The Early Middle Ages of Western Europe, from AD 400 to 1000, was a boiling cauldron which bubbled over and impacted every corner of the world. Organized both by chronology and by geography, this lively book, with its tongue firmly planted in its cheek, dives fearlessly into that confused and confusing period, tracing the history of each century, beginning in North Africa and then proceeding around the Mediterranean Sea to Spain, Britain, France,Germany and the Low Countries, ending in Italy.
This whole period is usually considered to be the by-product of Rome's decline; most Europeans and many North Africans were still calling themselves Romans while obliterating the Roman legacy on their turbulent journey toward the High Middle Ages and the Renaissance. This book, ironic though it may be, is meticulously researched, including extensive notes and quotes from contemporaries.
Chronicling the idiocies and occasional heroism of the energetic and star-crossed people who had the misfortune to live in these fractious eras and heralding the survival skills of those who actually made it through, The Lighter Side of the Dark Ages is an illuminating journey througha fascinating period of history.
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