Danish Resources c. 1000-1550

Nils Hybel, dr. phil. (1989) in History, University of Aarhus, is Professor at the University of Copenhagen. He has published extensively on many aspects of European medieval history and historiography.Bjørn Poulsen, dr. phil. (1988) in History, University of Copenhagen, is Professor at the University of Aarhus, Denmark. He has published extensively on many aspects of Medieval and Early Modern Danish History.

• Abbreviations .. viiList of Illustrations and Maps .. ixIntroduction .. xvThe Natural World . 1Woods and Moors .. 3Arable Land .. 25Marine Resources . 45Climate .. 59Human Resources . 79Knowledge and Literacy .. 81Population . 111cRural Life .. 141Villages .. 143Manors .. 165Rural Resources .. 197Urban Industries . 225Towns and Markets .. 227Crafts ... 259Tax and Trade .. 297Rural Levies and Royal Finances . 299Money ... 323Commodity Trade .. 353Growth and Recession: A Synthesis . 381Bibliography .. 403Index of Persons and Places .. 431Subject Index .. 441

"...The authors make exhaustive use of published records and archival sources from the state archives at Copenhagen, the city archive of Flensburg, the Landesarchiv Schleswig-Holstein, and The National Archives in London, and survey an immense secondary literature. They use scientific evidence such as pollen analysis and archaeological data. The book is comparative, but less with Sweden and Norway than with the west, particularly England. It is not strongly statistical, although the authors make extrapolations for population figures and land use. They derive narratives from selected sources to illustrate broader points, and the result is an engaging, readable style. This is the best account of its topic in any language."David Nicholas, Clemson University in Economic History Review cxxvi. 522 (Oct. 2011), pp. 1193-95"Their approach to economic history is firmly grounded in primary sources rather than in the use of formal economic models. ... Hybel and Poulsen have provided a careful, critical survey of value to specialists, and for those with more general interests, a rich case study. Highly recommended". D. Mitch, University of Maryland Baltimore County in Choice May 2008 Vol. 45 No. 09.