European history: medieval period, middle ages Books

Book SynopsisThe Pocket Book of Ireland's Favourite Saints takes you on a fascinating journey through Ireland's rich spiritual history.

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Book Synopsis'Every page of Beachhead Assault has a tale of almost suicidal courage.' Tony Parsons, author of _Man and Boy_Each tale leaves you gasping at the almost nonchalant, offhandaccounts of extraordinary courage and dangers. This is apage-turner of a book.' _Journal of Naval Engineering_Compelling reading . . . David Lee clearly and rightly admiresthese wonderful men and their deeds.' Colonel Mark Noble in _Naval Review_The Royal Naval Commandos had one of the most dangerous andimportant tasks of any unit in World War II. They were first ontothe invasion beaches and they were the last to leave.Theirremarkable story, from their early formation and their training tothe invasions they spearheaded, is told here through a series ofbrilliantly linked anecdotes.Each tale is one of extraordinary courage and should ensure the legacy of the Commandos is not forgotten. The book includes a Foreword by _Man and Boy_ author Tony Parsons, whose father was a Royal Naval Commando who fought at Elba. It al

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Book SynopsisLife was different long ago, but how? Jump back in time to experience the lives of children in the Viking times. How did the Vikings defend themselves? What made them such fearsome raiders? Are you ready to find out all this and more? Let''s go!

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Book SynopsisThe first English translation of this central work of Estonian nonfiction, marking the profound importance in world history of this small nation and its people.

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Book SynopsisSituated on Europe's northern periphery, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden found themselves caught between warring powers during World War II. Ultimately, these nations survived the conflict as sovereign states whose wartime experiences have profoundly shaped their historiography, literature, cinema and memory cultures. Nordic War Stories explores the commonalities and divergences among the five Nordic countries, examining national historiographies alongside representations of the war years in canonical literary works, travel writing, and film media. Together, they comprise a valuable companion that challenges the myth of Scandinavian homogeneity while demonstrating the powerful influence that the war continues to exert on national identities.

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Book SynopsisThe histories of European unification and of West European democracy during the second half of the twentieth century have often been considered as separate or even antagonistic processes with the institutions of European integration being regarded as bastions of bureaucratic rule.A More Democratic Communitychallenges this assumption and argues that European integration benefited from the democratic accountability of member states while contributing to the validation of national democratic institutions. However, it also unveils a paradox: as integration deepened, it diminished the power of national parliaments, sparking a democratic accountability crisis within the Community.

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Book SynopsisA clear and accessibly written guide to the medieval cloth-making trade in England. Cloth-making became England's leading industry in the late Middle Ages; clothiers co-ordinated its different stages, in some cases carrying out the processes themselves, and found markets for their finished cloth, selling to merchants, drapers and other traders. While many clothiers were of only modest status or "jacks of all trades", a handful of individuals amassed huge fortunes through the trade, becoming the multi-millionaires of their day. This book offers the first recent survey of this hugely important and significant trade and its practitioners, examining the whole range of clothiers across different areas of England, and exploring their impact within the industry andin their wider communities. Alongside the mechanics of the trade, it considers clothiers as entrepreneurs and early capitalists, employing workers and even establishing early factories; it also looks at their family backgrounds and their roles as patrons of church rebuilding and charitable activities. It is completed with extracts from clothiers' wills and a gazetteer of places to visit, making the book invaluable to academics, students, and local historians alike.Trade ReviewThe amount of evidence presented in this book is staggering. Almost every page contains lucid examples drawn from an array of sources. The book is also immaculately written, with a richness of narrative sure to be appreciated by historians as well as the precision of argument valued by the more economically inclined. What it offers is a one-stop shop for a trade central to the medieval economy. * ECONOMIC HISTORY REVIEW *[A] very welcome...informed, informative and up-to-date study...This is an excellent book, not only for those interested in clothiers, but also for anyone interested in the broad development of English textile history. * TEXTILE HISTORY *The book is accessible to a wide range of readers. A glossary is provided for those less familiar with cloth making, while detailed appendices will interest experts. A gazetteer of surviving buildings can be used by local historians. * ENGLISH HISTORICAL REVIEW *Not only eminently readable but also well-researched. * THE RICARDIAN *[E]minently accessible . . . The work is a valuable read for any historian of material culture, or anyone looking to see how one industry functioned during the politically turbulent times of the Hundred Years War, the War of the Roses, and the reigns of the early Tudors. * COMITATUS *Anyone seeking a wide-ranging and well-informed historical account of late medieval English cloth-making will find it here. * MEDIEVAL ARCHAEOLOGY *An excellent start to this new series on medieval workers [and] a very worthwhile project.that will be of particular interest to economic and social historians and students, as well as those interested in regional and local history. * JOURNAL OF BRITISH STUDIES *It is surprising that we have had to wait so long for someone to tackle the clothiers . . . but it was worth the wait. John Lee has soaked up all the relevant literature, plus added his own discoveries from wills, chancery documents, and regional archives, to produce a readable, thorough, and wide-ranging survey. * MEDIEVAL CLOTHING & TEXTILES *The Medieval Clothier is an excellent first volume in Boydell's new series Working in the Middle Ages. . . . [It] is a highly successful book that provides an interesting, compelling and at all times authoritative survey of one of the most important trades in late medieval England, making it a must read for students and scholars alike. * EH.NET *The book may be aimed primarily at medievalists with interests in economic history, particularly in trade and taxation, and at those who study the history of entrepreneurship and social history, but the general reader will also be delighted by this appealing, beautifully organized book. * BUSINESS HISTORY REVIEW *Lee's book is an excellent example of clear and accessible research and synthesis and informs a key aspect of the debate on the role of small towns in early modern Europe. * URBAN HISTORY *Provides an interesting, accessible and well-referenced survey. * ESSEX JOURNAL *A very useful account...[It] can be recommended as an up to date introduction to the cloth trade in mediaeval England and is another impressive addition to the Boydell catalogue. * EAST YORKSHIRE LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY *Lee's careful and thorough analysis based upon contemporary sources reveals the lasting impact a single profession can exert over national and related regional economies. Illustrations and useful definitions clarify terms for those unfamiliar with textiles and their processing. This volume represents a significant contribution to late medieval economic, industrial, social, and material culture studies. -- Karin J. Bohleke * SIXTEENTH CENTURY JOURNAL *Table of ContentsIntroduction Making cloth Marketing cloth Identifying Clothiers Clothiers and government Clothiers in society Famous clothiers Conclusion Appendix 1: Cloths taxed by county Appendix 2: Cloths taxed by locality Appendix 3: Cloth types, as defined by statute in 1552 Appendix 4: Will of Thomas Paycocke of Coggeshall Appendix 5: Will of Thomas Spring III of Lavenham Appendix 6: Will of John Smallwood the elder alias John Winchecombe I of Newbury Appendix 7: Will of William Stumpe of Malmesbury Gazetteer of surviving buildings Glossary Bibliography

