Those Terrible Middle Ages!: Debunking the Myths Paperback – 29 Feb 2000

Pernoud begins with a lament as to how poorly medieval Europe is regarded: "medieval" is often used as a pejorative term, if not an outright insult. This common view is not borne out of well-informed study, but one of ignorance among both historians (most shamefully) and non-historians alike. Along the way she dispels the major misconceptions of the "Dark Ages" which began in the Enlightenment.

For human rights, especially those of women, the Enlightenment was a step backwards because of the re-introduction of Roman law which placed power in the hands of the patriarch (pater familias) at the expense of all other family members. Roman law was, "the law par excellence of those who wanted to affirm a central state authority" by means of conferring much authority to the military and property owners (p. 100). It is only in the past century that women's roles have returned to the dignity and importance that they had in Medieval Europe.

The growing power of the state, with the use of Romans law, undermined the Church's role, not to the betterment of society but to its detriment: the Concordat of Bologna (1516) gave the French king powers to appoint bishops and abbots which would facilitate the Church as a state tool, rather than an independent religious institution, for successive centuries; the Church's active role in the emancipation of serfs and denouncements of colonialism and slavery were repelled by lawyers idolizing the imperial rule of Pax Romana. Everywhere the customary law of Medieval Europe emphasizing well-worn custom and mutual responsibility was slowly replaced by the overarching Roman Imperial law of "use and abuse" (p. 92).

She is also highly critical of the Age of Reason because of its often slavish imitation of Classical culture, while Medieval culture had the courage and imagination to find its own voice, capable of standing on its own. Pernoud not only praises the role of Celtic influence on literature, but also how medieval poetry, letters, and the roman blossomed into a unique force, quite distinct from the Classical one.

Pernoud's arguments and citations are in line with modern scholarship. Medieval Europe was not a trough between two mountains of human achievement. It was an era of unique accomplishments which quite often surpassed not only those of Classical Greece and Rome, but also those of the succeeding eras. This a highly recommended antidote against the usual unthinking and unfounded prejudices.

It covered subjects that I had not read about earlier, and I would like to see this as a series of programs so that people
will realize that the Middle Ages really were not as bad as they have been taught. The author has also written a very good book
on the Knights Templar, in which she also sets the record straight about Templar history.

though I would have probably learned more from this book had I a better background in French history, I found the book fascinating. Sometimes I wonder if we look at the wrong period as being "enlightened"

Regine Pernoud's book THOSE TERRIBLE MIDDLE AGES:DEBUNKING THE MYTHS is a brief but instructive book which both undermines popular history (popular nonsense) of the loosely defined Middle Ages (c.500-1500 AD). This book refers to documents and the use of reason to debunk the notion that the Middle Ages were sterile and oppressive. One should note that Miss Pernoud also gives her readers an important lesson on how to learn history and how to produce historical works.

Father Buckley, SJ, has a short but useful forward to this book. He gives examples of a brilliant age during which people saw the abolition of slavery, "checks and balances" on abosolutism, great architecture (the Gothic Cathedrals), the invention of the codex (bound book), the musical scale, and the mechanical clock. He could have easily included the development of bookhand or standard penmanship, and the remarkable achievement of Scholastic Philosophy and its insistence on logic and clear reason.

Among the myths that have been perpetuated is that of the Medieval serfs. These people lived better than slaves during Ancient History, and these people had absolute rights such as access to their land. These men and women could not be removed from their land. While these people could not easily leave, they did indeed have social mobility. Furthermore, Miss Pernoud refers to documents such as deeds, bills of sale, etc., whereby serfs, including women, expanded their land holdings and could improve social mobility. She indicates that some who were serfs were able to go the Medieval monastic schools and later universities and rise in the rank of the Catholic Church and political structure. Miss Pernoud cites women such as Heliose, Peter Abelard's wife, who knew Latin and Greek and composed literary works.

Another myth re the Middle Ages is that of the status of women. Miss Pernoud cites documents of women who were in certain trades and businesses. The Catholic Church authorities were very opposed to arranged marriages,and the Canon Law jurists argued that since marriage was a Holy Sacrament which had to be voluntary, arranged marriages were not binding at least in theory. This is not to say that the Catholic authorites prevented arranged marriages. One should note that women of noble birth could be rulers and queens. One should note that St. Louis' mother was his active regeant until he could assume power and ruled from 1226 to 1270. Women who entered the religious life held land tenure and even controlled both convents and monastaries. Miss Pernoud invites readers to look at documents and sources rather than media nonsense whose talking heads have little or no knowledge of anything.

