In this single indispensable volume, one of America’s ranking scholars combines a life’s work of research and teaching with the art of lively narration. Both authoriatative and beautifully told, THE MIDDLE AGES is the full story of the thousand years between the fall of Rome and the Renaissance — a time that saw the rise of kings and emperors, the flowering of knighthood, the development of Europe, the increasing power of the Church, and the advent of the middle class. With exceptional grace and wit, Morris Bishop vividly reconstructs this distinctive era of European history in a work that will inform and delight scholars and general readers alike.
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"Mr. Bishop . . . says here almost everything of transcending importance about the Middle Ages and says it better than it has been said before." --LOUISVILLE COURIER-JOURNAL
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100 of 100 people found the following review helpful
By J. Hart
Format:Paperback
For most of my adult life, I have been interested in learning about the medieval era. I've been frustrated by the books I have read in the past because I either could not keep track of all the unfamiliar names and places thrown at me, or because they spoke only of political events and gave no information about what it was like to "be alive" back then.
This book is the best I have read for allowing me to wrap my arms around the Middle Ages. The first and final chapters cover the political history in brief summary. It is written for the layman and does not assume that you already know your Pippen's from your Louis'. It broadly sketches the major events that occurred and why they were important, and it also tells why the Middle Ages differed from what came earlier (Antiquity) and what followed later (Early Modern era).
The intervening chapters (the bulk of the book) describes each of the different social groups (nobility, peasantry, clergy, merchants, etc) and what it would have been like to have lived as a member of each class. It also describes the major institutions and how they functioned (Church, kingship, demesnes, free cities). Finally, the book gives a lot of solid and interesting information about medieval art, letters, and architecture.
Those who are fairly advanced in knowledge about the Middle Ages will probably find little in this work that they don't already know. It is, after all, a relatively short book that covers almost 1,000 years in short, broad strokes. However, for those like me, who are interested in the period but really don't know much about it, this book is a wonderful place to begin your study.
This book is the best I have read for allowing me to wrap my arms around the Middle Ages. The first and final chapters cover the political history in brief summary. It is written for the layman and does not assume that you already know your Pippen's from your Louis'. It broadly sketches the major events that occurred and why they were important, and it also tells why the Middle Ages differed from what came earlier (Antiquity) and what followed later (Early Modern era).
The intervening chapters (the bulk of the book) describes each of the different social groups (nobility, peasantry, clergy, merchants, etc) and what it would have been like to have lived as a member of each class. It also describes the major institutions and how they functioned (Church, kingship, demesnes, free cities). Finally, the book gives a lot of solid and interesting information about medieval art, letters, and architecture.
Those who are fairly advanced in knowledge about the Middle Ages will probably find little in this work that they don't already know. It is, after all, a relatively short book that covers almost 1,000 years in short, broad strokes. However, for those like me, who are interested in the period but really don't know much about it, this book is a wonderful place to begin your study.
70 of 72 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Enjoyable and witty overview of the history, culture, and society of Medieval Europe
December 30, 2006
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
_The Middle Ages_ by Morris Bishop is an enjoyable and witty overview of the history, culture, and society of Medieval Europe. The first chapter, "The Long Dark," looks at the beginning of the medieval period, the author arguing that the Middle Ages should be seen as both a continuation of the language, institutions, and artistry of not only old Rome but also of cultures independent of it, such as that of the Franks and Saxons and a formation, the beginning of our modern world, the end of pagan classical civilization. Charlemagne is a major figure in this chapter; his coronation as the first Roman emperor in the West in more than 300 years (in the year 800) marked a major shift in power, from the East to the West, the development of a culture that was not a satellite of Byzantium but rather firmly European, and the very birth of European civilization.
Chapter two focused on the history of the High Middle Ages, focusing in large part on the year 1000 as a major turning point, that despite Viking threats "one could point to certain gains, to certain justifications for hope," as the West was in generally a better shape and the broad outline of the major modern states had begun to take form. Technology continued to advance, with the advent of the spinning wheel, mechanical weight-driven clock, compass, and fixed rudder. Notable in the chapter is King Henry II (who laid the foundations of English common law and the institution of limited monarchy).
The next chapter focused on knights and the crusades. Bishop noted that the crusades were "the first wars fought for an ideal" and that they were promoted with all the tools of the propagandist, among them atrocity stories, lies, and inflammatory speeches. Also interesting was his coverage of Saladin (the "pet enemy" of the West), the description of crusade battles (Richard the Lion-Hearted took Acre in 1191 with the help of a catapult known as Bad Neighbor), and why the crusades ultimately failed (they did not correspond to any temporal aim, as Europe had no need for Jerusalem or Syria, and Europe would have benefited more from a stronger Byzantine Empire though the crusades achieved in fact quite the opposite).
