Medieval Liège at the crossroads of Europe

Steven Vanderputten, Tjamke Snijders, Jay Diehl

This volume collects studies on the role of monastic institutions in the exchange of cultural and socio-economic capital in the medieval diocese of Liège. 0During the high Middle Ages, the bishopric of Liège found itself at a cultural crossroads between the German Empire and the French lordships. The Liègeois themselves summed up the situation when they declared that: 'Gaul considers us its most distant inhabitants, Germany as nearby citizens. In fact we are neither, but both at the same time'. This same complexity is also echoed by present-day historians, who have described Liège as a hub of interactions between two great civilisations. Medieval monastic communities in Liège were key sites of this exchange, actively participating in the cultural developments, social networks, and political structures of both regions. 0Bringing together the work of international scholars, this...