A Companion to the Early Middle Ages

Pauline Stafford is Professor Emerita at Liverpool University, previously Professor of Medieval History. She is a specialist in the history of Anglo-Saxon England and of women and gender in England and Europe from the eighth to twelfth centuries. Her previous publications include Queens, Concubines and Dowagers, the King's Wife in the Early Middle Ages (1983, 1998), Unification and Conquest, a Political and Social History of England in the Tenth and Eleventh Centuries (1989), Queen Emma and Queen Edith (1997, 2001), Law, Laity and Solidarities (2001), Gender, Family and the Legitimation of Power: England from the Ninth to Early Twelfth Century (2006), and the jointly edited Gendering the Middle Ages (2000).

Drawing on 28 original essays, A Companion to the Early Middle Ages takes an inclusive approach to the history of Britain and Ireland from c.500 to c.1100 to overcome artificial distinctions of modern national boundaries.
* A collaborative history from leading scholars, covering the key debates and issues
* Surveys the building blocks of political society, and considers whether there were fundamental differences across Britain and Ireland
* Considers potential factors for change, including the economy, Christianisation, and the Vikings

Drawing on 28 original essays, A Companion to the Early MiddleAges takes an inclusive approach to the history of Britain andIreland from c. 500 to c. 1100 to overcome artificial distinctions ofmodern national boundaries.

List of Maps viii
 
Notes on Contributors ix
 
List of Abbreviations xiii
 
Maps xv
 
PART I INTRODUCTORY MATTER 1
 
1 Introduction 3
Pauline Stafford
 
2 Historiography 9
Pauline Stafford
 
3 Sources 23
Pauline Stafford
 
PART II BRITAIN AND IRELAND, C.500-C.750 39
 
4 Britain and Ireland, c.500 41
Barbara Yorke
 
5 Economy 57
Howard B. Clarke
 
6 Kings and Kingship 76
Barbara Yorke
 
7 Communities and Kinship 91
David E. Thornton
 
8 Social Structure 107
Thomas M. Charles-Edwards
 
9 Britain, Ireland, and Europe, c.500-c.750 126
Paul Fouracre
 
10 Conversions to Christianity 143
Huw Pryce
 
11 Church Organization and Pastoral Care 160
Thomas Pickles
 
12 Latin Learning and Christian Art 177
Martin J. Ryan
 
PART III BRITAIN AND IRELAND IN THE LONG NINTH CENTURY, C.750-C.900 193
 
13 Viking Raids and Conquest 195
Dawn Hadley
 
14 Scandinavian Settlement 212
Dawn Hadley
 
15 Britain, Ireland, and Europe, c.750-c.900 231
Janet L. Nelson
 
PART IV BRITAIN AND IRELAND, C.900-C.1100 249
 
16 Scotland 251
Alex Woolf
 
17 Ireland, c.900-c.1000 268
Edel Bhreathnach
 
18 Ireland, c.1000-c.1100 285
Seán Duffy
 
19 Northumbria 303
William M. Aird
 
20 Southumbria 322
Charles Insley
 
21 Wales and West Britain 341
John Reuben Davies
 
22 Britain, Ireland, and Europe, c.900-c.1100 358
Simon MacLean
 
23 The Institutional Church 376
Catherine Cubitt
 
24 Pastoral Care and Religious Belief 395
Catherine Cubitt
 
25 Nobility 414
Julia Crick
 
26 Settlement and Social Differentiation 432
Sally Crawford
 
27 Localities 446
David E. Thornton
 
28 Queens and Queenship 459
Pauline Stafford
 
Bibliography 477
 
Index 524