The birth of Europe - Jacques Le Goff

In this ground-breaking new study, Jacques Le Goff, arguably the leading medievalist of his generation, presents his view of the primacy of the Middle Ages in the development of European history. He contends that it was in the Middle Ages that many of the institutions and ideas we consider to be 'European' were defined and developed for the first time - and, of all the periods that have contributed to our common European heritage, the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries are the most important. The book ranges widely, examining the impact and legacy of the Middle Ages in both material and intellectual terms, and covering the region from Ireland to the Black Sea. One of the central concerns of the book is to show the diversity of communities in medieval Europe and to examine the relationship between the centre and peripheries. It was at the physical frontiers of Europe, Le Goff argues, that new ideas about what made Europe special and unique were first negotiated and the structures to support them evolved. Around this argument, the author provides detailed coverage of the events that dominated the period, making the book accessible to introductory readers.;The book will be enjoyed by loyal followers of Jacques Le Goff's scholarship, as well as students and general readers interested in understanding the place of the Middle Ages in European history.