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Book SynopsisAn investigation into the mysterious Frisians, drawing together evidence from linguistic, textual and archaeological sources. From as early as the first century AD, learned Romans knew of more than one group of people living in north-western Europe beyond their Empire's Gallic provinces whose names contained the element that gives us modern "Frisian". These were apparently Celtic-speaking peoples, but that population was probably completely replaced in the course of the convulsions that Europe underwent during the fourth and fifth centuries. While the importance of linguistically Germanic Frisians as neighbours of the Anglo-Saxons, Franks, Saxons and Danes in the centuries immediately following the fall of the Roman Empire in the West is widely recognized, these folk themselves remain enigmatic, the details of their culture and organization unfamiliar to many. The Frisian population and their lands, including all the coastal communities of the North sea region and their connections with the Baltic shores, form the focal point of this volume, though viewed often through comparison with, or even through the eyes of, their neighbours. The essays present the most up-to-date discoveries, research and interpretation, combining and integrating linguistic, textual and archaeological evidence; they follow the story of the various Frisians through from the Roman Period to the next great period of disruption and change introduced by the Viking Scandinavians. Contributors: Elzbieta Adamczyk, Iris Aufderhaar, Pieterjan Deckers, Menno Dijkstra, John Hines, Nelleke Ijssennagger, Hauke Jöns, Egge Knol, Jan de Koning, Johan Nicolay, Han Nijdam, Tim Pestell, Peter Schrijver, Arjen Versloot, Gaby Waxenberger, Christiane Zimmermann.Trade ReviewA fine collection of learned work spanning history, historical linguistics, legal history, archaeology, runology and palaeography...The editors should be commended for bringing together such an excellent array of scholarship. * ARCHAEOLOGICAL JOURNAL *With this well-curated work, Hines and IJssennagger have opened a door to further comparative and cross-disciplinary investigations of the Frisians. * ENGLISH HISTORICAL REVIEW *This lavishly illustrated volume is more than a state of the art. New methods and new theories are presented here, in a happy ensemble of various disciplines. * EARLY MEDIEVAL EUROPE *Offers an excellent foundation for research. * GERMAN HISTORICAL INSTITUTE BULLETIN *There is much to recommend in this rich collection of essays. By shedding new critical light on the problems and complexities associated with `Anglo-Frisian' identity and its place within the wider maritime North Sea world, it will certainly fulfil its stated aspiration to stimulate a new generation of research and thinking. * HISTORY *The editors point out in the preface that studies on Frisia can sometimes be overspecialized and constrained. This volume is certainly broad in scope, and several papers offer new insights or new interdisciplinary connections. * SPECULUM *Makes a valuable contribution to this history of the North Sea region, especially the relationship between Anglo-Saxon England and its near continental neighbours. * CURRENT WORLD ARCHAEOLOGY *The scholarship on display in this volume is of the highest quality, but attention must also be given to the book itself, which is one of the most beautiful I have ever had the joy of holding. * SEHEPUNKTE *The volume is to be praised for its interdisciplinarity: while some papers fit cleanly into archaeology, history, or linguistics, most draw on material from several disciplines to examine a question that is beyond the scope of any one. It is well-edited and amply illustrated. * THE MEDIEVAL REVIEW *Table of ContentsIntroduction: The Frisians - who, when, where, why? - John Hines and 1. Paleogeography and people: historical Frisians in an archaeological light - Nelleke IJssennagger-van der Pluijm and Egge Knol 2. The Anglo-Frisian question - John Hines Frisian between the Roman and the Early Medieval Period: language contact, Celts and Romans - Peter Schrijver 3. 'All quiet on the Western Front'? The western Netherlands and the 'North Sea Culture' in the Migration Period - Jan de Koning 4. Power and identity in the southern North Sea area: the Migration and Merovingian Periods - Johan Nicolay 5. How 'English' is the Early Frisian Runic Corpus? The evidence of sounds and forms - Gaby Waxenberger 6. Geography and Dialects of Old Saxon: River basin communication networks and the distributional patterns of North Sea Germanic features in Old Saxon - Arjen Verlsoot 7. Geography and Dialects of Old Saxon: River basin communication networks and the distributional patterns of North Sea Germanic features in Old Saxon - Elzbieta Adamczyk 8. Between Sievern and Gudendorf: enclosed sites in the north-western Elbe-Weser triangle and their significance in respect of society, communication and migration during the Roman Iron Age and Migration Period - Iris Aufderhaar 9. Cultural convergence in a maritime context: language and material culture as parallel phenomena in the Early-medieval southern North Sea region - Pieterjan Deckers 10. The kingdom of East Anglia, Frisia and Continental connections c. 600 900 - Tim Pestell 11. A comparison of the injury tariffs in the early Kentish and the Frisian law codes - Han Nijdam 12. Cultural contacts between the western Baltic, the North Sea region, and Scandinavia: attributing runic finds to runic traditions and corpora of the Early Viking Age - Hauke Jöns 13. Cultural contacts between the western Baltic, the North Sea region, and Scandinavia: attributing runic finds to runic traditions and corpora of the Early Viking Age - Christiane Zimmermann

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Book SynopsisFirst full-length study of the use and perception of deceit in medieval warfare.

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Book SynopsisCopiously illustrated edition with translation of seminal texts on the joust in medieval Iberia.

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Book SynopsisThis ground-breaking study explores the rise of a Welsh elite of administrators and military figures in the generations after the Edwardian Conquests of 127788. It shows how a ministerial aristocracy had developed in the Age of the Princes, before the Edwardian conquest threatened to impose English colonial administrations throughout the land. However, close documentary analysis reveals that Edward I (d.1307) emerged in his later life not as the vindictive conqueror of most accounts, but as a ruler dependent on Welsh support, ready to listen to and remedy Welsh grievances, and to encourage the revival of a Welsh governing class. In addition, the book includes the first detailed study of scores of members of that class throughout Wales in the first half of the fourteenth century. It concludes by exploring the mid-century crises that shook the Welsh establishment and set them on the road to the Glyn Dwr rising of 1400.

