Sources in Medieval Culture and History
A chronological approach that makes it easier for students to trace the evolution of ideas and styles from one period to the next.Fourteen chapters, arranged in chronological order, feature selections from primary sources that are carefully coordinated to furnish an overview of the political and cultural life of the medieval period. A highly visual approach that demonstrates to students that painting, tapestries, and architecture are also “primary sources” that reveal as much about a culture as written documents.Each chapter contains features called “Interpreting the Evidence,” in which visual sources are specifically coordinated with written documents, offering students an opportunity to compare various ways of viewing an individual or a topic. A diverse and unique selection of sources. The documents and images inSources in Medieval Culture and Historyrepresent a broad spectrum of topics involving medieval civilization and illustrate social, intellectual, literary, and artistic history, as well as the political developments of the era. The book contains many documents traditionally included in medieval history source readers and it enhances this traditional content with selections that offer greater variety and style. Some chapters focus on cultural history and include commentary on art and architecture, as well as selections from literature and philosophical works.  Social and cultural diversity.The inclusion of material from Muslim and Byzantine areas, as well as material that deals with women and marginal groups, illustrates the multifaceted nature of medieval civilization. Geographical diversity.The documents in this collection address various aspects of life in both the Empire in the West, eventually known as the “Holy Roman Empire,” and the Byzantine Empire in the East, which endured until the fifteenth century, and these documents often trace interactions between the two empires.Pedagogical aids that provide students with a thorough understanding of the sources included in the text:Most chapters begin with a mapshowing where the cultures and civilizations discussed in the chapter are located.Chapter introductionsprovide an overview of the cultures, regions, and periods covered in each chapter and connect them to the specific sources featured in the chapter.Source introductionsprovide more detailed background on the sources themselves as well as on the writers and artists that created them.Questions for Discussionfollow each source and help students focus on some of the important ideas addressed within the source. These questions can also be used to stimulate class discussion or as the basis for written assignments.Cross-referencesare used throughout the book to coordinate basic themes and to trace them from one civilization to another, providing students with a sense of continuity over time and space or, in some cases, extreme contrast. A Thematic Table of Contents offers an alternate organizing principle for the book.In addition to the standard table of contents at the beginning of the book reflecting the chronological organization of the material, there is also athematictable of contents for instructors and students who choose to view the history of the era topically or thematically.  The thematic table of contents can be used to facilitate an alternative method of teaching the era and provides ready access to the material for classes in humanities, art history, and medieval literature as well as standard history courses.