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The most stimulating and well-written reassessment of medieval Europe that has appeared for many years. -- Eric Christiansen, The New York Review of Books
Bartlett amasses a wealth of documentation and, unlike other authors, he weaves a rich tapestry of colourful incidents, personalities, and contemporary comment.... A masterful survey of the forces that shaped the West. -- Theodore K. Rabb, The Times Literary Supplement
An absolutely first-rate book.... Bartlett has elucidated the making not only of Europe but of our own country and of the modern world as a whole. -- Roger Draper, The New Leader
Essential reading for anyone who wishes to understand the problems of Europe today. -- Keith Thomas, Guardian
The Making of Europe is an important book. . . . This excellent discussion of medieval colonial expansion is much overdue. . . . [It] goes a long way toward understanding what is meant by the European mindset and sheds some light on why this mindset spread into the far corners of the globe. -- Madelyn B. Dick, History: Reviews of New Books
. . . a useful and illuminating book, marked by breadth of outlook, impressive erudition, and a convincing discussion of the principal forces contributing to the "making of Europe" between the tenth and the fourteenth centuries. -- "Journal of Interdisciplinary History --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Bartlett amasses a wealth of documentation and, unlike other authors, he weaves a rich tapestry of colourful incidents, personalities, and contemporary comment.... A masterful survey of the forces that shaped the West. -- Theodore K. Rabb, The Times Literary Supplement
An absolutely first-rate book.... Bartlett has elucidated the making not only of Europe but of our own country and of the modern world as a whole. -- Roger Draper, The New Leader
Essential reading for anyone who wishes to understand the problems of Europe today. -- Keith Thomas, Guardian
The Making of Europe is an important book. . . . This excellent discussion of medieval colonial expansion is much overdue. . . . [It] goes a long way toward understanding what is meant by the European mindset and sheds some light on why this mindset spread into the far corners of the globe. -- Madelyn B. Dick, History: Reviews of New Books
. . . a useful and illuminating book, marked by breadth of outlook, impressive erudition, and a convincing discussion of the principal forces contributing to the "making of Europe" between the tenth and the fourteenth centuries. -- "Journal of Interdisciplinary History --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Product Description
A wave of internal conquest, settlement and economic growth took place in Europe during the High Middle Ages, which transformed it from a world of small separate communities into a network of powerful kingdoms with distinctive cultures. In this vivid and provocative book Robert Bartlett vividly shows how Europe was itself a product of colonization, as much as it was later a colonizer, and what this did to shape the continent and the world today.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
39 of 39 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
What did Europe look like in the 950s and what movements define Europe in the periode 950-1350? That is in essence the question Robert Bartlett's "The Making of Europe - Conquest, Colonization and Cultural Change 950-1350" analyzes and answers. And the answers are intelligent, multi-facetted, and based on sound arguments. Moreover, Bartlett's book is a linguistic pleasure to read.
I appreciated the fact, that Bartlett's book touches many individual identifiers in such a way that is easily understandable for a novice reader of history, but which at the same time is interesting for a more knowledgable reader. Among the identifiers that defines the periode 950-1350 are:
- the expansion of Latin Christendom
- the aristocratic diaspora
- military technology and polical power
- the image of the conqueror
- the free village
- the new landscape
- colonial towns and colonial trade
- race relations on the frontiers of Latin Europe
- the Roman Church and the Christian people.
Bartlett's book focusses on geographical areas that were subject to expansion, such as Eastern Europe, the Baltic, the Iberian penensula, and Ireland, but it does include many details that span the whole of Europe. I find this to be a major plus for the book, it does not view a specific situation for example that of Germany or France to automatically represent all of Europe. Bartlett has a strong knowledge of the geographical, ethnic, and cultural differences in Europe and this knowledge and the acceptence of the differences shines through.
I recommend Bartlett's book to anyone interested in European history or history of the Middle Ages: novices and experts alike.
Louise
I appreciated the fact, that Bartlett's book touches many individual identifiers in such a way that is easily understandable for a novice reader of history, but which at the same time is interesting for a more knowledgable reader. Among the identifiers that defines the periode 950-1350 are:
- the expansion of Latin Christendom
- the aristocratic diaspora
- military technology and polical power
- the image of the conqueror
- the free village
- the new landscape
- colonial towns and colonial trade
- race relations on the frontiers of Latin Europe
- the Roman Church and the Christian people.
Bartlett's book focusses on geographical areas that were subject to expansion, such as Eastern Europe, the Baltic, the Iberian penensula, and Ireland, but it does include many details that span the whole of Europe. I find this to be a major plus for the book, it does not view a specific situation for example that of Germany or France to automatically represent all of Europe. Bartlett has a strong knowledge of the geographical, ethnic, and cultural differences in Europe and this knowledge and the acceptence of the differences shines through.
I recommend Bartlett's book to anyone interested in European history or history of the Middle Ages: novices and experts alike.