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Book SynopsisThe literatures of medieval Wales and Ireland are among the richest vernacular traditions of medieval Europe. From a large corpus of poetry and prose, key texts such as the Welsh Mabinogion, the Irish sagas, Celtic Latin literature, chronicles, saints' lives and court poetry have established their place within the written legacy of medieval Europe. This collection of original essays by leading Celtic scholars, writing in honour of Catherine McKenna, Professor of Celtic at Harvard University, goes beyond the familiar canon of medieval Celtic literatures to showcase a wide range of Welsh and Irish texts that are compelling in their literary imagination and technical innovation.

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Book SynopsisThis study presents an analysis of the Welsh Liberal Party under the leadership of Emlyn Hooson. It begins with an overview of the period prior to Hooson's 1962 by-election win in Montgomery, following the death of Clement Davies, and the first section describes Hooson's leadership of the Liberal Party of Wales, his recognition that the organisation was fundamentally flawed and that it needed to be reorganised. The solution was a root and branch reorganisation and the formation of a new state party, which would be federated to the British Liberal Party but separate in its functions and leadership. The second section details Hooson's steering of the party through chapters on the organisation, policy formation and the electoral record. The book comprises the first in-depth description of the Welsh Liberal Party during a tumultuous time in Welsh politics; recognising how current Welsh political historiography has sidelined the Welsh Liberals in favour of Plaid Cymru and Labour, it re-evaluates the Liberals' position during the period and Hooson's role.

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Book SynopsisJoseph Harris, elder brother of the methodist preacher Howell Harris, made important contributions to the sciences and public life of Great Britain in the eighteenth century. A protégé of Edmond Halley and an apprentice to globe and mapmakers, Harris made a lasting impression on some of the most illustrious scientists of his day, contributing to our understanding of astronomy, longitude, navigation, instrument making and optics. And, as assay master at the Royal Mint, he influenced the standardisation of weights and measures, and became a confident of politicians, Prime Ministers and Chancellors of the Exchequer. His essays on our monetary system still impact on political structures today. Remarkably, Harris also found time to make astronomical observations and teach navigational techniques for the Royal Society, and in 1761 was the only man in Wales to record the Transit of Venus.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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Book SynopsisThe best introduction to the terrible international impact of the Black Death. Unique, sensational and shocking, this revelatory book provides the best overview of the Europe-wide history of the Black Death. The author's painstakingly comprehensive research throws fresh light on the nature of the disease, its origin, its spread, on an almost day-to-day basis, across Europe, Asia Minor, the Middle East and North Africa, its mortality rate and its impact on history. These latter two aspects are of central importance here, for it is demonstrated that the plague's death rates have consistently been under-estimated and that they were in fact much higher, making the disease's long-term effects on history even more profound. First paperback edition published 2006. OLE J. BENEDICTOW is Professor of History at the University of Oslo.Trade ReviewBenedictow's book is highly recommended. It is well written and accompanied by many helpful maps and tables of data. * STUDIES IN MEDIEVAL AND RENAISSANCE TEACHING *The thoroughness and precision of [Benedictow's] research are admirable. [...] Opens a treasure trove of correct information. There is no doubt that [the book] should be acquired by all university libraries. * FIFTEENTH-CENTURY STUDIES *Every library that covers population studies, epistemology, or medieval history should have a copy of Benedictow's book. * POPULATION STUDIES & DEVELOPMENT *A book which should be on every Late-Medievalist's bookshelf. It is packed with valuable and well-considered accounts. ... A wonderful compilation of data which will be widely used for many years to come. * MEDIEVAL ARCHAEOLOGY *[This] remarkable, engrossing and controversial study is the first to assemble and synthesize historical data from every region in which the Black Death wrought havoc. [...] An immense and entirely breathtaking feat of scholarship...and a moving quest to account for a cruel phenomenon. * TLS *[This] magisterial account mixes demographic research, meticulous reading of the chronicles and modern bacteriology. * THE GUARDIAN *The author...has achieved a Herculean task in reviewing a very large part of the literature on the pestilential disease or set of diseases that afflicted Europe from 1346 to 1353. * THE MEDIEVAL REVIEW *A valuable addition to the historiography of the Black Death. Highly recommended. * CHOICE *Ambitious and contentious. * ENGLISH HISTORICAL REVIEW *Those looking for a vast compendium of local data will not be disappointed. * SPECULUM *

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Book SynopsisCatalogue of excavated household items from the middle ages provides an invaluable reference tool for experts and the general reader alike. This book brings together for the first time the astonishing diversity of excavated furnishings and artefacts from medieval London homes. These include roofing and other structural items, decorative fixtures and fittings, and assortment of culinary utensils, writing instruments, and toys and weights. Illustrating some 1,000 items, the catalogue provides a fascinating account of how metalwork and glassware manufacturing trends changed during the period covered, while close dating of many of the finds has resulted in many new insights into life at the time.Trade ReviewIt is possible, using this catalogue of finds, to consider new insights into life in medieval Britain during this period and, as such, this volume is ideal for anyone with an academic interest in the period historically or archaeologically. [...] It is a fascinating insight into a very small but significant period of British history and a volume which as part of a wider series nonetheless stands well on its own as an individual work of reference. * REFERENCE REVIEWS *This second edition is testament to the thorough research that underpinned the original. * MEDIEVAL ARCHAEOLOGY *Illustrates and explains an astounding diversity of excavated furnishings and artefacts from medieval London homes. [...] It is possible, using this catalogue of finds, to consider new insights into life in medieval Britain during this period and, as such, this volume is ideal for anyone with an academic interest in the period historically or archaeologically. * REFERENCE REVIEWS *These finds give us a marvellous picture of London life in the later middle ages. [...] For historians and archaeologists alike, this catalogue provides a wealth of primary material for further analysis. The introductory essays and commentaries on individual categories and pieces are excellent. * THE MEDIEVAL REVIEW *(reviewed together with 'Pilgrim Souvenirs') Republication of two volumes from the essential Medieval Finds from Excavations in London series, both from 1998, is very welcome. Print quality is excellent, and Boydell has hardbacked them, wise for reference books guaranteed a long life. * BRITISH ARCHAEOLOGY *

