As she examines the many misconceptions about the Middle Ages the renown French historian Regine Pernoud gives the reader a refreshingly original persepective on many subjects both historical from the Inquisition and witchcraft trials to a comparison of Gothic and Renaissance creative inspiration as well as eminently modern from law and the place of women in society to the importance of history and tradition with practical suggestions for education Here are fascinating insights based on Pernoud s sound knowledge and extensive experience as an archivist at the French National Archives The book will be provocative for the general reader as well as a helpful resource for teachers of most levels of education Scorned for centuries although lauded by the Romantics these thousand years of history have most often been concealed behind the dark clouds of ignorance Why didn t godiche clumsy oafish come from gothique Gothic Doesn t feudal refer to the most hopeless obs