Louise
121 of 124 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is the most enjoyable history book I have ever read. If the history of Europe is a long and interminably complicated one, then I would suggest that this single volume could be the key to unlocking that history and explaining the remarkable diversity of nations and cultures that co-exist within this single, small continent today. The author's clear, unpretentious prose style further enhances the readability of the book and while it is likely to be a must-read for students and academics, the general reader will find this book accessible and entertaining. Bartlett takes the reader on a rapid and utterly fascinating tour of medieval Europe, from the Celtic fringes of the British Isles to the uncharted wildernesses of Eastern Europe, and south to newly-reconquered Spain, between the tenth and fourteenth centuries. Amidst the profound social, religious, political and economic - not to mention shamelessly opportunistic - forces taking hold across the continent in this period, we can already begin to see the origins of the Europe we recognise today beginning to emerge. With countless examples drawn from historical sources from literally every corner of Europe, the reader is nonetheless given a refreshing perspective of the story of our continent as a whole - in human terms, rather than as colours and lines arbitrarily drawn on a map. I would advise anyone with an interest in Europe as it is today, and how it came to be, to read this book. I noticed with interest that Simon Schama cited it in the bibliography of his "History of Britain". This book actually affected me quite deeply; I now see European current affairs in a new but much richer context, and I've been compelled to re-examine the way I look at history and its implications for future generations. On another level, I found this book helped me to re-evaluate my outlook on some of the concepts we often take for granted, such as nationality, culture and identity. I can't help thinking, therefore, that by reading this book and reflecting on its implications, many fellow Europeans might want to take a fresh look at the meaning of their own identities and prejudices; ethnic, religious, nationalistic, cultural and linguistic sources of tension and conflict can be identified, often at source, throughout the pages of this stunning book. And, for all the bloodshed and medieval argy-bargy, there's the unexpected bonus of the occasional giggle. Splendid.
21 of 21 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This really is an outstandingly good book. Not only is it clearly expressed and easy to read but it manages to be comprehensive without superficiality. There is considerable detail although the central theme - the expansion of the Frankish Chrtistian West of Europe into the Barbarian North and East and the Muslim South and West as well as the Holy Land - is never lost. This is a book reflecting an enormous field of research condendsed into relatively few pages. Had the author continued for another chapter or two, I'm sure it would still not have been enough.
The book explains well the common culture and values [with interesting local variations] of the West. In this context several minor criticisms come to mind.Firstly the maps need to be expanded and increased in scope. The author too frequently assumes a knowledge of [ancient] geography that the reader may lack. Secondly readers new to the subject would certainly benefit from an expanded introduction explainig more of the explictly Northern, or rather Frankish, historical circumstances immediately prior to the book's point of commencement. If one knows little of Charlemagne's Empire and its achievements it is a little hard to follow the opening of the book. Lastly and perhaps most significantly, at the heart of the book there appears to be something of a Christological bias or at least presumption of cultural and inevitably ethical superiority. This is more than the frequent use of the words 'Barbarian'and 'Pagan'. The book seems constantly to assume some sort of inate superiority on the part of Northern European Christians to their Pagan neighbours. This needs further thought and discussion. The record of Christian Europe, at that time and subsequently, is of consistent savagery and philistinism of a very high order especially towards those of other cultures or religious traditions. This sense of superiority is thus somewhat misplaced.
Nevertheless the small criticisms are insignificant indeed by comparison with this fine book as a whole. I highly recommend it.
The book explains well the common culture and values [with interesting local variations] of the West. In this context several minor criticisms come to mind.Firstly the maps need to be expanded and increased in scope. The author too frequently assumes a knowledge of [ancient] geography that the reader may lack. Secondly readers new to the subject would certainly benefit from an expanded introduction explainig more of the explictly Northern, or rather Frankish, historical circumstances immediately prior to the book's point of commencement. If one knows little of Charlemagne's Empire and its achievements it is a little hard to follow the opening of the book. Lastly and perhaps most significantly, at the heart of the book there appears to be something of a Christological bias or at least presumption of cultural and inevitably ethical superiority. This is more than the frequent use of the words 'Barbarian'and 'Pagan'. The book seems constantly to assume some sort of inate superiority on the part of Northern European Christians to their Pagan neighbours. This needs further thought and discussion. The record of Christian Europe, at that time and subsequently, is of consistent savagery and philistinism of a very high order especially towards those of other cultures or religious traditions. This sense of superiority is thus somewhat misplaced.
Nevertheless the small criticisms are insignificant indeed by comparison with this fine book as a whole. I highly recommend it.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
excellent performance
great book, started reading right away, which I don't usually do :-)
book is used, but in complete and good shape, so: me happy!
book is used, but in complete and good shape, so: me happy!
Published 1 month ago by Pc Storm
Well written
I bought this on the strength of having seen the author present his programmes on the Normans on BB2; I found him very entertaining then, and I am pleased to say that he writes in... Read more
Published 9 months ago by Mrs. V. M. Leonard
the forces that set the stage for Europe to become Europe
This wonderful book is about the end of the Dark Ages, when trends were aligned in such a way that Europe finally began to overcome the long decline and chaos that followed the... Read more
Published 9 months ago by rob crawford
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