Henri Pirenne's Réflexions d'un solitaire and his re-evaluation of history
Bryce Lyon
Since his death in 1935 much has been written about the contributions of Henri Pirenne to history, particularly on explanation for origin medieval town and thesis reasons end ancient world beginning medieval. Scarcely anything, however, ideas methodology. This article, it based upon Pirenne's Réflexions d'un solitaire, recently edited from a manuscript yet family archives, examines methodology prior 1914 argues that war experiences, especially as prisoner Germany (1916–1918), caused him re-evaluate history repudiate German which had guided research 1914.
Journal of Medieval History