num_pages: 352
description: The millennium between the breakup of the western Roman Empire and the Reformation was a long and hugely transformative periodone not easily chronicled within the scope of a few hundred pages. Yet distinguished historian Chris Wickham has taken up the challenge in this landmark book and he succeeds in producing the most riveting account of medieval Europe in a generation. Tracking the entire sweep of the Middle Ages across Europe Wickham focuses on important changes century by century including such pivotal crises and moments as the fall of the western Roman Empire Charlemagnes reforms the feudal revolution the challenge of heresy the destruction of the Byzantine Empire the rebuilding of late medieval states and the appalling devastation of the Black Death. He provides illuminating vignettes that underscore how shifting social economic and political circumstances affected individual lives and international eventsand offers both a new conception of Europes medieval period and a provocative revision of exactly how and why the Middle Ages matter. Far-ranging fluent and thoughtfulof considerable interest to students of history writ large and not just of Europe.Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
language: English
title: Medieval Europe
publisher: Yale University Press