Medieval Ages

Hereby begins the noble tale of young Rhys, a page for Morgana le Fae, who is chosen to compete for the honor of becoming a Son of the Round Table. He’s been learning the sword, the spear, and the shield, and seeks to use them for a higher purpose—especially as Mordred, the son of King Arthur, gathers his forces with a plan to usurp his father’s throne. But as Rhys bravely obeys King Arthur’s call to arms, he must leave his beloved Naida behind—a faerie who warns that supernatural forces are crossing into the Earth realm. Indeed, a magical kingdom from just beyond the veil has ...

Strong-willed and free spirited, lady-in-waiting Marjory de Warenne long ago gave her body and soul to the charming and beguiling Earl of Warwick, Guy de Beauchamp. But her family never approved of the pairing. Now, on the eve of war and an arranged marriage to another suitor, Jory yearns for the man who could make all of her dreams come true.

Whispers of the Gate Keeper's return have sprung up everywhere, raging across Tarmerria like a blazing forest fire. Could it be true? Has this mystical figure really returned to the world of men? Some have embraced the idea as a symbol of hope. Others will do whatever it takes to see Eric dead. Lines have been drawn, sides have been taken. There is only one way to discover the truth. Tarmerria must go to war. 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: (...

The medieval humoral system of medicine suggested that it was possible to die from having too much - or too little - sex, while the Roman Catholic Church taught that virginity was the ideal state. Holy men and women committed themselves to lifelong abstinence in the name of religion. Everyone was forced to conform to restrictive rules about who they could have sex with, in what way, how often, and even when, and could be harshly punished for getting it wrong.

Sixteen hundred years ago, Britain left the Roman Empire and swiftly fell into ruin. Grand cities and luxurious villas were deserted and left to crumble, and civil society collapsed into chaos. Into this violent and unstable world came foreign invaders from across the sea and established themselves as its new masters. The Anglo-Saxons traces the turbulent history of these people across the next six centuries. It explains how their earliest rulers fought relentlessly against each other for glory and supremacy and then were almost destroyed by the onslaught of the Vikings.

AD 1315. Ireland and England are ravaged by bitter war. Rotting in an English prison, condemned as a heretic, Irish Knight Templar Richard Savage is given one chance of reprieve. But there is a catch. He must return to Ireland as a traitor, and work as a spy there for the king of England.

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.

Step back into the forgotten world of medieval Ireland, to uncover intriguing stories from the world of our distant ancestors. Beyond well-known figures such as Strongbow, the Norman invader, lies a tapestry of untold stories of ordinary men and women—those who held no titles, owned no lands, and whose voices have faded into obscurity. In Life in Medieval Ireland, Fin Dwyer—creator of the Irish History Podcast—breathes life into an era often overshadowed by conquest and chaos.

The Sword of Truth meets The Wheel of Time in this epic fantasy series. If there is one thing Viola knows for certain, it is that she’s inferior to all other beings. At least, that is what she has been told for as long as she can remember. She was born a freak with no memory of her past, and her red eyes and white hair have forced her to hide from the rest of the world. She’s been treated like a slave by a man she hates, and her life of involuntary servitude is all she's ever known. But everything changes the day she is followed home and captured by Lord Alaric. With her most unusual ...

Can Thaddeus wrest an understanding of the Sorcererous Arts from his Master before he is branded and expelled for life? The three Brother Apprentices have arrived at the College of Sorcerers only to face new challenges and tribulations set upon them by both the senior students and the Faculty. Hindering their advancement at College are a collection of obstacles including a half-mad Centaur, a Green Goblin, the last living Father of Man, drug-seeking Sprites, sentient warrior statues, the Guardian of the Temple of Time, murderous attacks by Excelsior-Class brigands, Graecolian Slavers, the ...

The Emperor Henry of the Holy Roman Empire is dying, and his wife, the Empress Matilda, is in danger from those who would use her to gain the title and the power. King Henry of England sends Alfraed of Norton to rescue her and avoid a war. With enemies from France, Flanders and the empire, as well as Norman traitors, the handful of Northern Knights have to fight across Europe and back. A fast-moving novel that moves from Germany to the Scottish borders in the turbulent times of the early 12th century, when friends could become foes overnight.

