First published in 1962, this book challenges the notion that the later Middle Ages failed to sustain the economic growth of earlier centuries, suggesting that historians have been preoccupied with absolute levels of output over more important questions of output per head. It also argues they have ignored the disastrous fall in living standards in the thirteenth century and the astonishing rise that occurred later. Using national taxation records and records of urban government, as well as research from fields ranging from parliamentary history to statistics of foreign trade, the author attempts to establish that the later Middle Ages has also been wrongly defamed in political affairs.

A re-evaluation of economic developments of the later Middle Ages from the Black Death of 1348, to the Peasant's Revolt of 1381, to the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485. Bridbury suggests that historians, who have been preoccupied with absolute levels of output to the detriment of more important questions of output per head, have ignored the disasterous fall of living standards that occurred in the thirteenth century, and the astonishing rise in living standards that came later.

In this volume, originally published in 1972, the author discusses the conflict between the historian's own expressed political views and the judgements he makes on political events in history.

First published in 1962, this book challenges the notion that the later Middle Ages failed to sustain the economic growth of earlier centuries, suggesting that historians have been preoccupied with absolute levels of output over more important questions of output per head. It also argues they have ignored the disastrous fall in living standards in the thirteenth century and the astonishing rise that occurred later. Using national taxation records and records of urban government, as well as research from fields ranging from parliamentary history to statistics of foreign trade, the author attempts to establish that the later Middle Ages has also been wrongly defamed in political affairs.

In this volume, originally published in 1972, the author discusses the conflict between the historian's own expressed political views and the judgements he makes on political events in history.