Early Medieval Europe 300–1050

David Rollason is Emeritus Professor of History at Durham University, UK. His previous publications include Northumbria 500–1100: Creation and Destruction of a Kingdom (2003) and The Power of Place: Rulers and Their Palaces, Landscapes, Cities, and Holy Places (2016). His research has included the cult of saints in Anglo-Saxon England, twelfth-century historical writing, the extensive medieval list of names known as the Durham Liber Vitae, and most recently royal and imperial sites across Europe

• PART I: INTRODUCTION, Chapter 1 Why study this period?, Chapter 2 From Roman Empire to barbarian kingdoms: cataclysm or transition?, Chapter 3 The dismemberment and survival of the Byzantine Empire, Chapter 4 The Arab conquests, Chapter 5 The making of peoples, PART III: POWER AND SOCIETY, Chapter 6 Pagan, Roman, and Christian beliefs about Rulers: ideological power, Chapter 7 Edicts, taxes, and armies: bureaucratic power, Chapter 8 Kings, warriors, and women: personal power, PART IV: THE ECONOMIC FOUNDATION, Chapter 9 Trade as a driving force?, Chapter 10 Cultivating the land: the basis of European society?, Chapter 11 Towns and cities: the functions of urban life, PART V: THE CHURCH’S TRIUMPH, Chapter 12 Conversion to Christianity, Chapter 13 The success of monasticism, Chapter 14 The power of bishops and popes, General Conclusion

'This is a wholly original "textbook" that explodes the genre in an enormously fruitful way. By focusing on evidence and interpretations, rather than offering a summary of what we think we know, it opens up for students the excitement of history as a conversation, a puzzle, even a game. The Early Middle Ages is an ideal period for such an exercise, given the relative scarcity of sources and the vibrant state of contemporary scholarship in the field. This is a book that treats students with great respect and offers instructors opportunities for creative pedagogy. Anyone teaching the period should have it on the shelf.'Adam J. Kosto, Columbia University, USA'David Rollason’s Early Medieval Europe provides a clear and comprehensive introduction to the sources for early medieval history as well as the historiographical debates occupying scholars right now. This new edition incorporates a wealth of fresh material on Byzantium and the Muslim caliphate, while retaining its unique approach that takes students seriously as active participants in the learning process.'Scott Bruce, University of Colorado Boulder, USA