Ask Us History - Medieval Guide

Additional Resources

• Dictionary of Medieval Terms and Phrases, A [HIL-REF DA129 .C67 2004]

  The first dictionary of medieval terms intended for the non-specialist with an interest in the medieval world.

• Medieval England: An Encyclopedia [HIL-REF DA129 .M43 1998]

  Covers social, cultural, and political life from the Anglo-Saxon invasions of the fifth century to the turn of the sixteenth century. Includes such aspects as art, architecture, law, literature, kings, commoners, women, music, commerce, technology, warfare, and religion. Also provides insights into England's ties with the Celtic world of Wales, Scotland, and Ireland; the French and Anglo-Norman world on the continent; the Viking and Scandinavian world of the North Sea; and to Christendom. The articles are signed, and sometimes present contradictory opinions, demonstrating the uncertainty of much modern scholarship about the period. Each article concludes with a bibliography, divided when appropriate into primary and secondary, and indicates related topics. The index distinguishes between main entries and passing mentions. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

• Medieval France: An Encyclopedia [HIL-REF DC33.2 .M44 1995]

  A veritable tome, with over 2,400 entries on the political, intellectual, literary, and musical history of France from the fifth to the 15th century. Shorter entries provide succinct information on individuals, events, works, cities, monuments, and other specific topics. Essay-length articles interpret significant institutions, periods, and events. Each is attributed and referenced. The work is particularly strong in economics, women, religion, art and music, and literature. Well cross-referenced and indexed. Annotation copyright by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

• Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium, The [HIL-REF DF521 .O93 1991 vols. 1-3]
  This is the standard research tool on 1,100 years of Byzantine history. Exhaustive in its coverage, entries on patriarchy and emperors coexist with entries on surgery, musical instruments, and the baking of bread, bringing to life this vastly important culture and empire, from the 4th century to the 15th.
• Atlas of Human Migration [HIL-REF GN370 .A85 2007]

  A well-illustrated, comprehensive popular history of how humans have spread out across the world, from it's very beginnings in Africa through to modern migration to Israel and resulting from the Eastern Bloc collapse.

• Medieval Folklore: An Encyclopedia of Myths, Legends, Tales, Beliefs and Customs [HIL-REF GR35 .M43 2000 vols. 1-2]

  This award winning, definitive work is an A-Z guide to the mundane and supernatural lore of the Middle Ages.

• Extraordinary Women of the Medieval and Renaissance World: A Biographical Dictionary [HIL-REF HQ1143 .E93 2000]

  Aside from a few famous queens, warriors and religious leaders, little information is available about the many extraordinary women of the medieval and Renaissance world. This resource brings together engagingly written biographical profiles of 70 women, most of whom are "unsung," but all of whom are remarkable for their courage, initiative, and accomplishments in a world where the conventional wisdom was for women to be "chaste, silent, and obedient." The women profiled here represent 18 countries and excelled in 19 fields of endeavor. They include artists, builders, mystics, political leaders, religious activists, diarists and dramatists, poets and writers, and scholars. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

• Women and Gender in Medieval Europe: An Encyclopedia [HIL-REF HQ1147 .E85 W66 2006]

  Female patronage of the arts and the church, female mysticism and devotional practices, women's medicine and understandings of the female body, and women's roles in politics and diplomacy are among the activities discussed in the 563 signed articles, each with cross-references to other articles and a bibliography of primary and secondary sources. The very few illustrations are monochrome. Annotation #169;2007 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com) Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

• Encyclopedia of Medieval Literature [HIL-REF PN669 .R88 2005]

  "Medieval" is used loosely in the title of this volume, as literatures of the world from 500-1500 are included, with literatures of India, China, Japan, and all the Islamic world featured beside those of western Europe (though European entries predominate). The result is a rich resource of the most well known examples world literature. The author entries discuss the author's most famous work, often by detailing its narrative content. Some entries are included on characters, motifs or term, with discussion of its occurrence and use in several examples. The approximately 700 entries, which were written by Ruud (English, U. of Arkansas) and 12 other scholars at American universities, are alphabetical by name of author or work; each concludes with a brief bibliography. Annotation #169;2006 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com) Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

• Medieval Science, Technology, and Medicine: An Encyclopedia [HIL-REF Q124.97 .M43 2005]

  Like others in the series "Routledge [formerly Garland] Encyclopedias of the Middle Ages," the 11th volume calls on high-level scholars as editors and authors to prepare entries that are both up-to-date and accessible to non-specialists, making this an excellent reference for college libraries. The entries address subjects pertaining to technology (including apparatus, equipment, implements, and techniques); biography; the disciplines; geographical places; institutions; and scientific genres, theories, texts, and traditions. A sampling of topics: includes agriculture, communication, computus, Al-Farabi, gunpowder, technological diffusion, and women in science. The fruitful reception of knowledge from the east to the west--specifically from China, Central Asia, India, and the Islamic world to Europe--is a repeated theme. The authors are 148 academics, with half or more of them based in Europe and the rest in North America, thus ensuring the international point of view essential in medieval studies. Glick (Boston U.), a specialist in the technology of medieval Spain, co-edited the volume with Steven J. Livesey (U. of Oklahoma) and Faith Wallis (McGill U., Montreal, Canada). Annotation #169;2005 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com) Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

• Concordance of English Recipes: Thirteenth through Fifteenth Centuries [HIL-REF TX717 .H543 2006]
• Cambridge illustrated history of the Middle Ages, The [HIL-STACKS CB351 .M7813 1986 v. 1 & 2]

  Spans the beginning of the Middle Ages, the rise of the Church, the growing importance of Byzantium and the flowering of the Carolingian Renaissance.

• HeinOnline

  Has some older legal classics.

• Classical Scores Library (Music Online)
  "Music Online: Classical Scores Library is a series of four volumes with a mission to provide a reliable and authoritative source for scores of the classical canon, as well as a resource for the discovery of lesser-known contemporary works. The collections encompass all major classical musical genres and time periods from the Middle Ages to the 21st century. With full, study, piano, and vocal scores, this comprehensive collection will enhance the study of music history, performance, composition and theory for a variety of scholars."
  
• Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (ODNB)
  Oxford Dictionary of National Biography is an illustrated/fulltext reference tool providing 55,000 specially-written signed biographies of the men and women who shaped all aspects of the British past from the earliest times to the end of the year 2000. It is the product of research instituted at the University of Oxford and funded by the British Academy and by Oxford University Press. It is the achievement of 10,000 contributors and advisers staff in Oxford. The Oxford DNB aims to provide full, accurate, concise, and readable articles on noteworthy people in all walks of life. No living person is included: the Dictionary's articles are confined to people who died before 31 December 2000.
  3 simultaneous users.
• Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection
  A digital collection of current and historical maps, from the Perry-Castaneda Library at the University of Texas at Austin. The online collection features images of over 5700 maps from the Perry-Castaneda Library, as well as extensive links to other map-related sites.
  Unlimited simultaneous users.