Medieval Cities Author:Henri Pirenne Amidst the ruins left first by the breakdown of classical civilization, and then by the fury of the Northmen, trade and urban life began to revive in Europe in the tenth and eleventh centuries, ending the Dark Ages and opening the period of Medieval civilization. Medieval Cities is the story of this revival. "At once plain and scholarly...it i... more »s one of the best sort of contributions to historical writing--those which combine simplicity with erudition and imagination with accuracy." The New Statesman« less