Medieval Small Towns and the Late Medieval Crisis
Christopher Dyer
In the two decades after Second World War, when Michael Postan was developing his ideas about dynamic forces in medieval economy, study of English urban history moving forward rather slowly. Work on ‘borough’ (a constitutional term) had reached its definitive moment with publication Tait’s book 1936, which made subject seem very technical, dull, and legalistic.1 There not much intellectual energy studies to challenge Postan’s agrarian interpretation Middle Ages. The chapter ‘Markets, towns gilds’ textbook 1972 is perfunctory integrated into central thesis.2 More satisfactory perceptive essay trade northern Europe Ages, published 1952, linked changing commercial patterns movements population rural economy.3 France story different. also been a parallel concern for issues early twentieth century, represented by work such historians as Charles Petit-Dutaillis communes, but social economic continued 1950s, 1960s, 1970s monographs Metz, Toulouse,
The medieval countryside