Customer Reviews

Italy in the Central Middle Ages: 1000-1300 (Short Oxford History of Italy)

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A history of medieval Italy as a whole can be hard to find -- there are numerous histories of the northern city-states, several of the papacy, and even a few of the Norman and Angevin south. Histories of the whole, including Sardinia, are harder to find. This book draws together the major regions of Italy, and discusses language, culture, and the impact of Greeks, Muslims, and Jews on its culture.

I was first impressed by the readability of this book. It is far to easy to find medieval histories that are stuffed with jargon and statistics until the reader's eye glaze over. The essays in this work make their points succinctly and comprehensibly.

My chief regret was that the book was not a bit longer, so that it could better develop some of its essays. The map section at the end might have been better placed at the beginning, where it would be less-likely overlooked.

This book is aimed at a reader with at least passing familiarity with medieval history and Italian history and geography. Various authors comment on their predecessors, discussing how they feel earlier authors erred in their approach to this difficult subject. There's a useful recommended reading section at the end for those interested in pursuing individual topics further.