Medieval Technology and Social Change

Three essays arguing that the stirrup made feudalism possible, that the heavy plough and the horse collar reorganised northern European agriculture, and that medieval Europe was a period of unusually fast mechanical invention rather than stagnation.

Why it’s on the list: Named in the “best history book” thread. The origin text for the claim that a small piece of hardware can restructure a society — contested ever since, and still the argument everyone is arguing with.

Where I saw it: In Kyle’s “Books To Read” Apple Note, recovered from the reply thread to @typesfast asking “What’s the best history book you’ve read?” (June 5, 2025). The full recovered list lives on What’s the best history book… (tweet).

Connections

• What’s the best history book… (tweet) — the thread this came out of; the full recovered list lives there.
• Technological Innovation · Innovation — the thesis in its earliest strong form.