Medieval Ages

Prince Rafe leans over me, holding himself up on one elbow as he gazes at my face. I feel his eyes wandering over every surface from my brow to my eyes, down my nose, to my lips and chin, and then returning to hold my gaze for a second. The small smile at the corner of his mouth makes me think he likes what he sees. His hand is cool when it brushes a loose curl from my cheek, but I don’t jerk away from him. I have no idea what’s going on. I don’t understand why I’m here. I don’t know what will happen tomorrow. It seems like a lot of powerful people want me—dead or alive. And yet...

The term Moor is a historical rather than an ethnic name. It is an invention of European Christians for the Islamic inhabitants of Maghreb (North Africa), Andalusia (Spain), Sicily and Malta, and was sometimes use to designate all Muslims. It is derived from Mauri, the Latin name for the Berbers who lived in the Roman province of Mauretania, which ranged across modern Algeria and Morocco. Saracen was another European term used to designate Muslims, though it usually referred to the Arabic peoples of the Middle East and derives from an ancient name for the Arabs, Sarakenoi.

The Moors are well-known for their presence on the Iberian Peninsula during the Middle Ages and for the conflicts they fought in Europe, but the term Moor is a historical rather than an ethnic name. It is an invention of European Christians for the Islamic inhabitants of Maghreb (North Africa), Andalusia (Spain), Sicily, and Malta, and it was sometimes used to designate all Muslims.

The famous conqueror from the European continent came ashore with thousands of men, ready to set up a new kingdom in England. The Britons had resisted the amphibious invasion from the moment his forces landed, but he was able to push forward. In a large winter battle, the Britons’ large army attacked the invaders, but was eventually routed, and the conqueror was able to set up a new kingdom.

Examining trial records and the pharmacopoeia of witches, alchemists, folk healers, and heretics of the 15th century, Thomas Hatsis details how a range of ideas from folk drugs to ecclesiastical fears over medicine women merged to form the classical “witch” stereotype and what history has called the “witches’ ointment”. He shares dozens of psychoactive formulas and recipes gleaned from rare manuscripts from university collections from all over the world as well as the practices and magical incantations necessary for their preparation.

In the realm of Eldoria, an ancient land where magic permeates every crevice and the very air thrums with arcane energy, a legendary artifact lies shattered - the Ancient Crystal of Eldoria. This relic, capable of uniting or shattering the realms themselves, has been shrouded in mystery for centuries, its true power all but forgotten. Amidst the rolling hills and frozen peaks of this mythical domain, a young girl named Isolde Frostbane is about to embark on a journey that will shape her destiny forever. Born into a humble village, her life is shattered when a marauding band of mercenaries ...

The Gate Keeper has been named... The prophesies have come true... The world as we know it will never be the same... End of Days is the exciting conclusion to "The Legend of the Gate Keeper" series. Join Eric and his friends as they make their final stand against the forces of evil. This book is intended for mature audiences. The Legend of the Gate Keeper Series Reading Order: The Shadow: (A standalone prequel: Book 0) Land of Shadows: (Book 1) Siege of Night: (Book 2) Lost Empire: (Book 3) Reborn: (Book 4) The Trials of Ashbarn: (Book 5) End of Days (Book 6) Final Book

A short story. A prequel to the Knights of Acre series. In the scorching summer of 1191, as the Third Crusade rages on, Sir Alaric of Normandy finds himself at the heart of a treacherous plot that threatens to unravel everything he holds dear. On the eve of a crucial battle against Saladin's forces near the strategic city of Arsuf, Alaric uncovers a shocking conspiracy led by the ambitious Lord de Marcy and his own mentor, Sir Geoffrey. Torn between loyalty and duty, Alaric must navigate a dangerous web of deceit as he races against time to expose the betrayal and save the Crusader army ...

With subtlety and exceptional sensitivity, historian Zoë Oldenbourg analyzes the complicated tangle of currents and ideas that motivated the Crusades. As Oldenbourg describes them, the Crusades were not simply a religious phenomenon, nor were they motivated by pure aggression. They were the result of a religious climate that led people of all walks of life to leave their homes and follow the unattainable ideal of heaven on earth.

Although many have heard of the Crusades and some of the more famous orders like the Templars, few know about the Livonian Crusade or the Livonian Brothers of the Sword. This organization was one of many Catholic military orders that sprung up during the Middle Ages in response to the papacy’s call for holy war, and the Livonian Crusade is the term used to group together dozens of military actions undertaken by German knights in Eastern Europe. The order would go on to become one of the most influential of religious knighthoods by incorporating into the Teutonic Knights.

Even if she must sell herself in marriage to the highest bidder, Lady Laura Middleton is determined to provide her daughter a home and protector. But when Queen Eleanor presents her cousin with four suitors, among them is one who believes Laura betrayed him 10 years past. Despite her attempts to discourage his pursuit, he is determined to have her for the dowry needed to save his lands.

It could be said that European kings and nobles in the Middle Ages were Crusade mad. The enormous amount of fighting men who periodically sailed off to the Near East to do battle with Muslims are evidence of the widespread popularity of overseas adventurism at the time. The notion of a Crusade, in which large armies assembled from various regions of Europe for the purpose of doing battle with Turkish and Arab Muslims, became so fixed that it was expanded to include Crusades against heretical European Christian sects.

Once rumored to be nothing more than an ancient legend, it is now painfully obvious that the lerwicks are real. Viola has reached out to the lerwicks, begging them to step into the light so they may show themselves to the world. No longer do they need to hide in the shadows, concealing themselves from a world that dares to defy their existence. They too have a place in this world, and whether or not the humans accept that fact is of no concern. But the lerwicks are not the only ones who have heard the call. When a stranger appears in the middle of the night, Viola will have no choice but to...

The bloody war is over and the city of Taron still stands tall. With one battle over, another is about to begin. Left with no other choice, our heroes must leave their familiar lands to embark on a journey by sea. A new world awaits them, but are they ready to face their calling? It matters not. Destiny waits for no one... This book is intended for mature audiences. The Legend of the Gate Keeper Series Reading Order: The Shadow: (A standalone prequel: Book 0) Land of Shadows: (Book 1) Siege of Night: (Book 2) Lost Empire: (Book 3) Reborn: (Book 4) The Trials of Ashbarn: (Book 5) End of Days...

The Republic of Genoa: The History of the Italian City that Became Influential across the Mediterranean during the Middle Ages examines the highs and lows of Genoa La Superba (“The Proud”), including its humble origins in the first century CE, its felicitous rise after the fall of the Roman Empire, its golden age as a mercantile power during the “Genoese Century,” and its demise at the hands of Napoleon Bonaparte in 1797.

Joan of Arc was born in a small French village during the worst period of the Hundred Years' War. For generations, France had been besieged by the British. At age 11, Joan began to see religious visions telling her to join forces with the King of France. By the time she was a teenager, she was leading troops into battle in the name of her country. Though she was captured and executed for her beliefs, Joan of Arc became a Catholic saint and has since captured the world's imagination.

The once beauteous Lady Ondine Wulfrith holds close a secret for which she conceals her face, surrounds herself with all things lovely, and is drawn to those of broken wing. When she happens on an enemy of the Crown wounded during his escape from the king’s men, she delivers the warrior to her family’s abandoned hunting lodge to tend his injury. While thwarting his efforts to return to flight until he heals, attraction to her resistant patient becomes something more—and unexpected—once the two are discovered by her brother in what appears a compromising position.

After the long period of cultural decline known as the Dark Ages, Europe experienced a rebirth of scholarship, art, literature, philosophy, and science and began to develop a vision of Western society that remains at the heart of Western civilization today. On visits to the great cities of Europe, Thomas Cahill brilliantly captures the spirit of experimentation, the colorful pageantry, and the passionate pursuit of knowledge that built the foundations for the modern world.

She summoned a monster to destroy her enemies. Now she’s the one chained to the altar. Aeloria Betrayed by the coven and cast out with scars still healing, I wanted revenge. The ritual was supposed to bind a demon to my will, a weapon to grind Elarion and the others to ash. But what came through the flames wasn’t just power—it was Kraven. Towering, horned, and far too sentient. The bond didn’t make him mine. It made me his. My body betrays me every time he draws near, and the heat only deepens. I told myself this was about control. Now I’m soaked in ritual blood and shame, and ...

The medieval Catholic Church, widely considered a source of intolerance and inquisitorial fervor, was not anti-science during the Dark Ages - in fact, the pope in the year 1000 was the leading mathematician and astronomer of his day. Called The Scientist Pope, Gerbert of Aurillac rose from peasant beginnings to lead the church. By turns a teacher, traitor, kingmaker, and visionary, Gerbert is the first Christian known to teach math using the nine Arabic numerals and zero.