The End of the Middle Ages: Essays and Questions in History

In this thoughtful collection the author turns the scholarly spotlight on the twilight of the medieval world, inviting listeners to follow a series of probing essays that blend meticulous research with lively inquiry. The opening pages reveal a personal dedication that frames the work as a conversation between friends, set against the backdrop of Alpine study rooms and bustling archives in Paris, London, and Florence. From contested claims over Milan to the tangled web of French‑Italian relations, each piece asks what the people of the era actually did, when, and why, while exposing the gaps and contradictions that still puzzle historians.

The book’s structure mirrors its subject: a mosaic of fragments that together hint at larger patterns without claiming a single, definitive narrative. Footnotes and errata are seamlessly integrated, allowing listeners to trace the scholarly detective work behind each argument. Throughout, the tone remains intimate and curious, offering a fresh perspective on a period often assumed to have closed neatly, and encouraging the audience to reconsider where the Middle Ages truly end.