The Making of Medieval Central Europe: Power and Political Prerequisites for the First Westernization, 791-1122

By Martin Wihoda

Lexington Books
ISBN: 978-1-4985-6842-5

As the Poles, Czechs, and Hungarians established their medieval states, they became deeply entangled with the Holy Roman Empire and other Western European powers. This book explores the complex politics and state-building processes of Central Europe, a region marked by both cooperation and conflict.

Excerpt:

The entry of Central Europe into history defies straightforward assumptions; some connections will probably remain forever hidden behind the abyss of time, while for others, conjecture will have to suffice. Therefore, it would be rather foolish to expect definitive answers from the present work. What can be offered instead is an honest, source-based attempt to reflect on the prerequisites that gave rise to a mentally Westernized medieval Central Europe.

Who is this book for?

Readers interested in the politics and geopolitics of the Middle Ages will find much to explore here. The book covers a wide range of players—including Poland, Hungary, Bohemia, the Holy Roman Empire, and the Papacy—and delves into their shifting alliances and rivalries. A major theme is the Christianization of the region and its role in shaping medieval statehood.

The Author

Martin Wihoda is lecturer on medieval history at Masaryk University. He writes how this book is part of his efforts to have political history, which he considers to be neglected in pasty generations, to be “rehabilitated and once again become a full-fledged part of historical discourse.”

You can learn more about this book from the publisher’s website.

You can buy this book on Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk