The development of the social and political structures out of which emerged the modern european state was a long protracted process, the early stages of which are sparsely documented to say the least. Because reynolds covers such vast territories, even without the medieval. Books by susan reynolds author of fiefs and vassals. Fiefs and vassals is a book that will change our view of the medieval world. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading fiefs and vassals. Recommended readings in politicaleconomy and history. The concordat of worms is the 1122 agreement between the holy roman emperor henry v and pope callixtus ii, which brought to an end the first phase of the power struggle between the papacy and the holy roman emperor, known as the investiture controversy. The medieval evidence reinterpreted 1994, 5 susan reynolds expanded upon browns original thesis. Now, twenty years later, susan reynolds surveys the evidence for such misgivings and concludes that they are fully justified. Medieval people, moreover, did not use the term feudalism, a neologism of the enlightenment era. The medieval evidence reinterpreted kindle edition by reynolds, susan.
The medieval evidence reinterpreted 1994, susan reynolds expanded upon browns original thesis. This is a radical new examination of relations between rulers, nobles, and free men, the distillation of wideranging research by a leading medieval historian. Whether youve loved the book or not, if you give your honest and detailed thoughts then people will find new books that are right for them. Susan reynolds argues that the concepts of the fief and of vassalage, as understood by historians of medieval europe, were constructed by post medieval scholars from the works of medieval academic lawyers and tha. Fiefs and vassals has revolutionized the way we think of the middle ages.
Susan reynoldss most popular book is fiefs and vassals. It has revolutionized the way we think of the middle ages. Use the code medievalistweb for 25% off a subscription to. Susan reynolds is a senior fellow of the institute of historical research, london. Susan reynolds born 1929 is a british medieval historian whose book fiefs and vassals. The model feudalism upon which most medievalists have been relying is. Other readers will always be interested in your opinion of the books youve read. Susan reynolds argues that the concepts of the fief and of vassalage, as understood by historians of medieval europe, were constructed by postmedieval scholars from the works. Susan reynolds argues that the concepts of the fief and of.
Susan reynolds is an emeritus fellow of lad3 margaret hall, oxford. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. It offers a fundamental challenge to orthodox conceptions of feudalism. Supporters of brown have suggested that the term should be expunged from history textbooks and lectures on medieval history entirely. The book of fiefs was a highly tendentious work that represented one side in a difficult and emotional dispute. The medieval evidence reinterpreted by reynolds, susan and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at.
It offers a fundamental challenge to orthodox conceptions of feudalism and overturns centuries of misconceptions about the nature of medieval social relations. Susan reynolds argues that the concepts of the fief and of vassalage, as understood by historians of medieval europe, were constructed by post medieval scholars from the works of medieval academic lawyers and tha they provide a bad guide to the. German historical institute london bulletin volume xix, no. Susan reynolds argues that the concepts of the fief and of vassalage, as understood by historians of medieval europe, were constructed by post medieval scholars from the works of medieval academic lawyers and tha they provide a bad guide to the realities of. Offering a fundamental challenge to orthodox conceptions of feudalism, susan reynolds argues that the concepts of fiefs. Susan reynolds fiefs and vassals is a book that will change our view of the medieval world. Fiefs and vassals sets out to change our view of the medieval world.
Susan reynolds has 92 books on goodreads with 1441 ratings. Offering a fundamental challenge to orthodox conceptions of feudalism, susan reynolds argues that the concepts of fiefs and. Offering a fundamental challenge to orthodox conceptions of feudalism, susan reynolds argues that the concepts of fiefs and vassalage that have been central to the understanding of medieval society for hundreds of years are in fact based on a misunderstanding. An earlier version of this article was presented to the colloquium for scottish medieval and renaissance studies, pitlochry, january 2003. Susan reynolds argues that the concepts of the fief and of vassalage, as understood by historians of medieval europe, were constructed by post medieval scholars from the works of medieval academic lawyers. Fiefs and vassals susan reynolds oxford university press. Likewise, the fief is traditionally taken to be a grant of land from a lord to a free follower, with tenure of.
Fiefs and vassals by susan reynolds overdrive rakuten. Explore free books, like the victory garden, and more browse now. Taken together, i believe these studies will show that the popular conception of a free market is a myth, that there is always a tight interrelationship between politics and economics and that the welfare state originated by bismarck for political purposes in germany is. In it she demonstrated the 16thcentury origin of this sweeping ism and suggested that there was no evidence that this was how medieval society was organized, that there was no feudal pyramid by which a king gave land to barons who promised him service and in return gave parcels of land to men who would serve him. In a book that has already stirred up much discussion and is bound to stimulate more, susan reynolds campaigns with great learning, analytical skill, and polemical zeal. It consisted of heritable property or rights granted by an overlord to a vassal who held it in fealty or in fee in return for a form of feudal allegiance and service, usually given by the personal ceremonies of homage and fealty. In germany the system is variously referred to lehnswesen, feudalwesen or benefizialwesen.
Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. The medieval evidence reinterpreted by susan reynolds fiefs and vassals is a book that will change our view of the medieval world. Fiefs and vassals the medieval evidence reinterpreted susan reynolds. The fees were often lands or revenueproducing real property held in feudal land tenure. A fief was a grant of land tenure or of revenues held by a vassal from a lord, whose.
Become a member to get ad free access to our website and our articles. Offering a fundamental challenge to orthodox conceptions of feudalism, susan reynolds argues that the concepts of fiefs and vassalage that have been central to the understanding of medieval society for. It was signed on 23 september, 1122, near the german city of worms. Much of reynolds book is devoted to showing that this post medieval model does not fit the data derived from medieval charter evidence. In a book that has already stirred up much discussion and is bound to stimulate more. There is no real evidence that the normal heritability of free property was ever contested, although the. Whereas brown thought that vassalage was the weak point in the orthodox view of feudalism, reynolds places her stress instead on the fief. Susan reynolds argues that the concepts of the fief and of vassalage, as understood by historians of medieval europe, were constructed by post medieval scholarsfrom the works of medieval academic lawyers and tha they provide a bad guide to the realities. The medieval evidence reinterpreted new ed by susan reynolds isbn. Fiefs and vassals has changed our view of the medieval world. Feudalism in the holy roman empire was a politicoeconomic system of relationships between liege lords and enfeoffed vassals or feudatories that formed the basis of the social structure within the holy roman empire during the high middle ages.
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