Miss Pernoud destroys the notion that Medieval women did not have souls. Those who propagate this nonsense refuse to acknowledge the number of Medieval women who achieved sainthood. Miss Pernoud again refers readers to documents rather than popular history (popular nonsense).

One should also note Miss Pernoud's remarks on Medieval law and contractual arrangements. The idea of a Medieval king being an absolute monarch was almost impossible. Kings, lords, and vassals had obligations and rights in their legal and political relations which limited trends towards absolute power. The Catholic Church authorities also worked to inhibit trends of centralized power.

Another important issue that Miss Pernoud examines is that of the Inquisition which has been so badly portrayed. A Medieval inquisition was simply an invesitation based on some problem or complaint. It was simply an attempt of the Catholic authorities to investigate and possibly solve problems. Those who cite the Catholic authorities prosecuting heretics as some sort of evil obviously have little knowledge about the challenge a well organized heretical movement presented. Of particular interest is the challenge presented by the Albigensians. When these heretics caught the attention of the Catholic authorities during the late 12th and early 13th centuries (the 1100s and 1200s), the Catholic authorities made an investigation and did not apply sanctions. However, when Catholic repesentatives were murdered, the Catholic authorities had to act. One must also realize that the Albigensians had political and military support from the southern French and northern Spanish nobility who were only interested in land and conquest. One must also understand that the Albigensains were so dualistic that they were fanatical and dangerous. The Albigensians were opposed to contrats in an age when rights and security were based on contractual relations. Miss. Pernoud mentions that the Albigensians worked against anything that promoted life such as marriage and birth. For these heretics to murder pregnant women or the elderaly was common as the Albigensians destroyed anyone who promoted life. To use a current expression, the Albigensians endorsed the culture of death.

Miss Pernoud uses modern examples of modern inquisitions even though they do not go by that name. Rights groups and humanitarian organizations often make investigations (inquisitions) into serious problems and incidents. These moderns then make suggestions or recommendations. The comparison is obvious.

Another aspect of the inquisitions is one of comparison. Miss Pernoud is clear that very few of those summoned by Medieval inquisitions were even sanctioned or punished. Yet, the 20th century moderns witnessed mass murder, concentration camp brutality, mass slaughter of civilians, etc., all in the name of political ideology and affiliation. One should note that that Medieval inquisitors had to honor due process and paid careful attention to evidence to avoid unjust prosecutions. As Miss Pernoud indicates the abuses of the Inquisiton came later during the eras of the Renaissance/Reformation and the Age of Absolutism. When secular authorities got control of the Inquisiton after the Middle Ages, the abuses mulitiplied. One should note that Catholic authorities protested these abuses.

When popular media types talk about the Renaissance, they betray their lack of knowledge as Miss Pernoud clearly indicates. The Renaissance scholars did not add the Latin and Greek learning. They simply repeated it. On the other hand, the Medieval Scholastics embellished Ancient Greek thought and Latin learning. Medieval vernacular learning was rich and creative,but the Renaissance literature was simply too structured and to imitative of the Ancient Greeks and Romans.

Finally, Miss Pernoud examines the historical methods. Essentially, she argues that history without documents is simply empty opinion and so much propganda and nonsense. One should note that Miss Pernoud gives readers brief excerpts of manuscripts, documents, etc., which refute Media Land historical nonsense.

Obviously, this reviewer is impressed with Miss Pernoud's THOSE TERRIBLE MIDDLE AGES: DEBUNKING THE MYTHS. She carefully makes her case as a historian should. She is clear that historical study should not be politicized nor pander to popular bias. One should read this book to find why, "A man of science, the historian is, delegated by his fellow man to the conquest of truth (p 141). Miss Pernoud makes this quote meaningful.

When most think that the Middle Ages was a time when ignorance and superstitution prevailed and knowledge, beauty and science was absent are in for a shock. Regine points out that if it were not for the people of the Middle Ages, maintaining the art and culture of the past there would not have been a Renaissance. The Middle Ages was a lively time of cultural movement not the static time portrayed by some. Originally written in French and translated to English make little difference to the facts. I highly recommend this book for the novice or otherwise historian.