Commerce in the Dark Ages: A Critique of the Evidence
Philip Grierson
When Pirenne contributed an article entitled ‘Mahomet et Charlemagne’ to the first issue of Revue Belge de Philologie d'Histoire in 1922, he can have little realized how ideas there put forward were be developed. His paper was designed as a protest against traditional and deep-rooted conviction western scholars that Latin Christendom direct almost sole heir classical antiquity. Its argument now familiar one Greco-Roman society survived with change shock Germanic invasions, it only appearance Islam upon scene pushed centre away from Mediterranean made possible emergence new cultural unit based land mass Europe. Medieval not continuation Roman world but something new, Muhammed necessary precursor Charlemagne
Transactions of the Royal Historical Society