The Germanic invasions destroyed neither the Mediterranean unity of the ancient world, nor what may be regarded as the truly essential features of th…

- Henri Pirenne

If I were an antiquarian, I would have eyes only for old stuff, but I am a historian. Therefore, I love life.

- Henri Pirenne

The cause of the break with the tradition of antiquity was the rapid and unexpected advance of Islam. The result of this advance was the final separa…

- Henri Pirenne

There happened in the Middle Ages what has happened so often since then. Those who were the beneficiaries of the established order were bent on defen…

- Henri Pirenne