Families, Friends and Allies ― Boulogne and Politics in Northern France and England, C.879-1160

Tanner (history, Ohio State U.) offers a new model of the development of medieval government from the later ninth century in northern France, drawing on a cluster of insights developed by social historians and historians that she calls the anthropological school, because it draws on anthropological models in order to discuss political and social constructions within early medieval society. Rather than focusing on relations between the king and counts, as most studies do, she analyzes the interrelationships among counts, particularly the counts of Boulogne and their neighbors. She includes two dozen genealogies to help keep the players straight, and appends relevant documents. Annotation c2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Heather J. Tanner, Ph.D. (1993) in History, University of California, Santa Barbara, is an Assistant Professor of History at The Ohio State University. She has published articles on concepts of office and governance, political history, and identity and reputation.