A Cultural History of War in the Medieval Age

During the Middle Ages, European society and culture changed dramatically in almost every way, shaped by increasing economic surpluses, rising urbanization, the recovery of Roman law and Aristotelian thought, the rise of universities, and a host of other developments. Warfare was pervasive and endemic, and almost everywhere warrior elites held most of the wealth and power, and powerfully shaped the values, presumptions, artistic and literary production, and institutions that formed, reinforced, and gradually changed Medieval culture. At the same time, culture shaped the warriors themselves and the contours of how they made war. Focusing on Latin Europe, though also taking into account other areas that were part of the same cultural frame (such as the Crusader States), this volume follows the same structure as the others in A Cultural History of War. Each chapter looks at the whole period from 800-1450 and draws evidence and examples from a broad geographic range and a wide variety of types of source material. Collectively, the essays both reflect and illuminate the ways that the medieval European culture of war was distinct both from modern and ancient Western ‘ways of war’, and from contemporary Byzantine or Islamic norms. A Cultural History of War is part of The Cultural Histories Series. Titles are available as hardcover sets for libraries needing just one subject or preferring a tangible reference for their shelves or as part of a fully-searchable digital library. The digital product is available to institutions by annual subscription or on perpetual access via www.bloomsburyculturalhistory.com. Individual volumes for academics and researchers interested in specific historical periods are also available in print or digitally via www.bloomsburycollections.com.