This book is an introductory account of the kingdom of Sicily established in 1130 by Roger II, a "Norman" king, and ruled by Roger, his son, and grandsons until 1194 when the kingdom was conquered by his son-in-law, Henry VI of Hohenstaufen. The period covered does, however, extend from 1130 to 1266, when the kingdom passed from the Hohenstaufen heirs to Charles of Anjou, which is roughly as long and as coherent as the "Norman" monarchy of England between 1066 and 1204.

This book is an introductory account of the kingdom of Sicily established in 1130 by Roger II, a "Norman" king, and ruled by Roger, his son, and grandsons until 1194 when the kingdom was conquered by his son-in-law, Henry VI of Hohenstaufen. The period covered does, however, extend from 1130 to 1266, when the kingdom passed from the Hohenstaufen heirs to Charles of Anjou, which is roughly as long and as coherent as the "Norman" monarchy of England between 1066 and 1204.

Between 1200 and 1520 medieval English society went through a series of upheavals--wars, pestilence, and rebellion. This book looks at aristocrats, peasants, townsmen, wage-earners, and paupers, and examines how they obtained and spent their incomes. Did the aristocracy practice conspicuous consumption? Did the peasants really starve? The book focuses on the varying fortunes of different social groups in the inflation of the thirteenth century, the crises of the fourteenth, and the apparent depression of the fifteenth. Dr. Dyer explains the changes in terms of the dynamics of a social and...

This is a comprehensive account of politics, government and society in thirteenth-century England. Three episodes stand out: the revolt of the barons against King John in 1215, the protest against the misgovernment of Henry III which began in 1258, and the resistance to the demands of Edward I on the resources of the land that came to a head in 1297. These political events are placed in the context of social and economic change, in order to provide a rounded account of the century. The introduction demonstrates the constitutional importance given by past historians to the period that saw the...

This is a comprehensive account of politics, government and society in thirteenth-century England. Three episodes stand out: the revolt of the barons against King John in 1215, the protest against the misgovernment of Henry III which began in 1258, and the resistance to the demands of Edward I on the resources of the land that came to a head in 1297. These political events are placed in the context of social and economic change, in order to provide a rounded account of the century. The introduction demonstrates the constitutional importance given by past historians to the period that saw the...

The Wars of the Roses was a period of major crisis in English politics and in the lives of the English landowning classes. This book attempts to explain why the Wars occurred, and with what results, by placing them in the context of the ruling classes' expectations of kingship and governance at that time. The book draws on a large amount of detailed work written over the past twenty-five years on local and national politics, to present a coherent synthesis of what can seem a baffling and incoherent period.

Before the mid-eleventh century the pope was far from being the active leader of the Roman Catholic Church that he is today: he restricted himself to the local concerns of the diocese of Rome and was virtually ignored by the outside world. This book is a study of the transformation of the role of the pope in the twelfth century, from which he emerged as monarch of the universal Church, dedicated to reform and to making the Church independent of secular control. The most important role in the new model government was given to the cardinals, who hence forward were the principal advisers, agents...

This is a comparative study of how the societies of late-medieval England and France reacted to the long period of conflict between them commonly known as the Hundred Years War. Beginning with an outline of the events of the war, the book continues with an analysis of contemporary views regarding the war. Two chapters follow that describe the military aim of the protagonists, military and naval organization, recruitment, and the raising of taxes. The remainder of the book describes and analyzes some of the main social and economic effects of war upon society, the growth of a sense of national...

Germany in the High Middle Ages opens with a wide-ranging and yet detailed description of the conditions under which men lived and their attitudes of mind during the period 1050 1200: against this background it proceeds to analyse the fundamental political, social, economic and cultural changes of the period in central Europe. Professor Fuhrmann considers the social transformation brought about by the emergence of new classes such as ministeriales and burghers, and examines the intellectual renewal reflected in the rise of scholasticism and the foundation of the universities. He also...

This book traces the development of monasticism in England, Scotland and Wales from 1000 to 1300. It explores the nature of the impact of the Norman Settlement on monastic life, how Britain responded to new, European ideas, and also to the needs of religious women. Every aspect of the life and work of the religious orders is covered, from their daily life to their contribution to intellectual developments. Particular attention is paid to the relationships between religious houses and their founders and patrons, showing the degree of dependence on local patrons and the tension between the...