by Terry Jones
First published 2010
Terry Jones and Alan Ereira tackle the most persistent myths about medieval England. They reveal that medieval people knew the earth was round, contrary to a fabrication invented by a 19th century American journalist. They show that witch burning belonged to the Renaissance, not the Middle Ages. The authors guide readers through a world where King Louis the First and Last ruled briefly, monks faced prohibitions on wearing underpants, and outlaws may have gone without trousers. Jones and Ereira demonstrate that medieval kings were not always ruthless tyrants and that peasants enjoyed French pottery and fine wine at home. They replace tired stereotypes of knights rescuing swooning damsels with evidence of a dynamic civilization. The book presents Medieval Britain as a vibrant society filled with individual personalities, political scheming, and creative breakthroughs rather than the superstitious, ignorant dark age of popular imagination.
Genres: history, non-fiction, medieval, academic
Vibes: thought-provoking
Tropes: myth-debunking
Setting: England, Medieval Britain
Period: Middle Ages
224 pages · ebook · Random House