Between 1095 and 1229, Western Europe confronted a series of alternative cultural possibilities that would fundamentally transform its social structures, its intellectual life, and its very identity. It was a period of difficult decisions and anxiety rather than a triumphant 'renaissance'. In this fresh reassessment of the twelfth century, John D. Cotts shows how new social, economic and religious options challenged Europeans to re-imagine their place...

"From the bestselling author of Germania, Lotharingia is the third installment in Simon Winder's personal history of Europe"-- At the heart of Western Europe lies a huge swath of land that stretches from the mud and fog of the North Sea coast; down through countless market towns, ports, fortresses, and ancient cathedrals; through a mass of river systems and forests; all the way to the great barrier of the Alps. Divided by languages, religions, and...