Ian Mortimer considers some of the key questions in Medieval history and rethinks the nature of historical evidence. In this important new work Ian Mortimer examines some of the most controversial questions in medieval history, including whether Edward II was murdered, his possible later life in Italy, the weakness of the Lancastrian claim to the throne in 1399, and the origins of the idea of the royal pretender. Central to this book is his groundbreaking approach to medieval evidence. He explains how an information-based method allows a more certain reading of a series of texts. He criticises existing modes of arriving at consensus and outlines a process of historical analysis that ultimately leads to questioning historical doubts as well as historical facts, with profound implications for what we can say about the past with certainty. This is an important work from one of the most original and popular medieval historians writing today.
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Ian Mortimer has earned a well-deserved reputation as a writer capable of communicating the fascination of medieval history … His speciality is the peculiar and the personal: the hidden springs by which the actions of the past were moved … he still has much to communicate about his explorations of the forgotten corners of Medieval England. --BBC History Magazine
[Mortimer] revisits the methodology of medieval history, analysing numerous key historical texts in a new way to shed a refreshing light on the facts. --Your Family Tree
'An exercise in historical methodology that is made more interesting than such volumes usually are by examining a number of intriguing mysteries … Read the book and form your own opinion.' --What are you reading? section of Times Higher Education
'It is good that Mortimer is trying to come up with answers and his book provides much food for thought. There is a fine mind at work here.' --Catholic Herald
[Mortimer] revisits the methodology of medieval history, analysing numerous key historical texts in a new way to shed a refreshing light on the facts. --Your Family Tree
'An exercise in historical methodology that is made more interesting than such volumes usually are by examining a number of intriguing mysteries … Read the book and form your own opinion.' --What are you reading? section of Times Higher Education
'It is good that Mortimer is trying to come up with answers and his book provides much food for thought. There is a fine mind at work here.' --Catholic Herald
About the Author
Ian Mortimer is the author of the bestselling The Time-Traveller's Guide to Medieval England, a series of four medieval historical biographies and a revolutionary study of medicine in early modern England. He is an Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Exeter, a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society (by whom he was awarded the Alexander Prize in 2004) and a qualified archivist
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
38 of 40 people found the following review helpful
By Edward Rex
Format:Hardcover
I have to admit, when I first saw Ian Mortimer's new history book-I was a bit dumbfound. He had always written history for the general reader, but with this book he was advertising scholarship instead of general readability. His questions in this book run very deep at the heart of English and indeed, European Medieval history.
This book contains ground-breaking research. On some things, Mortimer goes back to touch on again (for example the Death of Edward II). On others, he is presenting new evidence and histories of various topics (one being the concept of the pretender. I found all of this very intersting. I won't say its all easy to comprehend-you might have to reread the first chapter to take it all in, but nonetheless you will fing many thought provoking histories in this book. Central is Mortimer's scientific theory that helps determine what can be considered fact and what can't
This book, for all its scholarship, is a great tool for historians and for history buffs. It's not an easy read-on the contrary, Mortimer himself has stated it is very hard-core history. However, that does nothing to jeperdise Mortimer's historiacl reputation. If anything, this book enriches it, for here is Ian Mortimer's answers to the scholars and academics who have questioned him for so long.
This book contains ground-breaking research. On some things, Mortimer goes back to touch on again (for example the Death of Edward II). On others, he is presenting new evidence and histories of various topics (one being the concept of the pretender. I found all of this very intersting. I won't say its all easy to comprehend-you might have to reread the first chapter to take it all in, but nonetheless you will fing many thought provoking histories in this book. Central is Mortimer's scientific theory that helps determine what can be considered fact and what can't
This book, for all its scholarship, is a great tool for historians and for history buffs. It's not an easy read-on the contrary, Mortimer himself has stated it is very hard-core history. However, that does nothing to jeperdise Mortimer's historiacl reputation. If anything, this book enriches it, for here is Ian Mortimer's answers to the scholars and academics who have questioned him for so long.
