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This Cambridge Companion offers readers a comparative cultural history of north-western Europe in the crucial period of the eleventh century: the age of William the Conqueror. Besides England, Normandy, and northern France, the volume also explores Scandinavia, the North Sea world, the insular world beyond the English Channel, and various parts of Continental Europe. This Companion features essays designed specifically for those wishing to advance their knowledge and understanding of this important period of European history using a holistic and contextual perspective, deliberately shifting the focus away from William the man and onto the rich and fascinating culture of the world in which he lived and ruled. This was not the age created by William, but the age that created him. With contributions by leading international experts, this volume provides an inclusive and innovative study companion that is both authoritative and timely.
List of contents
Prologue: Studying the Age of William the Conqueror Benjamin Pohl; Part I. Home and Away: 1. Normandy and the continent Alheydis Plassmann; 2. England and the insular world Alex Woolf and Neil McGuigan; 3. Scandinavia and the North Sea world Michael H. Gelting; Part II. Space and Society: 4. Landscape and settlement Katherine Weikert; 5. Church and society Richard Allen; 6. Trade and travel Eljas Oksanen; Part III. Individuals and Institutions: 7. Family and kinship Laura L. Gathagan; 8. Nobility and aristocracy Daniel Booker and S. D. Church; 9. Kingship and consensus Björn Weiler; 10. Law and justice Emily Tabuteau; Part IV. Cultural Perspectives: 11. Warfare and violence Matthew Strickland; 12. History and memory Benjamin Pohl and Elisabeth van Houts; 13. Language and literacy Keith Busby; 14. Schools and education Mia Münster-Swendsen; Epilogue: The legacy of William the Conqueror and his age today David Bates.
About the author
Benjamin Pohl is Senior Lecturer in Medieval History at the University of Bristol. He specialises in the writing of history, manuscript studies, the history of the book, monasticism, and cultural memory studies. He is the author of numerous journal articles and book chapters, and his books include Dudo of Saint-Quentin's Historia Normannorum: Tradition, Innovation and Memory (2015) and The Bristol Merlin: Revealing the Secrets of a Medieval Fragment (2021).
Summary
This Cambridge Companion offers a comparative cultural history of north-western Europe in the crucial period of the eleventh century. With contributions by leading international experts, it provides its readers with a wide-ranging and innovative study companion that is both authoritative and timely.