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Book SynopsisThe story of arms in Western Europe from the Renaissance to the Industrial Revolution. A treasury of information based on solid scholarship, anyone seeking a factual and vivid account of the story of arms from the Renaissance period to the Industrial Revolution will welcome this book. The author chooses as his starting-point the invasion of Italy by France in 1494, which sowed the dragon's teeth of all the successive European wars; the French invasion was to accelerate the trend towards new armaments and new methods of warfare. The authordescribes the development of the handgun and the pike, the use and style of staff-weapons, mace and axe and war-hammer, dagger and dirk and bayonet. He shows how armour attained its full Renaissance splendour and then suffered itssorry and inevitable decline, culminating in the Industrial Revolution, with its far-reaching effects on military armaments. Above all, he follows the long history of the sword, queen of weapons, to the late eighteenth century, when it finally ceased to form a part of a gentleman's every-day wear. Lavishly illustrated. EWART OAKESHOTT was one of the world's leading authorities on the arms and armour of medieval Europe. His other works on the subject include Records of the Medieval Sword and The Sword in the Age of Chivalry.Trade ReviewAn engaging book of great use to scholars and students. [It] demystifies the material culture of an important aspect of the military and tournament activities of early modern Europe. .. If one had room for only a single book on the subject, this volume should be it. * SEVENTEENTH CENTURY NEWS *This book represents part of the essential reading list for any student of the subject. [...] The coverage of the subject is comprehensive. The illustrations, both line drawings and photographs, are excellent. * HOBILAR *This seminal work makes a welcome return...Anyone who has read any of Mr Oakeshott's books will know well the clear, chatty style of his text...it is a pleasure to read. * CHRONICLE REGIA ANGLORUM *The contents of this book are comprehensive...woven into the background of history... A further volume by one of the world's leading authorities on [the subject] and a true work of reference not merely for any serious student of the subject but also those with an interest in a lively and most readable account of the artifacts of warfare during this period of development. * CLASSIC ARMS & MILITARIA *

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Book SynopsisAn examination of daily life in the Middle Ages which reveals the intimate relations between age groups, between the living and the dead, and between people and things. An important and timely volume... an elegant summary of complex theory, and synthesis of an impressive body of material. It will be eagerly read by current and future generations of archaeologists, and will demonstrate the significance of historical archaeology to a much wider scholarly audience. Dr Kate Giles, University of York. The aim of this book is to explore how medieval life was actually lived - how people were born and grew old, how they dressed, how they inhabited their homes, the rituals that gave meaning to their lives and how they prepared for death and the afterlife. Its fresh and original approach uses archaeological evidence to reconstruct the material practices of medieval life, death and the afterlife. Previous historical studies of the medieval "lifecycle" begin with birth and end with death. Here, in contrast, the concept of life course theory is developed for the first time in a detailed archaeological case study. The author argues that medieval Christian understanding of the "life course" commenced with conception and extended through the entirety of life, to include death and the afterlife. Five thematic case studies present the archaeology of medieval England (c.1050-1540 CE) in terms of the body, the household, the parish church and cemetery, and the relationship between the lives of people and objects.A wide range of sources is critically employed: osteology, costume, material culture, iconography and evidence excavated from houses, churches and cemeteries in the medieval English town and countryside. Medieval Life reveals theintimate and everyday relations between age groups, between the living and the dead, and between people and things. Roberta Gilchrist is Professor of Archaeology at the University of Reading.Trade ReviewIn accessible language and compelling prose, Roberta Gilchrist applies a substantial corpus of archaeological evidence and anthropological theory on material culture to the social construction of the medieval life from c. 1050 to 1540. This book is essential reading for medievalists already working with material evidence, and provides an elegant example for historians and religious scholars of all periods interested in how material theory can shape their own projects. * RELIGIOUS STUDIES REVIEW *A significant book that has potential to open new areas of study and to bring innovative approaches to a wide audience of medievalists from different disciplines. * ARCHAEOLOGICAL JOURNAL, vol. 170 *Gilchrist draws from an impressively wide range of evidence with skill. The volume is a detailed interrogation of the personal objects that furnished Medieval life [and] as a result it is a notable contribution to a growing body of complex interdisciplinary social archaeologies. * CURRENT ARCHAEOLOGY *A vital and innovative contribution to our understanding of how medieval people interacted with and comprehended the world they inhabited. . [It] is an exemplary model of interdisciplinary history. * JOURNAL OF INTERDISCIPLINARY HISTORY *If you prefer your medieval studies written with sustained brilliance, elegant, concise prose and frequently ravishing insight, then this is the book for you. * MEDIEVAL ARCHAEOLOGY *This important book is well written and supports every conjecture with evidence and citations. By organizing the book along thematic questions as opposed to categories of objects, Gilchrist gives a stimulating new perspective on the interdisciplinary topic of life cycles in medieval England. * MEDIEVAL REVIEW *This is an important book. The scope of the work is impressive [and] the presentation is excellent. * ANTIQUITY *A very original work of analysis and synthesis. [...] An unusual, and unusually interesting study. * NORTHERN HISTORY *Vivid and rich in humanity. [...] For anyone who wishes to sense what being medieval meant, it is a key text. * BRITISH ARCHAEOLOGY *The great merit of Roberta Gilchrist's volume is that it shows us a past that was infinitely more complicated, and often complicated by people whose voices have left no articulate trace. * TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT *A wonderful bringing-together of archaeology with standard history. * BIBLIOBUFFET *Table of ContentsArchaeology and the Life Course Experiencing Age: the Medieval Body Clothing the Body: Age, Sexuality and Transitional Rites The Medieval Household: the Material Culture of Everyday Life The Medieval Church and Cemetery: the Quick and the Dead Medieval Lives: People and Things Appendices Bibliography

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Book SynopsisAccounts of specific communities and themes build to a comprehensive picture of Jews in England C11 - C13. Britain's medieval Jewish community arrived with the Normans in 1066 and was expelled from the country in 1290. This is the first time in many years that its life has been comprehensively examined for a student and general readership. Beginning with an introduction setting the medieval British experience into its European context, the book continues with three chapters outlining the history of the Jews' presence and a discussion of where they settled. Further chapters then explore themes such as their relationship with the Christian church, Jewish women's lives, the major types of evidence used by historians, the latest evidence emerging from archaeological exploration, and new approaches from literary studies. The book closes with a reappraisal of one of the best-known communities, that at York. Drawing together the work of experts in the field, and supported by an extensive bibliographical guide, this isa valuable and revealing account of medieval Jewish history in Britain. Patricia Skinner is a Wellcome Research Fellow in the College of Arts and Humanities, Swansea University. Contributors: ANTHONY BALE, SUZANNE BARTLETT, PAUL BRAND, BARRIE DOBSON, JOHN EDWARDS, JOSEPH HILLABY, D.A. HINTON, ROBIN MUNDILL, ROBERT C. STACEY.Trade ReviewThere are gems of information, excellent insights and a useful bibliography in this collection. * JOURNAL OF JEWISH STUDIES *As a review of the current state of scholarship, this collection combines concision with expertise. It covers a great deal of ground with commendable zest. * ENGLISH HISTORICAL REVIEW *A useful collection of essays which clearly adds to our understanding of Jewish life in medieval Britain. * HISTORY *A welcome sight...it proves that medieval Jewish history is finally gaining the recognition it deserves. * ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY *An invaluable guide to recent work and the present state of knowledge [in the subject]. * NORTHERN HISTORY *Table of ContentsJewish Colonisation in the Twelfth Century - Joe Hillaby The English Jews under Henry III - Robert C. Stacey Edward I and the Final Phase of Anglo-Jewry - Robin Mundill The Jewish Community in the Records of English Royal Government - Paul Brand The Church and the Jews in Medieval England - John Edwards Medieval Anglo-Jewry: the Archaeological Evidence - D A Hinton Women in the Medieval Anglo-Jewish Community - Suzanne Bartlet Fictions of Judaism in England before 1290 - Anthony P. Bale The Medieval York Jewry Reconsidered - Barrie Dobson

