Book Review of "A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14th Century"

BAY COUNTY, FL - I just finished reading a book by Barbara Tuchman, a great historian and excellent author. The book, a detailed European history of the 14th and first half of the 15th centuries, is called "A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14th Century," and I strongly recommend it to any who are interested in those dark, chaotic years. The attitudes of the 14th century royalty and nobility were dominated by a tyrannical individual drive for glory, and greed… even in the church. 

There were two popes in the latter half of the 14th century, which increased to three in the 1st half of the 15th century, splitting, changing, and confusing religious and national allegiances (Actually, national patriotism in those years had not, as yet, grown into a matured concept.) between France, England, Rome, Milan, Florence, and all other seats of royalty, at the time. There was little, if any, mercy shown toward the peasantry or Jew, by royalty or nobility, and every knight and crown was in competition for their own vain gain and glory. Peasants revolted, in my opinion, with good reason. 

On top of the outbreak of the Black/Bubonic Plague which reduced Europe's population by as much as 50%, peasants were taxed to starvation to fight needless and costly wars, and to supply nobility and royalty with extravagant lifestyles and licentious habits. But the commoners had no unity or leadership to sustain armed aggression, and to revolt was treason and death. The procedure to deal with peasants was 1st, forgiveness by those in power to pacify and subdue the peasants, then brutal punishment for the same “crimes.” Betrayal of treaties with peasants, and promises by crown and nobility, was common and to be expected. And the church followed no true Christian principles whatsoever.

 Royalty, nobility, and clergy brought their own troubles upon themselves, by simple arrogance, ignorance, pride, greed, and stupidity. One exception, according to some of my other reading. I have found that King James’ (Mary’s son) administration managed to establish complete peace during his entire reign. The day after his death England returned to war. Pride, greed and the love of personal glory and power ruled the 14th and 15th centuries. Is it any different today?

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