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The High Middle Ages cover art

The High Middle Ages

By: Philip Daileader, The Great Courses
Narrated by: Philip Daileader
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Summary

At the dawn of the last millennium in the year 1000, Europe was one of the world's more stagnant regions - an economically undeveloped, intellectually derivative, and geopolitically passive backwater, with illiteracy, starvation, and disease the norm for almost everyone.

Yet only three centuries later, all of this had changed. A newly invigorated cluster of European societies had revived city life, spawned new spiritual and intellectual movements and educational institutions, and had begun, for reasons both sacred and profane, to expand at the expense of neighbors who traditionally had expanded at Europe's expense. This series of 24 lectures, filled with memorable detail, examines how and why Europeans achieved this stunning turnaround. By its conclusion, you will be able to describe and analyze the social, intellectual, religious, and political transformations that set into motion this midsummer epoch of the medieval world - an epoch you will come to know very well through Professor Daileader's vivid descriptions and examinations of its people, including

  • the warrior aristocracy of knights, castellans, counts, and dukes;
  • free and unfree peasants; and townspeople, both artisans and merchants;
  • its vibrant stirrings of religion and intellect, including monastic life and charismatic figures like Francis of Assisi and Thomas Aquinas;
  • the lives of those outside the religious mainstream, especially heretics and Jews;
  • and its major political developments and events, including the First Crusade, the Norman Conquest of England, and the granting of the Magna Carta.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©2001 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)2001 The Great Courses

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    5 out of 5 stars

Another excellent course from Professor Daileader

This is the second of a trilogy of courses presented by Professor Daileader and on a par with the excellent first one on the Early Middle Ages. Having a much shorter time frame to cover than in the first course, Professor Daileader structures these lectures into three distinct groups: Society; Religion; and, Politics & War. Initially I was concerned that this would lead to an uneven course but I was surprised by how interesting and engaging the religious elements were.

As with the previous course, the great strength of the course is the light touch that Professor Daileader brings to it. He is entertainingly wry at times but never to the detriment of clearly explaining the subject matter. Particularly refreshing is the sense of self awareness he clearly has. Where other lecturers in these courses seem to be unaware of how their subject can seem to the casual listener the Prof Daileader seems only too aware of how strange or difficult some of the things he covers are.

All in all this is an excellent and enjoyable course that I would recommend but for the best experience listen to the Early Middle Ages first.

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6 people found this helpful

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My favorite great courses series

This three part series on the Middle Ages are my favorite lectures on the great courses series. It has opened up the subject on the Middle Ages for me. I knew next to nothing on the subject and now that Iv finished this series, I'm obsessed with everything concerning the period. The lecturer is warm, engaging and funny. Iv got nothing but good things to say about it. Thank you dr Daileader!

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Very good

Philip Daileader is the best lecturer I've come across in The Great Courses series. Focused and entertaining.

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  • mr
  • 03-07-14

Good

The weakest of the series, but still very good. Good overview and a good insight into the European continents history as a whole, as opposed to just focused on the home land.

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Is bad it’s not even funny

How can someone sound so American (the bad way), lazy, bored, yet arrogant and dissmissive at the same time.

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Great course!

The lecturer struggles with his breathing and it affects the listening experience but I stuck with it, because it's a fascinating course, a medieval history in a nutshell.
Beware, it focuses mainly on history of England and France.

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Heading

Many fascinating insights into a period long ago. Many fascinating insights into a period long ago.

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great material

An absolutely fascinating variety of material is covered in this course. This is one of the best courses I've listened to.

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Excellent introduction to the period

A magnificent overview of the period 1000-1300 and its relevance to modern society. Prof Daileader's themed approach makes it easy to follow strands. The discussions of approaches to medieval studies and controversies are also useful.

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  • Ed
  • 30-01-17

very disappointing

Compared to the first book in the series (which was wonderful) this history disappointed me on several levels.

Much of the content lacked any clear sense of time or place to the point where the descriptive sections lost some meaning.

at the very end there is a rather lame apology for narrowness of content. I agree that the content was limited. Almost no mention of Spain or the Islamic empire. very little about the territories to the east of modern day Germany or the middle east. Instead the last chapter concluded with a bit of hand wringing as to the volume and diversity of modern thought.

some interesting themes emerged such as demographics and Aquinas but these moments were fewer than I would have hoped. the speaker has an engaging presentation style.

I trust that the third in the series will be an improvement. please remember that the people buying these books are not academics but rely on these for clear presentation against busy professional lives.




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