Prologue: "The western European city, with all its implications for the future, was born in the Middle Ages. By 1250 it was alive and flourishing, not only on the ancient Mediterranean coast but in northwest Europe. The narrative that follows is an attempt to depict life at the midpoint of the thirteenth century in one of the newly revived cities: Troyes, capital of the rich county of Champagne, seat of a bishop, and, above all, site of two of the famous Fairs of Champagne." (1)

Prologue: "Apart from its seasonal fluctuations of population, Troyes in the twelfth century was much like a score of other growing cities of Western Europe. All had strong walls. All had abbeys and monasteries, as well as many churches - most of timber, a few of stone with timber roofs. A feature of many cities, including Troyes, was the palace of a secular prince. There...