The Making of Polities: Europe, 1300–1500 (Cambridge Medieval Textbooks)

Cambridge University Press can usually be relied upon to put out excellent books in history and this work is no exception. The series it is in, "Cambridge Medieval Textbooks" is one of the best and the rest of the works that are published by Cambridge (see Amazon or Cambridge) or of the same high quality.John Watts in this new book undertakes a difficult task- to tie together the political history of Europe from 1300-1500 in roughly 4 chapters of some 450 pages. The first chapter, "Introduction" is a short discussion of some of the large scale forces that shaped the era- the rise of the state, war and disorder, generalized chaos. The chapter is notable for covering these large scale forces so clearly. A necessary prelude to what follows and often ignored in many works.The second chapter discusses the complex political inheritance of the early Middle Ages, and especially forms of government and resistance and the role of the Church in both governing and controlling polities. Here the reader will probably want to supplement Watts account with some more specialized works dealing with Church-State issues.The next two chapters, "The 14th Century" (chapter 3) and "The 15th Century" (chapter 4) are what one might call an alternative to straight narrative histories of the period in that they are prompted (as the author says in the introduction) by a dissatisfaction with most of the existing works on the period. So instead of a narrative of events the author discusses issues such as taxation, administration, the army, financial affairs generally, and what the political community was and how it functioned. These sections work very well and are some of the best in the book.Watts makes his case for meaningful political change in this period, in an arc or trajectory as he calls it, that leads to the modern world and its political dynamics.He argues that the conflicts that were so prominent in the medieval and late modern world have been difficult to capture but are fundamental to the how the modern world developed. An very good, up-to-date bibliography is included.

Much more than a textbook, John Watts' book is essential reading for political scientists, historians of politics and societies, and for all specialists in late medieval and early modern Europe. Full of lucid, aptly-illustrated explanations of theoretical and comparative angles, it is also constantly informative, beautifully written and accessible to non-specialists. Inspiring and path-breaking.

This is an absolutely fascinating book; vital reading for anyone who is interested in the history of politics, political thought and the growth of political communities in Europe from 1200 through to 1500. The title of the book suggests that the work covers the period 1300-1500 but this is a little misleading, as it is not until page 158 that a study of the fourteenth century commences. Prior to this, the work concentrates on introducing key concepts and points of political growth in Europe during the thirteenth century, essential to understanding the later periods covered.Some knowledge of European history is worthwhile in approaching this book, however the writing is clear and concise and pre-knowledge of the period or the times is not really essential.The author has divided the book into somewhat arbitrary time periods for ease of understanding, and quite clearly demonstrates the continuing nature of change in political growth. Concepts of political communities, concepts and media are very clearly explained throughout. I enjoy reading political history and I have found this to be an extremely interesting, well written and very enjoyable book to read and ponder. While it is not an easy read, it is well worth putting aside some time each day to read 40 or 50 pages and take some time to digest them thoroughly before moving on to the next section. This is a serious textbook, as are all the Cambridge Medieval Textbook range - authoritative, scholarly and well worth investing time and energy in reading and absorbing.The book also carries a very good section of further reading suggestions for anyone interested in pursuing the topics covered within, and the Introduction to the book also highlights many other books of interest to the topic and period.I can also highly recommend the author's Henry VI and the Politics of Kingship which I have previously read and am looking forward to reading again when I get the chance. Too many books to read, not enough time ...

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