Customer Reviews

Medieval Europe

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1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is a short book, just over 100 pages in printed form and far too vague and general to be a lasting real interest.
The subject matter, Medieval Europe, needs a fuller more detailed study.
I skipped the pages on the crusades for instance as I have an excellent full length study, "God's War" (900+pages), already.
Medieval Europe is a free book of course, and if you know nothing of European history maybe you could start here. Otherwise give it a miss.

I have to say; I agree with the other reviewer, that it is a very drawn back outlook. This is one of the greatest aspects; sometimes when you're zeroed in on a particular person or area of history, you might find yourself wondering what's going on in another part of the world at this time.

I found it very captivating and as the other reviewer also said a great introduction. It is a great easy way to discover if your interested in this topic or not.

One thing I found truly exciting was the discussion of the constant power struggles between church and state. The fact that the church believed itself and only it's presence in the world to be the only thing holding back the devil from engulfing the entire world - well I guess I should say, not the entire world, as back then the world was flat! I wonder who was protecting the native Americans?

Did you know that although the Pope at the time (1600's not the era of this book) believed Galileo was right when he claimed the earth to be round; but the pope still imprisoned Galileo because as the pope put it "If I were to endorse your claim; it would cause the entire Christian world to begin to question it's faith!" (paraphrased)