Aristocratic Life in Medieval France

Aristocratic Life in Medieval France PDF

Author: John W. Baldwin

Publisher: JHU Press

Published: 2002-03-18

Total Pages: 408

ISBN-13: 9780801869129

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Modern historians have generally approached the study of medieval society through chronicles, charters, and other documents composed in Latin by members of the clergy. Although these records may be satisfactory for studying the affairs of ecclesiastics, kings, and high barons, they are inadequate for assessing the major preoccupations of the aristocracy—living extravagantly, fighting, making love, entertaining, eating and dressing ostentatiously, and, generally, earning the disapproval of the clergy. In Aristocratic Life in Medieval France, the respected medieval scholar John Baldwin undertakes a study of this segment of society using, for the first time in nearly a century, the vernacular romances written exclusively for the amusement of aristocratic audiences. Rather than attempting to encompass all of Middle Age Europe, this study selects two writers, Jean Renart and Gerbert de Montreuil, and their four romances. It focuses with depth and specificity on the discrete area of northern France during a precise period, 1190–1230. Since Jean and Gerbert framed their fictional stories with contemporary and realistic features that could be recognized by their audiences, their works provide a wealth of detail on aristocratic living. Employing such literary techniques as "reality effects" and "horizons of expectations," Baldwin successfully discerns the historical content in these romance narratives.

De Vita Sua

De Vita Sua PDF

Author: Guibert (Abbot of Nogent-sous-Coucy)

Publisher: University of Toronto Press

Published: 1984-01-01

Total Pages: 276

ISBN-13: 9780802065506

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'His [Guilbert of Nogent (d. 1124), a Benedictine monk and historiographer] "Memoirs" are equally interesting and provide precious insights into French culture of the 11th and 12th centuries.

Medieval Jewry in Northern France

Medieval Jewry in Northern France PDF

Author: Robert Chazan

Publisher: Johns Hopkins University Press

Published: 2019-12-01

Total Pages: 258

ISBN-13: 9781421430669

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This story is significant for all who are fascinated by the capacity of human groups to respond and adapt creatively to a hostile and limiting environment.

Queenship in Medieval France, 1300-1500

Queenship in Medieval France, 1300-1500 PDF

Author: Murielle Gaude-Ferragu

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2016-08-31

Total Pages: 224

ISBN-13: 1349930288

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This book examines the power held by the French medieval queens during the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries and their larger roles within the kingdom at a time when women were excluded from succession to the throne. Well before Catherine and Marie de’ Medici, the last medieval French queens played an essential role in the monarchy, not only because they bore the weight of their dynasty’s destiny but also because they embodied royal majesty alongside their husbands. Since women were excluded from the French crown in 1316, they were only deemed as “queen consorts.” Far from being confined solely to the private sphere, however, these queens participated in the communication of power and contributed to the proper functioning of “court society.” From Isabeau of Bavaria and her political influence during her husband’s intermittent absences to Anne of Brittany’s reign, this book sheds light on the meaning and complexity of the office of queen and ultimately the female history of power.

Strong of Body, Brave and Noble

Strong of Body, Brave and Noble PDF

Author: Constance Brittain Bouchard

Publisher: Cornell University Press

Published: 1998

Total Pages: 220

ISBN-13: 9780801485480

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Medieval society was dominated by its knights and nobles. The literature created in medieval Europe was primarily a literature of knightly deeds, and the modern imagination has also been captured by these leaders and warriors. This book explores the nature of the nobility, focusing on France in the High Middle Ages (11th-13th centuries). Constance Brittain Bouchard examines their families; their relationships with peasants, townspeople, and clerics; and the images of them fashioned in medieval literary texts. She incorporates throughout a consideration of noble women and the nobility's attitude toward women. Research in the last two generations has modified and expanded modern understanding of who knights and nobles were; how they used authority, war, and law; and what position they held within the broader society. Even the concepts of feudalism, courtly love, and chivalry, once thought to be self-evident aspects of medieval society, have been seriously questioned. Bouchard presents bold new interpretations of medieval literature as both reflecting and criticizing the role of the nobility and their behavior. She offers the first synthesis of this scholarship in accessible form, inviting general readers as well as students and professional scholars to a new understanding of aristocratic role and function.

Life in Medieval France

Life in Medieval France PDF

Author: E R Chamberlin

Publisher: Sapere Books

Published: 2022-06-20

Total Pages: 160

ISBN-13: 9781800555310

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An enthralling social history of France during the Middle Ages. Perfect for readers of Ian Mortimer, John Julius Norwich and Frances Gies. Without doubt France was one of the wealthiest and most magnificent realms of the medieval world. Gothic architecture soared to the skies, troubadours sang romantic ballads and knights jousted for chivalric honour. Yet, this was also a land where peasants served their masters with little freedom, while war, pestilence and famine threatened their lives and those of their families. E.R. Chamberlin's fascinating overview of medieval France introduces the reader to what life was like for these peasants and knights, how merchants were developing towns and guilds, in what ways Christianity imbued the thoughts of all people, and how art and architecture was developing throughout the land. Life in Medieval France is an essential book for anyone interested in learning more about both high and low society during this remarkable period.

Life in Medieval France

Life in Medieval France PDF

Author: Eric Russell Chamberlin

Publisher: London : Batsford ; New York : Putnam

Published: 1967

Total Pages: 200

ISBN-13:

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A social history of France in the Middle Ages -- vendor's site

Medieval France

Medieval France PDF

Author: William W. Kibler

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2013-03-07

Total Pages: 2071

ISBN-13: 113557541X

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The first single-volume reference work on the history and culture of medieval France, this information-filled Encyclopedia of over 2,400 entries covers the political, intellectual, literary, and musical history of the country from the early fifth century to the late 15th. The shorter entries offer succinct summaries of the lives of individuals, events, works, cities, monuments, and other important subjects, followed by essential bibliographies. Longer essay-length articles provide interpretive comments about significant institutions and important periods or events. The Encyclopedia is thoroughly cross-referenced and includes a generous selection of illustrations, maps, charts, and genealogies