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Loading... Malta: The Medieval Millenniumby Charles Dalli
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The story of Malta's Middle Ages, from the end of Roman rule to the arrival of the Knights Hospitallers, extends across centuries of exciting changes and dramatic events retold for the very first time in an attractive volume by Charles Dalli. No library descriptions found. |
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Google Books — Loading... GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)945.8History and Geography Europe Italy and region Sicily and adjacent islands; MaltaLC ClassificationRatingAverage:
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Much of the book's text, however, assumes more than a passing familiarity with medieval history and with Maltese concepts. Many technical terms are used without any explanation (I don't think the average person knows what a cathedral prebend is, for instance); I think I had to work out the rough meaning of the Maltese word raħal from context; events such as the Sicilian Vespers are repeatedly referenced but not explained for perhaps 100 pages; quotations in Spanish, Italian, and Latin are dropped in without translation; and there's a repeated failure to construct any kind of narrative or explain the significance of the facts deployed. I can't imagine anyone who doesn't have a background in medieval history being able to finish this without being thoroughly confused. It's a shame given the island's fascinating medieval history and the intriguing challenge of reconstructing it given the scant written sources. ( )