How Europe became Europe

Review of The Making of Europe: Conquest, Colonization and Cultural Change, 950-1350 by Robert Bartlett

This wonderful book is about the end of the Dark Ages, when trends were aligned in such a way that Europe finally began to overcome the long decline and chaos that followed the Roman Empire's disintegration. During this period (950 to 1350 CE), the vast migrations and fluidity of the early middles ages ended decisively, allowing stable states, a reforme…