Definition: Belgian historian Henri Pirenne was a medievalist who studied the expansion of Islam in the 8th century AD. Professor of Medieval and Belgian History at Ghent University for most of his adult career, Pirenne is best known for the 'Pirenne theory'. In that, Pirenne argued that the mechanism that began the middle ages was not, as is usually considered, the invasion of the Germanic empires under Charlemagne and the Carolingians, but the establishment of Muslim control over the Mediterranean Sea.
This glossary entry is part of the Dictionary of Archaeology. Sources for the term include the references listed on the front page of the Dictionary, and the websites listed in the sidebar.
This glossary entry is part of the Dictionary of Archaeology. Sources for the term include the references listed on the front page of the Dictionary, and the websites listed in the sidebar.