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Book SynopsisCollection of source material and crucial interpretations, offering a comprehensive guide to Anglo-Saxon warfare. Selected by Choice as an Outstanding Academic Title. The warfare of the late Anglo-Saxon period had momentous consequences for the development of the English state following Alfred the Great's reign. This book provides acomprehensive guide, with extracts in translation from the principal sources for our knowledge, accompanied by the most important interpretations by scholars through the ages, and new introductions by the present author. It looksat every aspect of the topic, from land and sea forces to logistics and campaigning, from fortifications and the battlefield to the final peacemaking. In so doing, it highlights the significance of warfare and its organisation for the late Anglo-Saxon state, and the multitude of ways in which it was recorded and remembered. Dr Ryan Lavelle is Senior Lecturer in Medieval History at the University of Winchester.Trade ReviewWill surely become a go-to guide for those seeking to represent 'authentic' medieval warfare of the period in all its facets, as well as those who want to authoritatively critique such descriptions. * MEDIEVALLY SPEAKING *The most complete, authoritative insight into the military affairs of Alfred's rule and perfect for a thorough analysis of the warfare that he waged. EUROPEAN REVIEW OF HISTORY An important book. * SOUTHERN HISTORY *Students of Anglo-Saxon culture and warfare will find cause to grab Alfred's Wars off the shelf time and again. It is the most comprehensive treatment of its subject yet published. * JOURNAL OF MILITARY HISTORY *A remarkably inclusive, detailed and wide-ranging account of the state of current scholarship on the subject of later Anglo-Saxon warfare [and] an indispensable overview of historical approaches. * MEDIEVAL ARCHAEOLOGY *As thorough as one could possibly hope, and should become a standard point of reference for future research and teaching on Anglo-Saxon warfare. Essential. * CHOICE *In respect of the areas covered, the depth of discussion and the review of previous scholarship, this book has few equals. For the study of early medieval warfare, this book provides an exceptionally useful starting point and deserves a place on the bookshelf of every student of the period. Highly recommended! * MEDIEVAL WARFARE *

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Book SynopsisA powerful exploration of trees in both the real and the imagined Anglo-Saxon landscape. Trees played a particularly important part in the rural economy of Anglo-Saxon England, both for wood and timber and as a wood-pasture resource, with hunting gaining a growing cultural role. But they are also powerful icons in many pre-Christian religions, with a degree of tree symbolism found in Christian scripture too. This wide-ranging book explores both the "real", historical and archaeological evidence of trees and woodland, and as they are depicted in Anglo-Saxon literature and legend. Place-name and charter references cast light upon the distribution of particular tree species (mapped here in detail for the first time) and also reflect upon regional character in a period that was fundamental for the evolution of the present landscape. Della Hooke is Honorary Fellow of the Institute for Advanced Research in Arts and Social Sciences at the University of Birmingham.Trade ReviewClearly written, well-illustrated, and impressively broad-ranging in its methodology. The footnotes and bibliography make it an invaluable resource for further study. * PARERGON *Della Hooke's book is the first large-scale treatment of its subject, and could hardly be surpassed in its patient and thorough accumulation of data. Lovers of trees and students of early England have equal reason to be grateful to her. -- Ronald Hutton * TIME AND MIND *An enjoyable read and [...] a useful addition to our understanding of pre-Medieval landscapes. * SCOTTISH FORESTY *To look at any tree after reading [the] book is to have a clearer grasp of what someone might have made of it (literally and metaphorically) a thousand years ago. * SALON *An enormously detailed and authoritative study [which] has much to offer Anglo-Saxon scholarship. [...] An excellent volume. * LANDSCAPE HISTORY *[A] well-written and thoughtfully constructed book. * MEDIEVAL ARCHAEOLOGY *[A] deeply researched and engagingly written book. * THE MEDIEVAL REVIEW *

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Book SynopsisFresh assessments of Edgar's reign, reappraising key elements using documentary, coin, and pictorial evidence. King Edgar ruled England for a short but significant period in the middle of the tenth century. Two of his four children succeeded him as king and two were to become canonized. He was known to later generations as "the Pacific" or"the Peaceable" because his reign was free from external attack and without internal dissention, and he presided over a period of major social and economic change: early in his rule the growth of monastic power and wealth involved redistribution of much of the country's assets, while the end of his reign saw the creation of England's first national coinage, with firm fiscal control from the centre. He fulfilled King Alfred's dream of the West Saxon royalhouse ruling the whole of England, and, like his uncle King Æthelstan, he maintained overlordship of the whole of Britain. Despite his considerable achievements, however, Edgar has been neglected by scholars, partly becausehis reign has been thought to have passed with little incident. A time for a full reassessment of his achievement is therefore long overdue, which the essays in this volume provide. CONTRIBUTORS: SIMON KEYNES, SHASHI JAYAKUMAR, C.P. LEWIS, FREDERICK M. BIGGS, BARBARA YORKE, JULIA CRICK, LESLEY ABRAMS, HUGH PAGAN, JULIA BARROW, CATHERINE KARKOV, ALEXANDER R. RUMBLE, MERCEDES SALVADOR-BELLOTrade ReviewA welcome cheaper reprint of important papers. * NORTHERN HISTORY *[An] academic history, aimed at those with a serious interest in Anglo-Saxon history. It will be of great value for them, casing light on this otherwise obscure reign. * WWW.HISTORYOFWAR.ORG *A timely reassessment of this monarch and reign. * YEAR'S WORK IN ENGLISH STUDIES *Illuminates aspects of Edgar's reign that have not been well covered in most general works, and its consistently high standard will ensure that it becomes essential reading for those who wish to understand the life and times of Edgar the Peaceable. * ENGLISH HISTORICAL REVIEW *Table of ContentsEdgar: Rex admirabilis - Simon D Keynes A Conspectus of the Characters of King Edward, 957-975 - Simon D Keynes Eadwig and Edgar: Politics, Propaganda, Faction - Shashi Jayakumar Edgar, Chester, and the Kingdom of the Mercians, 957-9 - C P Lewis Edgar's Path to the Throne - Frederick M. Biggs The Women in Edgar's Life - Barbara Yorke Edgar, Albion and Insular Domination - Julia C Crick King Edgar and the Men of the Danelaw - Lesley Abrams The Pre-Reform Coinage of Edgar - Hugh Pagan The Chronology of the Benedictine "Reform" - Julia Barrow The Frontispiece to the New Minster Charter and the King's Two Bodies - Catherine E. Karkov The Laity and Monastic Reform in the Reign of Edgar - Alexander R. Rumble The Edgar Panegyrics in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle - Mercedes Salvador-Bello

