This work investigates the relationship between written texts and the socio-political landscape of early medieval Iberia between 711 and 1031. Graham Barrett examines how the production, preservation, and circulation of documents functioned as active agents in shaping the identity and authority of the period. By analyzing the intersection of literacy and power, the author argues that texts were not merely passive records but instruments used to construct and maintain social order during a time of significant transition.

Scholars in the field of medieval history recognize this text as a rigorous examination of the role of literacy in early medieval society. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose and the specialized focus on paleographic and diplomatic evidence.