David Herlihy

In this small book David Herlihy makes subtle and subversive inquiries that challenge historical thinking about the Black Death. Looking beyond the view of the plague as unmitigated catastrophe, Herlihy finds evidence for its role in the advent of new population controls, the establishment of universities, the spread of Christianity, the dissemination of vernacular cultures, and even the rise of nationalism. This book, which displays a distinguished scholar’s masterly synthesis of diverse materials, reveals that the Black Death can be considered the cornerstone of the transformation of Europe.—Publisher

In Opera Muliebria--from the medieval Latin term for "women's labors"--original sources are imaginatively examined, and used to trace women's involvement in productive activities throughout Europe--from late Antiquity through the middle ages. The author explains the diminishing social and professional role women played as the middle ages closed. Clear, chronological divisions of medieval history relate women and work to the broader movements of social and political change, in an engaging, clear narrative style. This brief original work highlights women in the textile industry, agriculture, education, and medicine.

"Pistoria (in Latin other possible spellings are Pistorium or Pistoriae) was centre of Gallic, Ligurian and Etruscan settlements before becoming a Roman colony in the 6th century BC, along the important road Via Cassia: in 62 BC the demagogue Catiline and his fellow conspirators were slain nearby. From the 5th century the city was a bishopric, and during the Lombardic kingdom it was a royal city and had several privileges. Pistoia's most splendid age began in 1177 when it proclaimed itself a free commune: in the following years it became an important political centre, erecting walls and several public and religious buildings."--Wikipedia.

Describes the Early Middle Ages, its social order, culture, and literature such as "Beowulf". Also describes the Central Middle Ages, country life and city life, scholasticism, troubadour lyric poetry, and religious literature. Includes the Late Middle Ages with Boccaccio's description of the Black death, Chaucer's picture of medieval society, a sermon by Meister Eckhart, and chapters from "The Imitation of Christ" .