Foxing to ends of pages, dw creased at top and very slightly torn at top of spine (repaired). Otherwise good second-hand

The carefully chosen images in this book are used not merely as illustrations for seven themed chapters on medieval life, but as a medium for entering the glorious past. Illuminated manuscripts, sculptures and bas-reliefs, religious statuary and relics, and the architecture of the day serve as an elegant entree into the brilliant civilization known as the Middle Ages, introducing us to such complex institutions as feudalism, chivalry, and patronage, and exploring the roles of Church, monarchy, the university, and more in a changing society. Text takes the form of lively essays, each written by a distinguished scholar. Christopher Brooke examines The Structure of Mediaeval Society. George Zarnecki's The Monastic World discusses the contribution of Holy Orders. In The Mason's Skill, John Harvey explores the glories of Gothic architecture. Kings and Castles discusses court life. Richard Hunt's The Sum of Knowledge illuminates medieval scholarship. Viking Death is T.S.R. Boase's thoughtful examination of mortality, judgment, and redemption. And finally, Donald King discusses medieval commerce and industry in Currents of Trade...