Childhood in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance

Earlier theses on the history of childhood can now be laid to rest and a fundamental paradigm shift initiated, as there is an overwhelming body of evidence to show that in medieval and early modern times too there were close emotional relations between parents and children. The contributors to this volume demonstrate conclusively on the one hand how intensively parents concerned themselves with their children in the pre-modern era, and on the other which social, political and religious conditions shaped these relationships. These studies in emotional history demonstrate how easy it is for a subjective choice of sources, coupled with faulty interpretations - caused mainly by modern prejudices toward the Middle Ages in particular - to lead to the view that in the past children were regarded as small adults. The contributors demonstrate convincingly that intense feelings - admittedly often different in nature - shaped the relationship between adults and children.

Albrecht Classen is University Distinguished Professor at the University of Arizona, Department of German Studies, Tucson, AZ, USA.

"[...] this is an anthology of substantial weight."Daniel T. Kline in: http://www.h-net.org/reviews10/2008 In short, this volume will certainly become an important reference for research on childhood and its perception in medieval and early modern society."Steven Vanderputten in: Mediaevistik 20/2007