The Cambridge Illustrated History of the Middle Ages is a selection of essays on various aspects of history covering the period 950 – 1250 CE (or AD, if you prefer). The authors of the essays are French. However, although one or two of the early essays seem a bit Franco-centric, a lot more ground is covered. For example, there are chapters on the rise of Islam and the demise of Byzantium, and Scandinavia, Germany and Italy are also covered in the essays.
The illustrations comprise maps of the various areas and photographs of places and objects relevant to the matter being discussed. Some are in colour, most are black-and-white. Many of them made me think, “I want to go there”, or ” I want to see that object “. Places and objects in Europe are doable for me, as I live in England. Unfortunately places in the Near East or Middle East won’t be accessible in the foreseeable future. (I’m writing this in August 2014.)
The Cambridge Illustrated History of the Middle Ages is a weighty book in more ways than one. I found the topics interesting, but it wasn’t always an easy read. This is a book for an intelligent reader with a serious interest in the subject. It is not a book to dip into from time to time, but it will repay a bit more concentration.