Modern beer has little in common with the drink that carried that name through the Middle Ages and Renaissance. Looking at a time when beer was often a nutritional necessity, was sometimes used as medicine, could be flavored with everything from the bark of fir trees to thyme and fresh eggs, and was consumed by men, women, and children alike, Beer in the Middle Ages and Renaissance presents an extraordinarily detailed history of the business, art, and governance of brewing.

The thought of trading her subservient role in her father’s home for that of being the dutiful wife of someone she had never met caused her to shudder with revulsion. No, she thought to herself, what I crave is the opportunity to adventure across the sea, to behold strange and wondrous sights far beyond the city walls of Lubeck. To do that even once would almost be worth submitting herself to a loveless marriage based solely on familial advantage. But not quite, she admitted to herself. For if there was one thing of which Christina Kohl was certain, it was that she wanted her independence...

He would sacrifice anything to possess her, the girl he’d wanted for so long. Even if he has to break her, and himself, to keep her. Prince Damon has loved the dainty serving girl Lily since they were children. She was such a lovely little thing, and so willful. The child was prone to impertinence. Nobody made him smile more. The Prince watches and waits. When he reaches an age to own property, he asks for her. He has put off choosing his Royal Concubine until this moment. Just claiming her is not enough. He has to own her, body and soul. But the responsibility is challenging. Especially ...

Bound together by a single ancient text, the unforgettable characters of Cloud Cuckoo Land are dreamers and outsiders figuring out the world around them: 13-year-old Anna and Omeir, an orphaned seamstress and a cursed boy, on opposite sides of the formidable city walls during the 1453 siege of Constantinople; teenage idealist Seymour and octogenarian Zeno in an attack on a public library in present-day Idaho; and Konstance, decades from now, who turns to the oldest stories to guide her community in peril.

England 1066. The Battle of Hastings is over. The Battle for England is about to begin. King Harold and most of England’s warriors lie dead on the battle-field and William, Duke of Normandy is marching towards London. Refusing to surrender, the English leaders turn to the one person they believe can unite the kingdom against the invaders. Edgar Atheling, the last surviving descendent of Alfred the Great, is proclaimed King of England. He is only thirteen years of age. Edgar leads an English army to meet William in battle. But when they see the strength of the Normans his advisers desert ...

Who were the Cathars, and why was the Catholic Church so committed to getting rid of them? The Cathars: The History and Legacy of the Gnostic Christian Sect During the Middle Ages examines the origins of the cult, their fascinating belief system, their gradual development over the years, and the events that contributed to their epic downfall.

Max, a knight of Swabia in the 10th Century during the reign of Otto the Great, chronicles his life as it parallels the historical events of the time. His tale begins with his boyhood on Lake Zurich and how he develops his love for horses and his skill at training them. It is also the story of his relationship with Verena, first, when they meet as children, and then later as they grow to love each other. Finally, it is the story of how Max becomes a valued knight in the service of Otto l, Holy Roman Emperor, and travels across Europe as both a warrior and as an ambassador for one of the ...

The dead whisper. The trees remember. And the boy with the cursed blade walks deeper into darkness. Wielding Lightbearer was meant to give Erikson Gray strength. Instead, it shackled him to blood and memory. The blade’s voice grows louder, feeding on doubt, pulling him toward the Sacred Grove—a forgotten land where the veil between life and death wears thin, and the roots run red with secrets. But what waits beneath the boughs is not salvation. As the past claws its way to the surface, Erik finds only betrayal, buried truths, and the shadow of what he is becoming. Friends blur into foes...

I tracked a lowlife into the dark. I found monsters waiting in it. Mara Cole is a debt collector with nothing left to lose. Her sister’s medical bills are piling up and her latest mark disappears into the shadows of Chicago’s criminal underworld. She follows him into an alley, through a door, and into a den of monsters. Literal ones. Minotaurs rule the pit fights below the city. They’re brutal, ancient, and obsessed with dominance. Mara should be running. Instead, she’s surrounded. Caught. Claimed. Torin doesn’t want her fear. He wants her surrender. Gideon watches her with ...