History of Medieval Europe: from Constantine to St Louis (2nd Edition)

R H C Davis's well-known and well-loved A History of Medieval Europe rapidly established itself as the standard introductory survey of the period and is a bestseller to this day. The breadth and authority of the book is to be expected in the work of such a major scholar, but the acute selection of vivid detail and the vigour of his writing are those of a born communicator.

A History of Medieval Europe is in two parts. The first, The Dark Ages, examines the impact of the Barbarian invasions on Constantine's Christianized empire, and the gradual emergence, by the end of the ninth century, of a new social, economic and political order. There are important chapters on the Church and the Papacy, the coming of Islam, and the rise and fall of the Frankish Empire.

The second part, The High Middle Ages, takes the reader from the Saxon Empire through to an examination of the European economy in the mid-thirteenth century. Important topics covered in this period include the spread of monasticism, the reform of the Papacy, the crusades, and feudal monarchy.

Back cover copy - Davis - A History of Medieval Europe

Back cover

R H C Davis¿s well-known and well-loved A History of Medieval Europe was originally written to introduce students to the study of early medieval history. It explains to them why something so seemingly distant remains important to an understanding of our modern world. Most importantly, the book shares with them, and the general reader, the author¿s own fascination and excitement with the subject.

The breadth and authority of the book is to be expected in the work of such a major scholar, but the acute selection of vivid detail and the vigour of his writing are those of a born communicator. Published in its First Edition in 1957, and in its Second Edition in 1988, the book rapidly established itself as the standard introductory survey of the period and is a bestseller to this day.

Front flap

A History of Medieval Europe is in two parts. The first, The Dark Ages, examines the impact of the Barbarian invasions on Constantine¿s Christianized empire, and the gradual emergence, by the end of the ninth century, of a new social, economic and political order. There are important chapters on the Church and the Papacy, the coming of Islam, and the rise and fall of the Frankish Empire.

The second part, The High Middle Ages, takes the reader from the Saxon Empire through to an examination of the European economy in the mid-thirteenth century. Important topics covered in this period include the spread of monasticism, the reform of the Papacy, the crusades, and feudal monarchy.

The author

The late R H C Davis was Professor of Medieval History at the University of Birmingham, from 1970 to 1984, and Emeritus Professor until his death in 1991. He was also Emeritus Fellow of Merton College, Oxford, a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries, a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, and a Fellow of the British Academy. He wrote many successful and scholarly works, and in 1985 was honoured by the publication, ¿Studies in Medieval History presented to R H C Davis¿, edited by Henry Mayr-Harting and R I Moore, and published by Hambledon Press.

Back flap

(275 years of publishing history logo - from Louise Corless)

As part of Longman¿s 275th Anniversary - a landmark in publishing history - we are launching an exciting collection of classic books.

The Silver Library celebrates the very best in history writing published by Longman. This selection of seminal and best-selling works by world renowned authorities will become the essential collection.

Titles in the Silver Library are:

John Tosh
The Pursuit of History, Third Edition

Bernard W Anderson
The Living World of the Old Testament, Fourth Edition

R H C Davis
A History of Medieval Europe, Second Edition

H G Koenigsberger, George L Mosse, G Q Bowler
Europe in the Sixteenth Century, Second Edition

Barry Coward
The Stuart Age 1603 - 1714, Second Edition

H G Koenigsberger
Early Modern Europe 1500 - 1789

Asa Briggs
The Age of Improvement 1783 - 1867, Second Edition

M S Anderson
The Ascendancy of Europe 1815 - 1914, Second Edition

James Joll
The Origins of the First World War, Second Edition

J M Roberts
Europe 1880 - 1945, Second Edition

Martin Kitchen
Europe Between the Wars

Peter Calvocoressi
World Politics Since 1945, Seventh Edition