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seeing how many of you are very informed in history, and i'd like to be more informed, can some of you recommend some books and websites? anything that is a good read and covers (doesn't have to cover the entire CK timeline) the CK period. i'd really like some broad historical books on the period, but im also interested in the happenings in some of the duchy's and such. especially english and german and byz. i know of barbarossa, but dont know about him. things like that. i appreciate any help, and i figure if i dont make the beta, i can read my sorrow away
Two books that don´t deal with war, one fiction the other non-fiction.
The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco. For an insight into the multitude of heresies in the Catholic West, science of the period, monastary life and a damn good detective story as well.
Montaillou by Emmanuel Le Roy Ladurie. Tells you how the ordianry people of the Medieval period thought - their attitudes towards Church and Heresy, cleanliness, sex, gender relations etc. Based on contemporary documents.
IMHO anyone who wants to write (a future) character driven CK AAR should read these two books!
Originally posted by Sonny A real good fiction of the First Crusade is A Book of Days. Can't recall the author but will find him when I have the chance.
Perhaps not very usefull for you -- as it is written in german:
Deutsche Geschichte, Bd. 2, Aufbruch und Gestaltung - Deutschland 1056-1273.
A very good book on social and political history of the german medieval age in a broad context. Perhaps someone understands german and is interested in this ...
oh. yeah. of course that's what you meant. (hmm, no embarassed smilie.... ).
Somehow I thought you meant that 550 people had searched for that on Amazon - not that you'd even know how many other people were doing a search for that title, but of course I didn't think of that at the time....
Originally posted by beezneez seeing how many of you are very informed in history, and i'd like to be more informed, can some of you recommend some books and websites?
For a just introduction to the "Middle Ages" and medieval studies I would recommend Régine Pernoud's "Those Terrible middle ages" (note: the title is sarcastic).
It's a small book, and it will help the beginning medieval history student understand the 'nature of the beast" as we say.
It's good because you really need to understand the place medieval studies has occupied in the realm of academia before you get trapped by common myths. Don't underestimate the prevalence of inaccurate and demonstrably flowed cultural theories that some times emanate even from the most revered of sources.
There has been some criticism of the English translation, but I for one didn't have any trouble understanding what the author was trying to convey. In any case, I recommend reading this book before you begin any serious study of the period. It will help the average layman understand just how misrepresented most aspects of Feudal Age generally are.
After that I'd recommend just reading as many primary sources as possible.
I would recommend for a general reading of the crusades "The Dream and the Tomb" by Robert Payne.
For a history of the 14th century Western Europe (specifically the HYW and it's appendage issues) I would recommend "A Distant Mirror" by Barbara Tuchman.
For the Byzantine History I would recommend the Byzantium series by John Julius Norwich specifically "The Apogee"and "The Decline and Fall" and really for the CK period "The Apogee" is really only of value for the Manzikert episode. But keep in mind this is a series of three books dealing with the Empire, and in order to grasp the value of any one of the books I think you should read all of them. The last two though are my favorite.
For specific German Emperors I believe there are many books available, but I have unfortunately read none of them, but please if your feeling adventurous read "Art and Propaganda : Charles IV of Bohemia, 1346-1378" by Iva Rosario and let me know how it is.
i picked up the first book in the series on the byz by jhon...forget his name now and history of the crusades. gonna read those first, and plan on finishing the byz series. then, not sure what i'll get next, but i think i'll have time to finish a lot of books before CK hits the shelf