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Book SynopsisFrom the saviour of the realm to the subject of multiple attempted assassinations in the space of six years. King Henry IV's reign was characterised by his fear and paranoia, but above all a continued quest for survival. The son of John the Gaunt, Henry was seen as a confident, well-educated, generous, and spiritually fervent young man. And, in 1399, having ousted the insecure tyrannical Richard II, he was enthusiastically greeted as the new King of England. However, therein lay Henry's weakness. Upon assuming the crown, he found himself surrounded by men who would only support him as long as they could control him. When they failed, they plotted to kill him.Long characterised as a treacherous murderer for slaying Richard II, Henry IV's achievements as king have been played down throughout history. However, in this fascinating examination of his reign, Ian Mortimer revaluates what Henry managed to accomplish against all adversity as king. Provoking a social revolution as well as a political one, he took a poorly ruled nation into a new, Lancastrian dynasty, and, while perhaps not the most glorious king England has ever had, he certainly proves to one of the bravest.'[Mortimer] has... a vivid historical imagination which lends colour and excitement to his pages' Literary ReviewTrade Review[Mortimer] has an instinctive sympathy for the men about whom he writes, a real understanding of the mentalities of late medieval England, and a vivid historical imagination which lends colour and excitement to his pages * Literary Review *Mortimer's book is a success and tells an important story very well -- Richard Francis * Daily Telegraph *An arresting and original biography -- Jessie Childs * Sunday Telegraph *[It] possesses the rare combination of clarity, liveliness, balanced judgement, erudition without pedantry, and scholarship founded on his own research among primary sources * Scotland on Sunday *The book is at its most compelling in conjuring a sense of place or occasion * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisThe story of Wales from prehistoric times up to 1066. Maps and many photographs included. A new edition of a volume first published in January 1989.

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Book SynopsisA chronological outline of Welsh history from the ninth to the sixteenth century which is also a guide to readers who like to relate what they read to places they can visit. A new edition of a volume first published in 1993.

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Book SynopsisFrom the Battle of Hastings to the Battle of Bosworth Field, Nicholas Vincent tells the story of how Britain was born. When William, Duke of Normandy, killed King Harold and seized the throne of England, England's language, culture, politics and law were transformed. Over the next four hundred years, under royal dynasties that looked principally to France for inspiration and ideas, an English identity was born, based in part on the struggle for control over the other parts of the British Isles (Scotland, Wales and Ireland), in part on rivalry with the kings of France. From these struggles emerged English law and an English Parliament, the English language, English humour and England's first overseas empires. In this thrilling and accessible account, Nicholas Vincent not only tells the story of the rise and fall of dynasties, but investigates the lives and obsessions of a host of lesser men and women, from archbishops to peasants, and from soldiers to scholars, upon whose enterprise the social and intellectual foundations of Englishness now rest.This the first book in the four-volume Brief History of Britain which brings together some of the leading historians to tell our nation's story from the Norman Conquest of 1066 to the present day. Combining the latest research with accessible and entertaining story-telling, it is the ideal introduction for students and general readers.

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Book SynopsisHenry V is regarded as the great English hero. Lionised in his own day for his victory at Agincourt, his piety and his rigorous application of justice, he was elevated by Shakespeare into a champion of English nationalism for all future generations. But what was he really like? Does he deserve to be thought of as 'the greatest man who ever ruled England?'In Ian Mortimer's groundbreaking book, he portrays Henry in the pivotal year of his reign. Recording the dramatic events of 1415, he offers the fullest, most precise and least romanticised view we have of Henry and what he did. The result is not only a fascinating reappraisal of Henry; it brings to the fore many unpalatable truths which biographers and military historians have largely ignored. At the centre of the book is the campaign which culminated in the battle of Agincourt: a slaughter ground designed not to advance England's interests directly but to demonstrate God's approval of Henry's royal authority on both sides of the Channel.Trade ReviewIan Mortimer's 1415: Henry V's Year of Glory is compelling, exuberant and erudite - combining the vivid drama of medieval character and battle with the vigour of revisionist history -- Simon Sebag Montefiore, author of Young StalinMortimer creates a new and convincing likeness of medieval England's most iconic king -- Nick Rennison * Sunday Times *Mortimer writes biographical history with formidable energy and panache... This is the most illuminating exploration of the reality of fifteenth-century life that I have ever read * Independent *Ian Mortimer... has virtually single-handedly put medieval history back in the hands of ordinary readers, combining scrupulous research with a wonderfully iconoclastic approach to storytelling -- Dominic Sandbrook * Daily Telegraph *Bold...new and unexpected -- Anne Wroe * The Economist *

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Book SynopsisThe history of the Middle Ages [in Ireland] is so neglected that the only figure of renown is Strongbow, the man who led the Norman Invasion of Ireland in the twelfth century … There is little written about the lives of majority of men, who held no title or land, and even less about women … Indeed, so neglected are these people in history that many of the stories and people recounted … haven’t been heard of in centuries. In a society born of conquest, beset with famines and plagues, and where the staples of life were everything from spies and corruption to witch trials and warfare, life in medieval Ireland was seldom dull. In Life in Medieval Ireland, Finbar Dwyer offers a unique portrait of life as it was lived in medieval Ireland. Against the backdrop of what was often a violent and chaotic period of history, Dwyer explores the personal stories of those whose recollections have been preserved, finding in them continual relevance and human interest.

