A revised and updated new edition of Professor Mundy's lively introduction to Europe 1150-1300. It provides a portrait of the social, economic, political and intellectual life of Latin Christendom in the period. Wherever possible the men and women of the high middle ages are allowed to speak for themselves as Professor Mundy makes wide use of contemporary sources xxx; bringing alive the complexities and concerns of people living in medieval times. Another strength of the book is the attention devoted to groups often marginalised in other histories xxx; looking at the experience of women, for instance, and that of the Jews in a predominantly Christian society.

List of maps xAbbreviations xiPreface xiii1 Introduction 1The subject matter, p. 1 - History, biography and poetry,pp. 6-10PART ONE: EUROPE2 Social frontiers: clerks and laymen 13The two peoples, p. 13 - Letters, professions and laicism,pp. 18-243 Cultural frontiers: France, Italy and Europe 25France, p. 25 - Italy, p. 31 - Europe, pp. 34-364 Crusades and missions 37Crusades and European expansion, p. 37 - Missions andtoleration, p. 45 - War and missions, pp. 48-505 The Jews 51Divisions and education, p. 51 - Government and economy,p. 54 - Conversion and persecution, pp. 60-66PART TWO: ECONOMY6 Foundation and growth 69The land, p. 69 - The town, p. 73 - Industry and commerce,p. 77 - Planning, building and living standards, pp. 80-897 Organization 90Rural enterprise, p. 90 - Commerce, p. 97 - Business, credit andindustry, pp. 101-1088 Usury and corporatism 109The prohibition of usury, p. 109 - Economic corporatism,pp. 118-125PART THREE: SOCIETY9 Women and men 129Marriage and love, p. 129 - Means, literacy and religion,pp. 135-14210 Workers and farmers 143Farmers, p. 143 - Townsfolk, pp. 152-15911 Nobles and the military 160The military, p. 160 - Knighthood, p. 165 - Chivalry and war,pp. 170-17612 Ecclesiastics 177Clerical types, p. 177 - Clerical freedom, p. 182 - Clericalrivalries, p. 187 - Clerks and layfolk, pp. 190-195PART FOUR: GOVERNMENT13 The Church 199Power and Crusade, p. 199 - Popes and princes, p. 203 - Localchurches, p. 207 - Church government, pp. 212-21714 The greater monarchies 218The Empire, p. 218 - England, p. 222 - France, pp. 227-23315 Princes, senates and assemblies 234Popes, cardinals and councils, p. 234 - Secular princes andparliaments, pp. 237-24416 Princes, villages and towns 245Communities and defence, p. 245 - Village and town,p. 246 - Town and city, pp. 250-25417 Republics 255Republican thought, p. 255 - The 'people', p. 262 - Princes andoligarchs, pp. 267-272Europe in the High Middle Ages18 Government and law 273Scribes and chanceries, p. 273 - Laws, p. 277 - Lawyers andjudges, pp. 281-287PART FIVE: THOUGHT19 Intellectuals 291Schools and universities, p. 291 - Learning and freedom,pp. 296-30220 Reason and religion 303History and progress, p. 303 - Science and determinism, p. 309- Nature and freedom, p. 312 - Deity and certitude, pp. 317-32121 Enthusiasm and heresy 322Doubt and heresy, p. 322 - Divergent belief, p. 328 - The idealworld, pp. 333-33622 Repression 337Divergence and society, p. 337 - Urban or rural?, p. 342 - Forceand repression, pp. 344-352PART SIX: 130023 Church, state and society 355Lay and papal authority, p. 355 - Ecclesiastical divisions,p. 358 - Lay pressures, pp. 365-37024 Unam sanctam 371Polemics, p. 371 - Conclusions, pp. 380-382Bibliography 383Maps 395Index