Between 1095 and 1229, Western Europe confronted a series of alternative cultural possibilities that would fundamentally transform its social structures, its intellectual life, and its very identity. It was a period of difficult decisions and anxiety rather than a triumphant "renaissance."In this fresh reassessment of the twelfth century, John D. Cotts:• shows how new social, economic and religious options challenged Europeans to re-imagine their place in the world• provides an overview of political life and detailed examples of the original thought and religious enthusiasm of the time• presents the Crusades as the century's defining movement.Ideal for students and scholars alike, this is an essential overview of a pivotal era in medieval history that arguably paved the way for a united Europe.