Understanding the Middle Ages: The Transformation of Ideas and Attitudes in the Medieval WorldKleinschmidt approaches the western European middle ages as a modern anthropologist would approach analysis of a remote culture. His objectives have something in common with Le Goff, as he seeks to identify with medieval society and culture without the encumbrance of later historical attitudes. This radical study traces the transformation of ideas in western Europe during more than one thousand years between the fifth and sixteenth centuries. Its central concern is to interpret and understand changing attitudes towards time, space, the human body, human and social relationships, productivity and distribution, travel, modes of thought, attitudes to the past, age versus youth, war, faith, and social and political order. Illustrations and narrative work together in this book to present medieval culture as one shaped by the spoken word and the visual image. Drawing extensively from a wide range of primary source material, the breadth and originality of Kleinschmidt's study will have an important influence on scholarly perception of the middle ages, as a period of continual change and continually changing attitudes. HARALD KLEINSCHMIDT teaches in the College of International Studies at the University of Tsukuba, Japan. |
Contents
Introduction | 1 |
Experiences of Time | 15 |
Conceptions of Space | 33 |
The Body Modes of Behaviour | 62 |
Groups | 89 |
Men and Women | 120 |
General Introduction | 143 |
War | 163 |
Communication in a Given Present | 214 |
Commemorating the Past World | 240 |
The Movement of Persons and Groups | 264 |
General Introduction | 287 |
Rule and Representation | 311 |
Conclusion Change and Changes | 335 |
| 343 | |
| 387 | |
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Common terms and phrases
Anglo-Saxon Chronicle autodynamic became Bede Charles the Bold Church communities of towns concept conceptual history consequence contractual groups culture daily experience divine early medieval early Middle Ages eleventh century Emperor English established Europe existence fifteenth century fourteenth century Frankfurt Frankish genealogies Gregory of Tours Hence Heruli human institutions kin groups King land late libri London Maximilian merchants MGH SS rer migration modes of behaviour monasteries Monumenta Germaniae Historica namely neighbourhood groups ninth norms oral organisation Orosius Otto peasant farmers persons physical environment political groups recorded regular communication repr Roman Empire royal kin group rule Sachsenspiegel Saxons semiotic triangle settlements sixteenth social groups socio-political environment space of daily space of regular specific St Augustine Stuttgart tenth century territorial rulers thirteenth century tion towns and cities trade traditions twelfth century types of group urban communities warriors Wilhelm Levison women word world picture