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City and Community in Norman Italy
Paperback / softback
Main Details
Title |
City and Community in Norman Italy
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Authors and Contributors |
By (author) Paul Oldfield
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Series | Cambridge Studies in Medieval Life and Thought: Fourth Series |
Physical Properties |
Format:Paperback / softback | Pages:312 | Dimensions(mm): Height 229,Width 152 |
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ISBN/Barcode |
9781107403079
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Classifications | Dewey:945.04 |
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Audience | Undergraduate | Postgraduate, Research & Scholarly | Professional & Vocational | |
Illustrations |
Worked examples or Exercises
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Publishing Details |
Publisher |
Cambridge University Press
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Imprint |
Cambridge University Press
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Publication Date |
18 August 2011 |
Publication Country |
United Kingdom
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Description
Thisstudy of urban society in twelfth-century mainland Norman Italy examines the self-governing role of urban communities and explores their social ordering, identities and communal activities. Drawing on charters, chronicles, annals and other sources, Paul Oldfield uncovers notable continuities in a range of cities across southern Italy throughout a period of regime change and disruption. Unlike traditional interpretations which suggest that the Normans, and the creation of a monarchy in 1130, stifled urban development, this book suggests that south Italian urban communities were still able to enjoy a level of autonomy under the Norman monarchy. By emphasising the fluidity of the social structures and groups found in these cities, alongside the influential role of both the Church and civic consciousness, the author sheds light on the multi-layered complexity of the urban communities of Norman Italy and provides a more balanced comparison with the cities of northern Italy.
Reviews"Highly recommended." -Choice "...a compelling revisionist interpretation of the evolution of urban life in southern Italy during the high Middle Ages." -David J. Hay, Canadian Journal of History
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