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Book SynopsisIn 1485 the Battle of Bosworth marked an epoch in the lives of two great houses: the house of York fell to the ground when Richard III died on the field of battle; and the house of Tudor rose from the massacre to reign for the next hundred years. Michael Jones, co-author of The King's Grave: The Search for Richard III, rewrites this landmark event in English history. He shifts our perspective of its heroes and villains and puts Richard firmly back into the context of his family and his times.Trade ReviewSplendid . . . a very exciting re-interpretation of the battle which totally transforms our understanding of what actually happened on that fateful day * Professor A. J. Pollard *An extraordinary shift . . . puts this key English battle over the county line * Guardian *Insightful and rich study of the battle of Bosworth . . . no longer need Richard play the villain * Times Literary Supplement *An entirely new analysis of Bosworth . . . a lively read * BBC History Magazine *

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Book SynopsisWho was the real King Arthur? What do the historical documents tell us about the Knight of the Round Temple? It is just a chivalric fantasy? The story of Arthur has been handed down to us by Medieval poets and legends - but what if he actually existed and was in fact a great king in the early years of Britain's story. Mike Ashley visits the source material and uncovers unexpected new insights into the legend: there is clear evidence that the Arthurian legends arose from the exploits of not just one man, but at least three originating in Wales, Scotland and Brittany. The true historical Arthur really existed and is distantly related to the present royal family.

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Book SynopsisA brilliant new interpretation of one of the most dramatic periods of British history.The Wars of the Roses didn't end at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485. Despite the death of Richard III and Henry VII's victory, it continued underground into the following century with plots, pretenders and subterfuge by the ousted white rose faction. In a brand new interpretation of this turning point in history, well known historian Desmond Seward reviews the story of the Tudors' seizure of the throne and shows that for many years they were far from secure. He challenges the way we look at the reigns of Henry VII and Henry VIII, explaining why there were so many Yorkist pretenders and conspiracies, and why the new dynasty had such difficulty establishing itself.King Richard's nephews, the Earl of Warwick and the little known de la Pole brothers, all had the support of dangerous enemies overseas, while England was split when the lowly Perkin Warbeck skilfully impersonated one of the princes in the tower in order to claim the right to the throne. Warwick's surviving sister Margaret also became the desperate focus of hopes that the White Rose would be reborn. The book also offers a new perspective on why Henry VIII, constantly threatened by treachery, real or imagined, and desperate to secure his power with a male heir, became a tyrant.Praise for Desmond Seward's A Brief History of the War of the Roses:'It is hard to imagine a historian more in command of his subject... The result is history as compelling as any novel' Independent 'This is a splendidly and vividly written book.' Evening StandardA Brief History of the Hundred Years Wars:'A well-written narrative, beautifully illustrated, and which takes into account most recent scholarship. It is also a good read.' Richard Cobb, New StatesmanTrade ReviewThe Last White Rose is history as it should be written: without hindsight or embellishment, but with erudition and a sense of immediacy that makes it a gripping and original read. -- Jessie Childs, author of Henry VIII’s Last VictimA vivid and compelling account of a neglected aspect of Tudor history. -- Linda Porter, author of Katherine ParrGripping and enthralling . . . no writer of fiction, however imaginative, could dream up more spell binding plots than what actually happened, so skilfully recounted here. -- Robert Hutchinson, The Last Days of Henry VIIIAn entertaining and valuable exploration of the early Tudor period. * Literary Review *The best and richest modern narrative history of the fiercely complex War of the Roses. * Military Times *A fluent, well-researched book. * Catholic Herald *A worthwhile addition. * The Field *Fans of the period will love this investigation. * Family History Monthly *A well-written account of a fascinating period. * Contemporary Review *This is lively history from a colourful age, telling a gripping story all the more vital for it being true. * Herald *

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Book SynopsisFew capital cities contain a landmark as rugged and expansive as Edinburgh's Holyrood Park and Arthur's Seat. Not only does this space provide superb recreational opportunities; it also contains important habitats for a vast diversity of Scottish wildlife, and a wealth of evidence for human activity stretching back into prehistory. Long before the first humans set foot here, this element of Scotland's landscape was shaped by violent volcanic activity, and it yielded crucial clues for pioneers in the study of geology. It has provided a rich agricultural resource, a venue for royal pastimes, a religious retreat, a sanctuary for debtors, an encampment for Jacobite troops, a military parade ground, a setting for books and films and a varied environment for a wide range of leisure pursuits. This book will help you explore the Park, identify its remarkable features and discover its many stories.

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Book SynopsisIt is easy to overlook how much of our history is preserved all around us the way the narrative of bygone days has been inscribed in fields, forests, hills and mountains, roads, railways, canals, lochs, buildings and settlements. Indeed, footprints of the past are to be found almost everywhere. The shapes of fields may reveal the brief presence of the Romans or the labours of medieval peasants; while great heaps of abandoned spoil or the remains of gargantuan holes in the ground mark the rapid decline of heavy industry in the recent past.These evocative spaces provide unique evidence for the way this land and its wealth of resources has been lived in, worked on, ruined, abandoned, restored and celebrated offering valuable clues that bring the past to life far more effectively than any written history.A History of Scotland's Landscapesexplores the many ways that we have used, adapted and altered our environment over thousands of years. Full of maps, photographs and drawings, it offers

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Book SynopsisA concise illustrated study of one of the most iconic battles in English history. Henry V's forces were tired, hungry, and faced a French army three to six times more numerous. However, they possessed several advantages, and English success resulted from the combination of heavily armoured men-at-arms with troops armed with the infamous longbow: the havoc this weapon wreaked was crucial. Using original fifteenth-century evidence, including the surviving French battle plan and the accounts of men present in both armies, this fully illustrated title featuring maps, photographs and detailed original artwork discusses the lead-up to the battle, the tactical dispositions of the two forces and the reasons for the ultimate English success.Table of ContentsOrigins of the Battle The Opposing Commanders The Opposing Armies The Agincourt Campaign The Battle of Agincourt The Outcome of the Battle The Battlefield Today Chronology A Guide to Further Reading Wargaming Agincourt

