This excellent and concise summary of the social and economic history of Europe in the Middle Ages examines the changing patterns and developments in agriculture, commerce, trade, industry and transport that took place during the millennium between the fall of the Roman Empire and the discovery of the New World.
After outlining the trends in demography, prices, rent, and wages and in the patterns of settlement and cultivation, the author also summarizes the basic research done in the last twenty-five years in many aspects of the social and economic history of medieval Europe, citing French, German and Italian works as well as English.
Significantly, this study surveys the present state of discussion on a number of on unresolved issues and controversies, and in some areas suggests common sense answers. Some of the problems of economic growth, or the lack of it, are looked at in the light of current theories in sociology and economic thought.
This classic text, first published in 1972, makes a useful and interesting general introduction for students of medieval and economic history.
1. A Changing Europe
2. Rural change and expansion to c.1000
3. The growth of the manor
4. Trade adn commerce in the early Middle Ages
5. the revival of trade and the growth of towns
6. The organization of trade in Italy: credit and banking
7. Medieval European trade: south and north
8. Economic growth in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries
9. Medieval transport
10. The developed areas of medieval Europe: Byzantium and Cordoba
11. Industry in the Middle Ages: Building
12. Industry in the Middle Ages: textiles
13. Mining and metallurgical industries in the Middle Ages
14. Medieval agrarian society at its zenith: tenurial relations
15. Medieval agrarian society at its zenith: the working of the land, techniques and crops
16. Decline and change: rebirth and new horizons.
Biography
Gerald A. Hodgett