17 of 18 people found the following review helpful
By Mike Davey
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Hardcover
This is a quantum leap away from his previous 'The Time Travellers Guide to Medieval England' but quite in line with his 4 excellent biographical studies of the period and clearly outlines his theory that historical 'facts' can be challenged using an Information based approach to argue with the evidence or lack of it and actually questioning what 'evidence' really means. It has to be admitted that this is not going to appeal to the casual reader because it assumes too much prior knowledge. The author expects that the reader will already know the background to e.g. the death/murder of Edward II to appreciate his reasons why alternative readings of events can be outlined. The first chapter outlines the Information based approach that Dr Mortimer is using and I found that once I had fully taken this in, then the individual chapters became really exciting and thought provoking. I cannot however recommend this book to readers of his other studies of the period for the following reason. I agree with the reviewer who has pointed out that the cover is rather misleading because it does tend to obscure the serious nature of the study: one chapter actually being devoted to arguing with specific critiques of the author's view that Edward II was not murdered in Berkeley Castle. After much thought I am still concerned by its marketing and am taking a star off the review for this reason. It is fair to say that this very serious study is being marketed in a way that will attract all the readers that were entranced by Dr Mortimers' other books on the period and that is unreasonable because it is not going to appeal in such a general way - in my opinion. It is absolutely fascinating stuff but extremely hard going because it falls into the serious history arena. This is without doubt a tour de force as a study but again, the publishers are misleading us.
10 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Having read and enjoyed Mortimer's earlier book " A Time Traveller's Guide to the Medieval England" i was thrilled to find Santa had brought me more of the same. Unfortunatley this new book is very much an accademic history and hard going for the general reader, at least for this one anyway!
I feel that the title " Medieval Intrigue" and colourful cover are some what deceptive, suggesting (at least to me) a light and entertaining look at the Medieval period which unfortunatley it's not.
To be fair this is unlikely to be the author's fault but rather that of the publisher, Motimer writes extremley well and is clearly an expert in his field. I would recomend this book to any student of the Middle Ages, infact i might even give it to one!
I feel that the title " Medieval Intrigue" and colourful cover are some what deceptive, suggesting (at least to me) a light and entertaining look at the Medieval period which unfortunatley it's not.
To be fair this is unlikely to be the author's fault but rather that of the publisher, Motimer writes extremley well and is clearly an expert in his field. I would recomend this book to any student of the Middle Ages, infact i might even give it to one!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent book
Ian Mortimer has developed and interesting new approach to historical reconstruction, based on information streams rather than on weight of evidence. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Pen Name
4.0 out of 5 stars
Did Edward II die in Berkeley Castle?
Ideas arising from Ian Mortimer's "Medieval Intrigue", 2010
-did Edward II die in Berkeley Castle on September 21st 1327? Read more
-did Edward II die in Berkeley Castle on September 21st 1327? Read more
Published 2 months ago by ashley cooper
5.0 out of 5 stars
Risk Equals Reward
While I see that some reviewers of this book seem disappointed that Mortimer does not follow his typical pattern, this is a fantastic book! Read more
Published 4 months ago by DctrB
4.0 out of 5 stars
Useful for research
I like Ian Mortimer - he's a no nonsense historian who isn't afraid to draw his own conclusions from the things we do know about this fascinating period in our history. Read more
Published 4 months ago by H. Lowe
2.0 out of 5 stars
A tad pompous
The first warning about 'Medieval Intrigue' is for those approaching the book after having read Ian Mortimer's Traveller's Guides to Medieval and Elizabethan England. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Blackbird
2.0 out of 5 stars
A little heavy going
I loved the Time Travellers' Guide and wanted more of the same. The title intrigued me but it was a heavier book than I expected. Every word appeared to have a footnote reference. Read more
Published 10 months ago by C. Wilson
2.0 out of 5 stars
Don't be misled by the cover
I have enjoyed Ian Mortimer's biographical books and his Time Travellers Guide to Medieval England. This book is on a much more academic level, almost seems like a collection of... Read more
Published 13 months ago by nomad
2.0 out of 5 stars
A book by Ian Mortimer for Ian Mortimer
This is not an interesting book about decoding royal conspiracies but a rather tedious book about Ian Mortimer insisting his account of the fate of Edward II is correct and every... Read more
Published 14 months ago by Mrs. Barbara Davey
1.0 out of 5 stars
The Code that Never Was
The conventional view is that Edward II was probably murdered in Berkeley castle in 1327, perhaps by means of a heated rod inserted into his anus; but Ian Mortimer believes that... Read more
Published on 31 Jan 2011 by Stephen Cooper
2.0 out of 5 stars
Somewhat unbalanced
Being no expert historian only considering the evidence Ian Mortimer presents it seemed possible to reach different conclusions. Read more
Published on 15 Jan 2011 by Carl J.
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