Upon this review I prostrate myself. I subscribed to the arrogance of the Enlightenment; constrained by the belief that the golden age of rationalism singularly birthed our present civilization. The magisterial Middle Ages by Johannes Fried seeks to educate my heathen kin in this mistaken notion. In particular, its wonderfully full survey of Europe from late antiquity to the early Renaissance relates the role of the Middle Ages in Europe, its nations, sovereignty, jurisprudence, scientific method, and philosophy. It does so in a clear, and I assume well translated, style that follows developments, characters, and ideas, passing back and forth across time in individual chapters, while ultimately covering a thousand years of history. This work has completely changed my perspective on the role of the Middle Ages.

“The Enlightenment thinker Kant and his contemporaries were heirs to the age they denigrated, not its conquerors. They stood on the shoulders of others, yet were unaware of doing so.” (524, Epilogue.)

Johannes Fried is a historian who wants more than anything else in the world, for people to realize that the Middle Ages in Europe, were not what they we think of them. They were not "Dark Ages." They were not a time when the world was less enlightened. It was not a time when people stopped thinking about the world around them. It was not a world full of feudal lords and serfs, hoping that they would not be killed by the Black Death.

Instead, Fried portrays Medieval Europe as a lively era, full of great thinkers, great leaders, and many people wiser than we give them credit for. The concept of "The Middle Ages" as a backward time not worthy of study was first proposed during the Renaissance and then further advocated by Immanuel Kant during the Enlightenment. But, Fried argues, none of the events of the Renaissance, Reformation, or Enlightenment, took place in a vacuum. They all sprung up from ideas that germinated during the Middle Ages.

This book was first published in Germany in 2009, but just recently was translated into English. It is not a book for someone wanting to learn about knights in shining armor, but more for people who want to make sense of an era when Europe was in turmoil after the fall of the Roman Empire, the creation of the Holy Roman Empire, and countless political battles over the Papacy. There are a lot of names to keep track of, but Fried manages to make it all come together and make the Middle Ages sound like a time that was far from dark.

Choice: assumes prior knowledge but has a good thesis in final chapter qeustioning the use the term "Dark Ages."

started October 5th, set aside until winter break.

I picked this up because I lack a real understanding of the origin of the Holy Roman Empire and therfore of Germany. however, is hard to research the history of a place before it existed so I figured a survey of the broad period would help. It did. I feel more confident going forward, though this is by no means a comprehensive look at that subject. it covers way more ground and puts to rest some of those nasty "dark ages" comments made by later writers. The author specifically calls out Kant as the perpetrator...and I'm comfortable blaming Kant.

lots of emphasis on philosophy throughout, takes the narrative up to the early 16th century.