Power and Faith

Examining the developments in the political and religious landscape of Western Europe between the tenth and thirteenth centuries, Power and Faith explores the origins of dominant nation states and religious institutions in the West that emerged out of the fractured and fragmented post-Carolingian world. As a foundational text for those new to the period, the book offers a clear chronological framework for understanding and analysing the emerging polities of Western Europe and an examination of the influence of the papacy and the Crusades across Christian life and culture. Mixed with careful consideration of major social and economic themes, including urbanisation, rural revolution, and the role of women in politics, religion, and society, the book gives a uniquely comprehensive overview of political and religious developments in Western Europe during a neglected yet fundamentally significant period. The introduction sets out the scope and aims of the book and includes a discussion of the main sources used. Thereafter the book is divided chronologically into three parts and within each part separate chapters deal in turn with the social and economic context of the period, the main political developments across Western Europe and the principal religious changes. Power and Faith is an essential introductory guide for students and researchers interested in politics, religion, and society in Western Europe during the middle ages.