Overview

From the nineteenth century onwards, historians described the Middle Ages as the ""cradle"" of the nation state—then, after World War II, they increasingly identified the period as the ""cradle"" of Europe. A close look at the sources demonstrates that both interpretations are misleading: while ""Europe"" was not a rare word, its use simply does not follow modern expectations. This volume contrasts modern historians' constructions of ""Europe in the Middle Ages"" with a fresh analysis of the medieval sources and discourses. The results force us to recognize that medieval ideas of ordering the world differ from modern expectations, thereby inviting us to reflect upon the use and limits of history in contemporary political discourse.

Full Product Details

9781641891592

Table of Contents

Reviews

Oschema (Ruhr Univ., Bochum, Germany) discusses how medieval writers, intellectuals, and societal elites frequently used the term or concept Europe and what they meant by it. He concludes that usage of this term in historical context provides no roadmap for modern conceptualization of the EU....[I]t would be anachronistic to identify Charlemagne as the ""father of Europe"" or to characterize his empire as European. The term in the central and late medieval period followed past usage, and the crusades and Ottoman expansion occasionally prompted an equivalence of Europe and Latin Christendom. In sum: before the early modern period, any stress on religious, political, social, and cultural characteristics played a minor role whenever Europe was mentioned. -- R. C. Figueira * Choice Connect 61, no. 6 (February 2024): art. 61-1694 *

"Oschema (Ruhr Univ., Bochum, Germany) discusses how medieval writers, intellectuals, and societal elites frequently used the term or concept Europe and what they meant by it. He concludes that usage of this term in historical context provides no roadmap for modern conceptualization of the EU....[I]t would be anachronistic to identify Charlemagne as the ""father of Europe"" or to characterize his empire as European. The term in the central and late medieval period followed past usage, and the crusades and Ottoman expansion occasionally prompted an equivalence of Europe and Latin Christendom. In sum: before the early modern period, any stress on religious, political, social, and cultural characteristics played a minor role whenever Europe was mentioned. -- R. C. Figueira * Choice Connect 61, no. 6 (February 2024): art. 61-1694 *"

Author Information

Klaus Oschema is Professor in Late Medieval History at the Ruhr-University Bochum. He researches medieval concepts of social, geographic, and political order. Recent publications include Order into Action (ed., with C. Mauntel, 2022).

Tab Content 6

Customer Reviews

Recent Reviews

Countries Available