The Cistercian Order in Medieval Europe offers an accessible and engaging history of the Order from its beginnings in the twelfth century through to the early sixteenth century. Unlike most other existing volumes on this subject it gives a nuanced analysis of the late medieval Cistercian experience as well as the early years of the Order.

This book will appeal to anyone interested in Medieval history and the Medieval Church more generally as well as those with a particular interest in monasticism.

Introduction 1 Origins: ideas, myths and interpretations 2 The first multinational? How the Cistercian Order spread across Europe 3 Cistercian communities and the lay world 4 Cistercian nuns: the role of women in the order 5 Visual culture of Cistercian communities 6 Economy: not just sheep and grain 7 Intellectual horizons: writing, preaching and Cistercian spirituality 8 Was there a crisis of the Cistercian Order in the later middle ages? Conclusion

Emilia Jamroziak is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Leeds She has published two monographs (Rievaulx Abbey and its Social Context in 2005 and Survival and Success on Medieval Borders in 2011) and two collected volumes (Religious and Laity in Northern Europe 1000-1400 in 2007 with Janet Burton and Monasteries on the Borders of Medieval Europe in 2013 with Karen Stöber).