Review: A Brief History of Life in the Middle Ages, by Martyn Whittock

This book was a delightful gift I received recently, and one I read rather rapidly.

The time period covered is pretty broad, although as the author acknowledges a lot can be argued about when the Middle Ages starts and when it ends (personally, I always liked the view that the Middle Ages is the period of time from the fall of the Roman Empire until the fall of the Roman Empire). In this book it covers pre-Conquest Anglo-Saxon England all the way until the middle of the 16^th century.

The broader approach taken allows for a look at what changed over the centuries and what stuck around for a long time (indeed, part of the reason the end date was chosen was because of the founding of the Church of England which ended many longstanding practices).

Topics covered include diet, the cultural/religious calendar, and the role of women. I found especially interesting the section on lepers and the way different people of the same era might consider them holy (suffering purgatory on Earth, effectively) or sinful (punished by God with disease). Similarly, the general demographics were of interest, as England’s population had an effective cap that wasn’t really surpassed until the Industrial Revolution rolled around.

The author does make use of ancestral examples here and there, but they always fit into and add to the history rather than being awkward (in short, they’re not an act of conceit, but of explanatory use).

Map fans have a few at the front, though it should be stressed both the maps and the book itself focus on England.

If you’re after a broad scale overview covering an extensive period of time, this book will suit you rather well. If you’re after a more boots-on-the-ground and/or time-specific (14^th century) then you may prefer Ian Mortimer’s The Time Traveller’s Guide to Medieval England.

Thaddeus