Drawing on 28 original essays, A Companion to the Early Middle Ages takes an inclusive approach to the history of Britain and Ireland from c.500 to c.1100 to overcome artificial distinctions of modern national boundaries. * A collaborative history from leading scholars, covering the key debates and issues * Surveys the building blocks of political society, and considers whether there were fundamental differences across Britain and Ireland * Considers potential factors for change, including the economy, Christianisation, and the Vikings