Kingdoms and Communities in Western Europe 900-1300 by Reynolds, Susan

Contending that medieval attitudes and behavior have been too readily defined in terms of hierarchical structures of government, clerical thought, and a narrow notion of kinship, Reynolds streses the powerful horizontal bonds of association that permeated the lay societies of England, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Italy between the 10th and 13th centuries, and offers a stimulating new approach to medieval European history.