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Product Description
Three uniform hardcover illustrated editions, Folio Society , 2002. In a very good slipcase, books themselves are Fine, as new copies.
LIFE IN A MEDIEVAL VILLAGE
Medieval history comes alive in Joseph and Frances Gies’s classic bestseller on life in medieval villages.
Respected historians Joseph and Frances Gies paint a lively, riveting portrait of rural people at work and at play in the Middle Ages. Focusing on the village of Elton, in the English East Midlands, the authors detail the agricultural advances that made communal living possible, explain what domestic life was like for serf and lord alike, and describe the central role of the church in maintaining social harmony. An essential work of English history, this book’s main focus is on Elton, c. 1300, but the Gieses supply enlightening historical context on the origin, development, and decline of the European village, itself an invention of the Middle Ages.
Meticulously researched, Life in a Medieval Village is a remarkable account that illustrates the captivating world of the Middle Ages and demonstrates what it was like to live during a fascinating—and often misunderstood—era.
LIFE IN A MEDIEVAL CASTLE
Some particular books I found useful for A Game of Thrones and its sequels deserve mention... Life in a Medieval Castle and Life in a Medieval City, both by Joseph and Frances Gies." —George R.R. Martin, author of the series A Song of Ice and Fire
Medieval history comes alive in Joseph and Frances Gies's Life in a Medieval Castle, used as a research resource by George R. R. Martin in creating the world of Game of Thrones.
Life in a Medieval Castle is the bestselling classic that has introduced countless readers to the wonders of the Middle Ages. Focusing on a castle called Chepstow on the border between England and Wales, acclaimed Medievalists Joseph and Frances Gies offer an exquisite portrait of what day-to-day life was actually like during the era, and of the key role the castle played. The Gieses write eloquently about the many people whose lives revolved around the castle, from the lord and lady to the commoners of the surrounding village. We discover what lords and serfs alike would have worn, eaten, and done for leisure; the songs sung; and the codes of sexual conduct that maintained order. We learn of the essential role of honor in medieval culture, the initiation process undertaken by knights, and how castles attempted to keep the constant threats of outside violence at bay.
LIFE IN A MEDIEVAL CITY
ife in a Medieval City is the classic account of the year 1250 in the city of Troyes, in modern-day France. This immersive work of social history focuses on a high point of medieval civilization―before war and the Black Death ravaged Europe―providing a fascinating window into the sophistication of a period we too often dismiss as backward.
Urban life in the Middle Ages revolved around the home, often a mixed-use dwelling for burghers with a store or workshop on the ground floor and living quarters upstairs. A developed economy, focusing on textiles, farming, and financial services, could be found in the town center, where craftsmen competed for business while adhering to the medieval guilds’ codes of conduct. There were schools for the children, though only boys could attend and the lessons were taught in Latin by a priest. The church was a hub of both religious and civic life; services were lively and filled with song, and baptisms and other special occasions brought neighbors together to celebrate. The weddings of wealthier townsfolk were lavish affairs full of song and dance and drinking that could sometimes last for weeks.