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Book SynopsisThe shocking massacre of the Jews in York, 1190, is here re-examined in its historical context along with the circumstances and processes through which Christian and Jewish neighbours became enemies and victims. The mass suicide and murder of the men, women and children of the Jewish community in York on 16 March 1190 is one of the most scarring events in the history of Anglo-Judaism, and an aspect of England's medieval past which is widely remembered around the world. However, the York massacre was in fact only one of a series of attacks on communities of Jews across England in 1189-90; they were violent expressions of wider new constructs of the nature of Christian and Jewish communities, and the targeted outcries of local townspeople, whose emerging urban politics were enmeshed within the swiftly developing structures of royal government. This new collection considers the massacreas central to the narrative of English and Jewish history around 1200. Its chapters broaden the contexts within which the narrative is usually considered and explore how a narrative of events in 1190 was built up, both at the timeand in following years. They also focus on two main strands: the role of narrative in shaping events and their subsequent perception; and the degree of convivencia between Jews and Christians and consideration of the circumstances and processes through which neighbours became enemies and victims. SARAH REES JONES is Professor, and SETHINA WATSON Senior Lecturer, in History at the University of York. Contributors: Sethina Watson, Sarah Rees Jones, Joe Hillaby, Nicholas Vincent, Alan Cooper, Robert C. Stacey, Paul Hyams, Robin R. Mundill, Thomas Roche, Eva de Visscher, Pinchas Roth, Ethan Zadoff, Anna Sapir Abulafia, Heather Blurton, Matthew Mesley, Carlee A. Bradbury, Hannah Johnson, Jeffrey J. Cohen, Anthony BaleTrade ReviewThe contributions offering insights into Jewish life in Angevin England are particularly interesting . . . but they all give a clearer sense of the triangular relationship of crown, Jews, and Christians-a pattern visual elsewhere in Europe well into recent centuries. * STUDIES IN MEDIEVAL AND RENAISSANCE TEACHING *For all scholars of twelfth- and thirteenth-century England there is much to learn from this book. ... The editors and Press are to be congratulated on producing such an impressive and stimulating volume... York Medieval Press has, since 1999, added impressively to our knowledge of the history, literature and culture of the Middle Ages both in Britain and on the Continent. * NORTHERN HISTORY *A scholarly and stimulating volume. * YORKSHIRE ARCHAEOLOGICAL JOURNAL *Through its new approach to old sources and examination of new sources, the collection provides important insights into Christian attitudes toward Jews, as well as moments of violence against Jews and their everyday lives in medieval England. * JOURNAL OF CHURCH AND STATE *The volume as a whole makes a significant contribution to our understanding of the history of the Jewish community in medieval England and its relationship with the Christian population and English royal government. * CATHOLIC HISTORICAL REVIEW *An impressive and rich collection of articles. Each and every one.repays careful attention. The reader gets filled up with a very solid mixture of facts about the inner workings of Jewish life in Angevin England as well as an appetite for more. * MEDIEVAL HISTORIES *Table of ContentsIntroduction: The Moment and Memory of the York Massacre of 1190 - Sethina Watson Neighbours and Victims in Twelfth-Century York: A Royal Citadel, the Citizens and the Jews of York - Sarah Rees Jones Prelude and Postscript to the York Massacre: Attacks in East Anglia and Lincolnshire, 1190 - Joe Hillaby William of Newburgh, Josephus and the New Titus - Nicholas Vincent 1190, William Longbeard and the Crisis of Angevin England - Alan Cooper The Massacres of 1189-90 and the Origins of the Jewish Exchequer, 1186-1226 - Robert C. Stacey Faith, Fealty and Jewish 'Infideles' in Twelfth-Century England - Paul Hyams The 'archa' System and its Legacy after 1194 - Robin Mundill Making Agreements, with or without Jews, in Medieval England and Normandy - Thomas Roche An Ave Maria in Hebrew: The Transmission of Hebrew Learning from Jewish to Christian Scholars in Medieval England - Eva De Visscher The Talmudic Community of Thirteenth-Century England - Pinchas Roth and Ethan Zadoff Notions of Jewish Service in Twelfth and Thirteenth-Century England - Anna Sapir Abulafia Egyptian Days: From Passion to Exodus in the Representation of Twelfth-Century Jewish-Christian Relations - Heather Blurton 'De Judaea, Muta et Surda': Jewish Conversion in Gerald of Wales's Life of Saint Remigius - Matthew M. Mesley Dehumanizing the Jew at the Funeral of the Virgin Mary in the Thirteenth Century [c.1170 - c.1350] - Carlee Bradbury Massacre and Memory: Ethics and Method in Recent Scholarship on Jewish Martyrdom - Hannah Johnson The Future of the Jews of York - Jeffrey Jerome Cohen Afterword: Violence, Memory and the Traumatic Middle Ages - Anthony Bale Bibliography

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Book Synopsis1966 was a bad year for the thousands of fans of the erstwhile Somerset & Dorset route when, after more than 100 years of service there would be no more trains over this picturesque line between Bath and Bournemouth. In the years building up to that dreadful time, railway management had done everything they could to make the railway less attractive, diverting trains and rescheduling services so as to make connections difficult if not impossible, at the same time ''asset stripping'' so as to reduce to a minimum the service this once proud railway could offer. Half a century later much of the route has disappeared but before it did and whilst in moribund state, Jeffery Grayer recorded the scene witnessing the demise of a line and a way of life that has rarely been portrayed before. Containing much new material this book will rekindle memories of what once was and what we have now lost forever before. Much of the material to be seen is previously unpublished and will rekindle memories of

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Book SynopsisWinner of the Frank Watson Book Prize for the best book published on Scottish History Shortlisted for the Saltire Society History Book of the Year The legendary Scottish king Máel Coluim III, also known as ‘Malcolm Canmore’, is often held to epitomise Scotland’s ‘ancient Gaelic kings’. But Máel Coluim and his dynasty were in fact newcomers, and their legitimacy and status were far from secure at the beginning of his rule. Máel Coluim’s long reign from 1058 until 1093 coincided with the Norman Conquest of England, a revolutionary event that presented great opportunities and terrible dangers. Although his interventions in post-Conquest England eventually cost him his life, the book argues that they were crucial to his success as both king and dynasty-builder, creating internal stability and facilitating the takeover of Strathclyde and Lothian. As a result, Máel Coluim left to his successors a territory that stretched far to the south of the kingship’s heartland north of the Forth, similar to the Scotland we know today. The book explores the wider political and cultural world in which Máel Coluim lived, guiding the reader through the pitfalls and possibilities offered by the sources that mediate access to that world. Our reliance on so few texts means that the eleventh century poses problems that historians of later eras can avoid. Nevertheless Scotland in Máel Coluim’s time generated unprecedented levels of attention abroad and more vernacular literary output than at any time prior to the Stewart era.Trade Review'Not just a biography but a fascinatingly detailed picture of the world in which he lived... this is a terrific book. McGuigan writes with a light touch that makes his story a lively and entertaining read.' -- Alistair Forbes * Lance and Longbow Society *'The depth and breadth of McGuigan’s analysis are very impressive throughout. McGuigan leaves no argument uninterrogated nor avenue unexplored' * The Medieval Review *'a major achievement... the writing style is engaging, the maps and genealogies are helpful, and the breadth of scholarship and depth of analysis on display across so many disciplinary and temporal divides is impressive' * Speculum *'McGuigan has gone beyond the realms of biography to create a tangible vision of eleventh- century Scotland — and that is quite an achievement' -- Tom Fairfax * Cambrian Medieval Celtic Studies *'This is a beautifully written book that tackles a period of profound change in Scottish history with admirable breadth and range' * The Frank Watson Book Prize *

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