Chapter four focused on the life of the noble, on what in fact feudalism really was, the bloody nature of the family feuds of the nobles, the "bundle of paradoxes" that was the noble (he could be both gallant and bloodthirsty, charitable and immoral), and many of the elements of their daily lives. We learn for instance that window glass was rare for centuries and for long time was treated with great care, as Bishop tells of some nobles who removed and wrapped window glass before long journeys. Throughout much of the Middle Ages pockets were unknown, blonde hair was much prized in Italy (ladies spent a great deal of time bleaching it), hard soap was a luxury item and did not appear until the 12th century, and dinner guests were provided with spoons but had to bring their own knives (forks were a rarity).
Chapter five looked at Christianity, arguing that the church, in many senses, was more than merely the patron of medieval culture, that it was medieval culture. He argued that the pope's involvement in political affairs blunted church authority, laying the papacy open to "mockery and shame" by overuse of crusades and excommunication for temporal gains. The coverage of the cult of relics was fascinating (so morbid was this that Saint Romuald of Ravenna, visiting France, heard people propose he was more valuable dead than alive and barely escaped). The life of the monastery was well covered, as well as St. Francis and the Franciscans, Dominic of Caleruega and the Dominicans, the Waldenses (early evangelical, almost Protestant, Christians), and the Cathari (dualistic heretics).
Chapter six looked at towns and trade. Interesting tidbits include the fact that the last name Walker comes from the cloth trade (walkers stamped on cloth to shrink and compact it), that bankers first appeared in medieval trade fairs (money changers or "bankers" got the name from the banks or benches that they laid out their coins), artisans kept virtually no stock in stores (they worked only on orders), and our hook-and-ladder companies comes from the hooks supplied in medieval cities to pull burning thatch from roofs to the street.
Chapter seven looked at the life of labor. Bishop looked at how the manorial system functioned, the daily life of the peasant, leprosy, and the state of medieval medicine.
The eighth chapter focused on the life of thought, the author examining how schools worked and what it was like to have been a student, the origins of medieval science and secular scholarship (as scholars realized that the physical world was "no mere ugly training camp for the soul" but worthy of study in its own right), and famous medieval writers like Dante and Boccaccio.
Chapter nine dealt with medieval art, architecture, and music. Fascinating coverage of the evolution of building styles, the construction of cathedrals, the use of stained glass (which told the stories of the Christian faith through "colored sunshine", though Bishop felt the term stained glass was incorrect, as it was not stained with color but rather infused with it), the work and role of artisans in society, and the origins of musical notation (developed during the eleventh century into our recognizably modern form, which was also when our notes were named - ut, re, mi, fa, so, la - from the opening syllables of the successive lines of a familiar hymn).
The final chapter dealt with the end of the Middle Ages. Major topics include papal conflicts such as the Babylonian Captivity and the Great Schism, the challenges posed by John Wycliffe and John Hus, the "greatest calamity" to befall the Western world (the Black Death), the Hundred Years War (a "futile war,...it achieved little except destruction, misery, and death"), and Joan of Arc.
Chapter two focused on the history of the High Middle Ages, focusing in large part on the year 1000 as a major turning point, that despite Viking threats "one could point to certain gains, to certain justifications for hope," as the West was in generally a better shape and the broad outline of the major modern states had begun to take form. Technology continued to advance, with the advent of the spinning wheel, mechanical weight-driven clock, compass, and fixed rudder. Notable in the chapter is King Henry II (who laid the foundations of English common law and the institution of limited monarchy).
The next chapter focused on knights and the crusades. Bishop noted that the crusades were "the first wars fought for an ideal" and that they were promoted with all the tools of the propagandist, among them atrocity stories, lies, and inflammatory speeches. Also interesting was his coverage of Saladin (the "pet enemy" of the West), the description of crusade battles (Richard the Lion-Hearted took Acre in 1191 with the help of a catapult known as Bad Neighbor), and why the crusades ultimately failed (they did not correspond to any temporal aim, as Europe had no need for Jerusalem or Syria, and Europe would have benefited more from a stronger Byzantine Empire though the crusades achieved in fact quite the opposite).
Chapter four focused on the life of the noble, on what in fact feudalism really was, the bloody nature of the family feuds of the nobles, the "bundle of paradoxes" that was the noble (he could be both gallant and bloodthirsty, charitable and immoral), and many of the elements of their daily lives. We learn for instance that window glass was rare for centuries and for long time was treated with great care, as Bishop tells of some nobles who removed and wrapped window glass before long journeys. Throughout much of the Middle Ages pockets were unknown, blonde hair was much prized in Italy (ladies spent a great deal of time bleaching it), hard soap was a luxury item and did not appear until the 12th century, and dinner guests were provided with spoons but had to bring their own knives (forks were a rarity).
