Southeastern Europe in the Middle Ages, 500–1250

This book is an authoritative survey of the history of southeastern Europe from 500 to 1250.

Florin Curta (Author)

9780521894524, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 31 August 2006

528 pages
21.6 x 14 x 2.7 cm, 0.61 kg

'… a comprehensive study that brings to the English-speaking reader much of what has been accumulated in the field of Balkan, or Southeast-European studies by several generations of scholars.' Sixteenth Century Journal

Southeastern Europe in the Middle Ages stood at a crossroads of trade and crusading routes and fell within the spheres of influence of both the Byzantine Orthodox Church and Latin Christendom. This authoritative survey draws on historical and archaeological sources in the narration of 750 years of the history of the region, including Romania, southern Ukraine, southern Hungary, Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Albania and Greece. Exploring the social, political and economic changes marking the transition from late Antiquity to the early Middle Ages, this book addresses important themes such as the rise of medieval states, the conversion to Christianity, the monastic movement inspired by developments in Western Europe and in Byzantium, and the role of material culture (architecture, the arts and objects of daily life) in the representation of power.

Introduction
1. The end of Late Antiquity or the beginning of the Middle Ages (c.500–600)
2. Southeastern European 'Dark Ages' (c.600–c.800)
3. The rise of new powers (800–900)
4. Iron century or golden age? (900–1000)
5. The first Byzantine century (1000–1100)
6. The second Byzantine century (1100–1200)
7. Between the Crusade and the Mongol invasion (1200–50)
8. Conclusions and lingering questions.

Subject Areas: Early history: c 500 to c 1450/1500 [HBLC], European history [HBJD]