suggest where to find useful sources, both primary and modern.

The best thing about the writing style of the book is the way it presents history in the form of ongoing dynamic tension: east v. west, church v. state, aristocracy v. peasants, invaders v. defenders, one nation v. another, reformers v. establishment, monarch v. nobility, etc.The tides of history are moved by such forces.

Bear in mind that this book is only a survey of medieval Europe, so everyone can say it doesn't cover some topic or another in enough detail. However, its lasting effect is that it introduces topics in such a way that it makes you want to move on to other sources to study some of them in more detail. As a first course, it does its job in whetting your appetite.

p.s. I'm not sure what's with the kooky price here.Find it used or in a library.Earlier editions are quite good.

an amazing little textbook
"Medieval Europe - A Short History" by Charles Warren Hollister, © 1990, 1982, 1978, 1974, 1968, 1964.

This book is an amazing little textbook.I was pleased to read the explanation of the growth and development of modern European nations.The most surprising part is the growth of civilization throughout the time we were taught were the Dark Ages.Something that is slurred across in most history classes is the age of Charlemagne, about 400 common era (c.e.) to about 900 or 950 c.e.I guess that it is not talked about because not much happened but invasions by Vandals or Attila or Saxons, but there were farms and communities developing (this is the era that beget villains from villagers).There was starvation, missionary work, development of monasteries and convents, etc.This book explained all this and more, making it a lot more interesting just by what it included.
There are not a lot of footnotes because this is a survey book, not a scholarly one.What is written about is well known and accepted as undisputed, so the footnotes would be unnecessary.He does have extensive bibliographies between sections for additional reading for concentrating on those issues or subjects.He does use footnotes to direct the reader to where he discusses the person or place otherwise, and to chide himself for errors he corrects.It is also very good that he explains where some of the names come from: Charlemagne or Plantagenet or Louis for example.
All in all, a really enjoyable book to read.

An especially well-balanced view of the middle ages in Europe
The first edition came out in 1964, and has become a franchise in the American texts on the subject, now carried forward by a younger historian, J. Bennett.Hollister wrote the first few editions alone, writing clearly and making narrative sense out of the confusion of centuries, peoples, without an overload of academic quarrels, so it is a good book for interested readers who are NOT taking a college course in which the book may be assigned reading.Not a trove of original insight, but a balanced view that incorporates the major ideas of more important historians. Readable, although ultimately academic. ... Read more