Bloch's Writing Genius

After reading the extensive work of Bloch’s Feudal Society, it was clear to me that this book was intended for an established historian. Personally, I do not research or read about medieval history, thus Bloch’s work sent me to the internet for answers quite frequently. Bloch writes with assumptions about the times, from the 9th century onwards.

Bloch’s sources however, were credible and he gave a fair analysis from a European perspective. Being a Frenchman, and apparently a full hearted one, Bloch does not just focus on the post-Carolingian France but Europe as a whole. Bloch’s “General Survey of Europe” was his credible tool for expansive and credible research, especially for the time written in the 1930s.

I believe Bloch’s work has held up for many reasons. First being the book’s large chronological window. Bloch covers from the 9th century until about the 14th, and without getting into gritty details, his analysis is easily understood to historians at almost all levels. Also, Bloch does not make any outlandish claims such as Prescott. When compared to Prescott, Bloch writes with much more academic caution. But what makes Bloch’s work truly timeless is his writing style. His vivid big picture that he creates in this first volume is a memorable read, and it it easily digestible. I found it shocking that Bloch was able to cover so much ground in a rather short book, but I believe that skill speaks to his intellect.

The only debate which may still surround Bloch’s book is the definition of ‘feudal.’ Both Bloch and the author of the foreword try to tackle this phenomena, but no easy answer is given. This may be because the essence of ‘feudal’ has been and continues to be a changing dialect within the academy. Other than this quasi-clarity (or lack of easy specificity), Bloch’s work deserves to remain a timeless academic work on medieval European history.