Those Terrible Middle Ages: Debunking the Myths

As she examines the many misconceptions about the "Middle Ages", the renown French historian, Regine Pernoud, gives the reader a refreshingly original perspective on many subjects, both historical (from the Inquisition and witchcraft trials to a comparison of Gothic and Renaissance creative inspiration) as well as eminently modern (from law and the place of women in society to the importance of history and tradition). Here are fascinating insights, based on Pernoud's sound knowledge and extensive experience as an archivist at the French National Archives. The book will be provocative for the general readers as well as a helpful resource for teachers.

Scorned for centuries, although lauded by the Romantics, these thousand years of history have most often been concealed behind the dark clouds of ignorance: Why, didn't godiche (clumsy, oafish) come from gothique (Gothic)? Doesn't "fuedal" refer to the most hopeless obscurantism? Isn't "Medieval" applied to dust-covered, outmoded things?

Here the old varnish is stripped away and a thousand years of history finally emerge -- the "Middle Ages" are dead, long live the Middle Ages

Author: Regine Pernoud, Anne Englund Nash
Publisher: Ignatius Press
Published: 03/01/2000
Pages: 179
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.50lbs
Size: 7.90h x 5.20w x 0.70d
ISBN13: 9780898707816
ISBN10: 0898707811
BISAC Categories:
- History | Europe | Medieval
- History | Europe | General