Medieval Education and a Modern Crisis

In the centuries that followed the collapse of the Western Roman Empire, Europe experienced a significant loss of ancient texts which, in turn, greatly affected formal education of the time. Several figures, including St Benedict, Cassiodorus, Alcuin of York, and Charlemagne, helped to preserve knowledge and stabilize education. Their efforts, as well as the rise of the Carolingian Empire in the eighth century, led to a rebirth of learning that would have profound consequences for the High Middle Ages, the Renaissance, and for our own time. This book examines these individuals and events that shaped this historical era. It also considers our current state of educational affairs and how the study of the medieval world might inform our understanding of modern educational crises.