The Making of the Middle Ages - Richard William Southern [epub]

The subject of this book is nothing less than the formation of western Europe from the late tenth to the early thirteenth century. During these years the economic face of Europe and its position in the world were transformed. Civilisation, as we understand it today, was born. Although the period witnessed great historical events, such as the capture of Jerusalem by the Crusaders in 1099 and of Constantinople by their successors in 1204, the most significant events are often the obscure ones and the most significant utterances are often those of men withdrawn from the world and speaking to the very few. It is his understanding of these events and these utterances that makes Professor Sir Richard Southern's The Making of the Middle Ages the acknowledged masterpiece among histories of the period.