Introduction to Medieval Europe 300-1500 provides a comprehensive survey of this complex and varied formative period of European history within a global context, covering themes as diverse as barbarian migrations, the impact of Christianisation, the formation of nations and states, the emergence of an expansionist commercial economy, the growth of cities, the Crusades, the effects of plague and the intellectual and cultural life of the Middle Ages.
The book explores the driving forces behind the formation of medieval society and the directions in which it developed and changed. In doing this, the authors cover a wide geographic expanse, including Western interactions with the Byzantine Empire, the Islamic World, Africa, the Americas and Asia. This fourth edition has been fully updated to reflect moves toward teaching the global Middle Ages and contains a wealth of new features and topics that help to bring this fascinating era to life, including:
- the global Middle Ages
- medieval slavery
- climate change and intercontinental pandemics
- European exchange with Africa, the Americas and Asia
- chapter summaries to support students' understanding of the topics
- a fully updated glossary to give modern students the confidence and language to discuss medieval history
Clear and stimulating, the fourth edition of Introduction to Medieval Europe is the ideal companion to studying the entirety of medieval history at undergraduate level.
About the Author: Wim Blockmans is Professor Emeritus of Medieval History at the University of Leiden, The Netherlands. His previous publications include The Routledge History Handbook or Maritime Trade around Europe 1300-1600 (2016).
Peter Hoppenbrouwers is Professor Emeritus at the Institute for History, University of Leiden, The Netherlands. His previous publications include Village Community and Conflict in Late Medieval Drenthe The Medieval Countryside (2018).