Chapter five looked at Christianity, arguing that the church, in many senses, was more than merely the patron of medieval culture, that it was medieval culture. He argued that the pope's involvement in political affairs blunted church authority, laying the papacy open to "mockery and shame" by overuse of crusades and excommunication for temporal gains. The coverage of the cult of relics was fascinating (so morbid was this that Saint Romuald of Ravenna, visiting France, heard people propose he was more valuable dead than alive and barely escaped). The life of the monastery was well covered, as well as St. Francis and the Franciscans, Dominic of Caleruega and the Dominicans, the Waldenses (early evangelical, almost Protestant, Christians), and the Cathari (dualistic heretics).
Chapter six looked at towns and trade. Interesting tidbits include the fact that the last name Walker comes from the cloth trade (walkers stamped on cloth to shrink and compact it), that bankers first appeared in medieval trade fairs (money changers or "bankers" got the name from the banks or benches that they laid out their coins), artisans kept virtually no stock in stores (they worked only on orders), and our hook-and-ladder companies comes from the hooks supplied in medieval cities to pull burning thatch from roofs to the street.
Chapter seven looked at the life of labor. Bishop looked at how the manorial system functioned, the daily life of the peasant, leprosy, and the state of medieval medicine.
The eighth chapter focused on the life of thought, the author examining how schools worked and what it was like to have been a student, the origins of medieval science and secular scholarship (as scholars realized that the physical world was "no mere ugly training camp for the soul" but worthy of study in its own right), and famous medieval writers like Dante and Boccaccio.
Chapter nine dealt with medieval art, architecture, and music. Fascinating coverage of the evolution of building styles, the construction of cathedrals, the use of stained glass (which told the stories of the Christian faith through "colored sunshine", though Bishop felt the term stained glass was incorrect, as it was not stained with color but rather infused with it), the work and role of artisans in society, and the origins of musical notation (developed during the eleventh century into our recognizably modern form, which was also when our notes were named - ut, re, mi, fa, so, la - from the opening syllables of the successive lines of a familiar hymn).
The final chapter dealt with the end of the Middle Ages. Major topics include papal conflicts such as the Babylonian Captivity and the Great Schism, the challenges posed by John Wycliffe and John Hus, the "greatest calamity" to befall the Western world (the Black Death), the Hundred Years War (a "futile war,...it achieved little except destruction, misery, and death"), and Joan of Arc.
26 of 27 people found the following review helpful
By Anonymous
Format:Hardcover
This is unbeatable value! Whether you want to know more about the feudal system, monastic life, the merchant class, courtly love, the Crusades - social, political, military, cultural, church history, of both England and mainland Europe - it's all here. All delivered in easy, accessible language.
As a teacher, I find this an indispensable reference source. As a student, always learning, it's a revelation for me.
A must-have for any bookshelf.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Enjoyable read
Morris's book is eminently readable. He provides thorough information that supplements my other readings on this time period in European history. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Lisa Smith
5.0 out of 5 stars
Don’t be surprised if you find yourself talking about its details with...
Why do I rate a dry history book so high? Because it’s not dry at all it’s very interesting and engaging. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Mark Twain 58675
5.0 out of 5 stars
This IS the Middle Ages
I was interested in expanding my knowledge of this era. I picked the right book! Bishop covers all aspects of this peroid, not just the wars and politics. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Jack L.
5.0 out of 5 stars
boyfriend loved it
Bought this as a gift, he read it twice on a week-long fishing trip. Loved it, very informative. Super fast to arrive. Thanks Amazon.
Published 10 months ago by Micah
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Fun Overview
For me history has always been more about the daily life of the people as opposed to names and dates. Read more
Published on April 6, 2011 by Douglas Berry
5.0 out of 5 stars
A major connecting of the dots!
The work is far more than just an interesting primer to what is normally viewed as merely an esoteric dark period of the West's past. Read more
Published on June 16, 2010 by T. E. Leonard
5.0 out of 5 stars
Just what I was looking for.....
This book is exactly what I was looking for. An explanation of life in the Middle Ages, in mostly Europe, told in a conversational, well-informed manner. Read more
Published on June 14, 2010 by Shirley Bubel
5.0 out of 5 stars
Outstanding
Author Bishop is not only a reputed historian, but also a humorist, and his light touch throughout makes this a delight to read. Read more
Published on June 9, 2010 by Miranda Good
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent and Interesting History of the Middle Ages
Bishop gives the reader an excellent insight into the middle Ages in an interesting presentation. Very well done. I have given this book to most of my good friends.
Published on May 27, 2010 by Bob Haus
3.0 out of 5 stars
But a taste...
This is a good primer on the subject, but be prepared to be left wanting more. Major happenings like the Crusades and the Avignon Papacy receive only cursory treatment. Read more
Published on February 2, 2010 by Andrew L. Wachtel
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