Customer Reviews

Colonisation and Conquest in Medieval Ireland: The English in Louth, 1170-1330 (Cambridge Studies in Medieval Life and Thought: Fourth Series)

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As with his other works on the area Brendan Smith throws up new and interesting information on medieval Louth. The smallest yet most complex of Ireland's counties has been neglected by most scholars but lavished by Smith. His sources help other scholars' research and this book should serve as an inspiration for aspiring medievallists. It is readable, interesting and ultimately stimulating. The only one drawback is the ....... price..........However Brendan Smith proves himself to be the modern day expert on medieval Louth and gives hope to us lesser mortals vainly trying to comprehend what took place there at that time. This is a must read-have for anyone who is interested in not alone medieval Louth, but Irish medieval history. It deals with a time when the native elite are making way for voracious foreign invaders and continues on for the century and a half afterwards. A rating of 5 stars would have been given had the price been a little less and some illustrations and more maps from the area been included. But it shows the strength of the material that these shortcomings only merit a deduction of one star. Well done Doctor Smith and thanks for giving hope to the less fortunate!