Prologue, Chapter 1, Chapter 2 Summary and Analysis

Prologue: A history of the city of Troyes is provided, from Roman times to the middle of the 13th century, 1250, the date at which the rest of the book examines Troyes in great detail. Prior to Roman conquest, northwestern Europe (modern-day France) was primarily wilderness dotted by only a few small villages, due to a lack of political organization, primitive religion, and scarce commerce. As Roman officials and soldiers took over the area, several villages became army fortifications which allowed merchants to safely trade, thus increasing commerce and population. Troyes was one of these fortifications, which developed into permanent settlements

The Christian church, especially after it was officially recognized by Constantine, made a huge impact on towns like Troyes, as bishops began asserting firm control over settlements in the 4th and 5th centuries. These episcopal towns, expanding...