by David Yoon
First published 2023
Medieval Europe undergoes an economic transformation as money becomes central to daily life. The monetary economy reshapes values, culture, and art across the continent. Yoon examines how this shift created complex ethical dilemmas for Christians who had to choose between accumulating wealth and saving their souls. The book traces global money's origins and surveys economic history through the lens of environment, plague, Jewish communities, and institutions. Art becomes both mirror and reinforcement of these moral debates. Yoon analyzes images of Avarice, depictions of the greedy suffering in hell, and immoral methods of earning and spending. He contrasts these with representations of charity and voluntary poverty. The material culture of money comes alive through illuminated manuscripts, coins, artworks, money chests, and account books. The iconography and minting of coins reveal deeper meanings, while foreign exchange systems show economic complexity. Final sections explore the physical objects that supported this monetary world, from illuminated oaths sworn by minters to purses and lockboxes that secured wealth.
Genres: history, historical-fiction, business, economics, art-history, academic
Vibes: thought-provoking
Tropes: ethics
Setting: Europe
Period: Medieval
232 pages · Hardcover · GILES