An Age of Transition?: Economy and Society in England in the Later Middle Ages

by Christopher Dyer

Christopher Dyer examines the transition in the economy and society of England between 1250 and 1550. Using new sources of evidence, he demonstrates that important structural changes after 1350 built on the commercial growth of the thirteenth century. He shows that development of individual property, response to new consumption patterns, and use of credit and investment, came from the peasantry rather than the aristocracy. An Age of Transition? , a significant new work by a top medievalist, reveals how England was set on course to become the 'first industrial nation'.

Genres: Medieval, British Literature

304 pages, Hardcover

First published February 3, 2005

About the author

Christopher Charles Dyer CBE FBA (born 1944) is Leverhulme Emeritus Professor of Regional and Local History and director of the Centre for English Local History at the University of Leicester. He was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2008 Birthday Honours.

Dyer is well known as the historian of everyday life, a recurring theme in his publications. Dyer looks at the economic and social history of medieval life, with an emphasis on the English Midlands from the Saxon period through to the 16th century. He was invited to deliver the Ford Lectures in the University of Oxford in a lecture series entitled 'An Age of Transition? Economy and Society in England in the Later Middle Ages'.

Reviews

[Katia]

Academic historians really don't care about entertaining you lol. But once I got used to the writing, I had to admit that it was pretty important background info for my studies.