Product Description

This illuminating book provides an account of a century and a half of English medieval history, beginning with the compilation of the Domesday Book and culminating in the issue of the Magna Carta and the subsequent civil war. A. L. Poole assesses the social and economic background to the period, the position of the monarchy, progress in education, church reform, and also studies the twelfth-century renaissance in literature and art, providing a full and detailed study of everyday life in English towns and country in medieval England. 'a model of its kind ... has the unusual merit of being at once comprehensive and uniformly satisfying' TES 'an important and useful book, written and well written by a scholar of great learning and integrity' Guardian 'a volume that all medievalists will admire and use will remain, alike for historians and for the general reader, an indispensable and adequate possession.' Tablet 'the most brilliant and the most exciting of the medieval centuries to be judged by the highest standards' TLS

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #130526 in Books
• Published on: 1993-08-19
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 560 pages

TLS
"the standard work ... the most brilliant and the most exciting of the medieval centuries to be judged by the highest standards"

Review
the standard work ... the most brilliant and the most exciting of the medieval centuries to be judged by the highest standards (TLS )

a model of its kind ... has the unusual merit of being at once comprehensive and uniformly satisfying (TES )

an important and useful book, written -- and well written -- by a scholar of great learning and integrity (Guardian )

Guardian
"an important and useful book, written -- and well written -- by a scholar of great learning and integrity"

Customer Reviews

A classic study beginning to show its age
First published in 1951, the current hardback edition is vintage 1955, the paperback benefiting from a 1990's introduction. Poole's classic work covers the political and dynastic history of England from 1087-1216, years which would prove to be something of the anvil on which English identity was forged. And this is, first and foremost, a history of England - Scotland gets 17 pages, Wales 17, and Ireland 15.

This is the era of the last great invasion, the last great arrival (the Normans) to forge English identity and create a uniquely recognisable English state, This is the era in which the Norman kings commenced their process of Anglicisation and a decidedly English model of kingship emerged.

Now, some of the volumes in the Oxford History series have stood the passage of time a little better than others. Poole's social analysis is looking a tad dated in places, half a century on from its last edition. There have also been significant advances in economic history since then. Most significantly, the emotional notion of 'Conquest' is now significantly different: when Poole wrote, the Second World War had just ended, and the historian had been a first-hand witness to the imminent threat of invasion from across the Channel.

This is still an influential work, and one which needs to be visited by the keen historian of the era. However, it's also a work whose writing style can appear a trifle dated in places. This is a volume best consulted in the library - a more modern history may well be a better purchase.

A classic study beginning to show its age
First published in 1951, the current hardback edition is vintage 1955, the paperback benefiting from a 1990's introduction. Poole's classic work covers the political and dynastic history of England from 1087-1216, years which would prove to be something of the anvil on which English identity was forged. And this is, first and foremost, a history of England - Scotland gets 17 pages, Wales 17, and Ireland 15.

This is the era of the last great invasion, the last great arrival (the Normans) to forge English identity and create a uniquely recognisable English state, This is the era in which the Norman kings commenced their process of Anglicisation and a decidedly English model of kingship emerged.

Now, some of the volumes in the Oxford History series have stood the passage of time a little better than others. Poole's social analysis is looking a tad dated in places, half a century on from its last edition. There have also been significant advances in economic history since then. Most significantly, the emotional notion of 'Conquest' is now significantly different: when Poole wrote, the Second World War had just ended, and the historian had been a first-hand witness to the imminent threat of invasion from across the Channel.

This is still an influential work, and one which needs to be visited by the keen historian of the era. However, it's also a work whose writing style can appear a trifle dated in places. This is a volume best consulted in the library - a more modern history may well be a better purchase.