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Quote by Barbara Tuchman

“The clergy [in the 14th century] on the whole were probably no more lecherous or greedy or untrustworthy than other men, but because they were supposed to be better or nearer to God than other men, their failings attracted more attention.”

Quote by Barbara Tuchman

Book:A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14th Century

Work

A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14th Century

This book delves into the complex and challenging period of the 14th century, exploring the political, social, and economic upheavals that defined the era. more

Author

Barbara Tuchman

Barbara Tuchman was an American historian renowned for her in-depth research and vivid narrative style. Her works covered historical events from the Roman Empire to the 20th century, with 'Guns, Germs, and Steel' and 'The Guns of August' being particularly notable. more

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“No economic activity was more irrepressible [in the 14th century] than the investment and lending at interest of money; it was the basis for the rise of the Western capitalist economy and the building of private fortunes-and it was based on the sin of usury.”

Interest Sin Economy Economic Century Building Activity Capitalism Bases Fortune Investment Western Capitalist Lending Usury Irrepressible Capitalist Economy

Book:A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14th Century

Source: A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14th Century

“If wisdom in government eludes us, perhaps courage could substitute-the moral courage to terminate mistakes.”

Ifs Government Mistake Moral Courage Substitutes Elude Moral Courage Elude Us

Book:Practicing History: Selected Essays

Source: Practicing History: Selected Essays

“The Church [in the 14th century] gave ceremony and dignity to lives that had little of either. It was the source of beauty and art to which all had some access and which many helped to create.”

Littles Art Church Century Source Dignity Access Ceremony

Book:A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14th Century

Source: A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14th Century

“That the Jews were unholy was a belief so ingrained by the Church [by the 14th century] that the most devout persons were the harshest in their antipathy, none more so than St. Louis.”

Persons Belief Church Century Jew Antipathy

Book:A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14th Century

Source: A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14th Century

“While husbands and lovers in the stories are of all kinds, ranging from sympathetic to disgusting, women are invariably deceivers: inconstant, unscrupulous, quarrelsome, querulous, lecherous, shameless, although not necessarily all of these at once.”

Men Kind Stories Century Lovers Husband Men And Women All Kinds Disgusting Sympathetic Shameless Deceiver

Author:Barbara Tuchman

“To gain victory over the flesh was the purpose of fasting and celibacy, which denied the pleasures of this world for the sake of reward in the next.”

World Purpose Next Pleasure This World Victory Gains Rewards Sake Flesh Denied Fasting Celibacy

Book:A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14th Century

Source: A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14th Century

“The nastiness of women [in the 14th century] was generally perceived at the close of life when a man began to worry about hell, and his sexual desire in any case fading.”

Men Desire Women Cases Worry Hell Century Fading Sexual Desire Nastiness

Author:Barbara Tuchman

“The thing I like about baseball is that it's one-on-one. You stand up there alone, and if you make a mistake, it's your mistake. If you hit a home run, it's your home run.”

Ifs Home Running Mistake Baseball Home Run One On One Hitting Home Runs

Author:Hank Aaron

“Woman was the Church's rival, the temptress, the distraction, the obstacle to holiness, the Devil's decoy.”

Women Church Century Devil Obstacles Holiness Distraction Rivals Temptress

Author:Barbara Tuchman

“No female iniquity was more severely condemned than the habit of plucking eyebrows and the hairline to heighten the forehead.”

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Author:Barbara Tuchman