Medieval History

From the Norman Conquest to the Battle of Bosworth Field - how Britain was invaded and became a nation. The first volume in the stunning four-volume Brief History of Britain series. From the Battle of Hastings to the Battle of Bosworth Field, Nicholas Vincent tells the story of how Britain was born. When William, Duke of Normandy, killed King Harold and seized the throne of England, England’s language, culture, politics, and law were transformed.

Charlemagne's name means "Charles the Great", a title he earned after an impressive life filled with military conquests. His life inspired countless tales, including the legends that he was 20 feet tall, that he slept under the guard of 100 armed knights, and that he rose from the dead to aid in the Crusades. While these fantastical tales are false, the truth is equally fantastic: By the end of his life, Charlemagne had been king of the Franks, king of the Lombards, and the first emperor of the newly formed Holy Roman Empire.

In this collection of two manuscripts in one audiobook, you'll learn about viking history, norse mythology, and more!

During the Black Death in the 14th century, plague doctors wore creepy beaked masks filled with herbs. RIGHT? WRONG! Those masks were from a plague outbreak centuries later—and most doctors never wore anything like that at all!

The Migration Age is still envisioned as an onrush of expansionary "Germans" pouring unwanted into the Roman Empire and subjecting it to pressures so great that its western parts collapsed under the weight. Further developing the themes set forth in his classic Barbarians and Romans, Walter Goffart dismantles this grand narrative, shaking the barbarians of late antiquity out of this "Germanic" setting and reimagining the role of foreigners in the later Roman Empire.

Amazon bestselling author Victoria Simcox presents The Medallion, a magical coming-of-age adventure. Kristina remains in the mystical land of Bernovem, teaming up with Hector Mysteria to find the hidden Book of Prophecy. As the malevolent Sentiz returns to claim an ancient Medallion for ultimate power, Kristina’s journey soars over lands and seas on dragon back, encountering unexpected allies—and a surprising figure from her past. Readers praise: The Medallion is fun, exciting, and enchanting, with vivid writing, unique characters, and a suspenseful storyline, perfect for teens and ...

Following the Battle of Agincourt, Henry V's second invasion of France in 1417 launched a campaign that would place the crown of France on an English head. By the time of Henry's premature death in 1422, nearly all of northern France lay in his hands and the Valois heir to the throne had been disinherited. Only Joan of Arc—a visionary peasant girl who claimed divine guidance—was able to halt the English advance, but not for long. Just six months after her death, Henry's young son was crowned in Paris as the first, and last, English king of France.

The journey of a young man’s determination to live out Jesus’ gospel of peace during one of Christianity’s darkest periods. Orphaned at age seven, Talen Enns vowed to complete the pilgrimage from France to Jerusalem that cost his parents their lives at the hands of Muslim Turks in the fall of 1083. Thirteen years later, his quest to fulfill the vow and discover why God spared his life unfolds in the shadow of Pope Urban II’s crusade to wrest the Holy Land from Muslim control. Believing the crusade to be an affront to Jesus’ gospel of peace, Talen wants no part of it. But when the ...

Why did the medieval Church bless William of Normandy's invasion of Christian England in 1066 and authorise cultural genocide in Provence? How could a Christian army sack Christian Constantinople in 1204? Why did thousands of ordinary men and women, led by knights and ladies, kings and queens, embark on campaigns of fanatical conquest in the world of Islam? The word 'Crusade' came later, but the concept of a 'war for the faith' is an ancient one.

Vinland Unearthed: The Norse Saga of Newfoundland by Neil L. Rideout offers a comprehensive exploration of Norse exploration in North America, with a particular focus on the historic site of L'Anse aux Meadows in Newfoundland. The book opens with a vivid introduction to the Viking Age, painting a picture of the adventurous spirit, advanced seafaring technology, and cultural vibrancy that characterized Norse society. Rideout recounts the legendary voyages of Leif Erikson, as told in the Sagas of Vinland, which describe the discovery of a mysterious and fertile land across the Atlantic.

The book covers the history of the Byzantine Empire from late antiquity until the Fall of Constantinople in 1453 AD. The author provides a comprehensive view of this great empire which was characterized by Orthodox Christianity, Greek culture and language, and Roman traditions.

Plato's Allegory of the Cave is what many believe to be the foundation of Western Philosophy. It addresses what is visible and invisible, seen and observed versus intuited and imagined, and what is public versus private and just versus unjust. It also concerns the meaning and importance of education, the state of the soul, the conflict between truth and beauty, animal urges versus higher aspirations, knowledge versus ignorance, and on and on.

The term “Reconquista” is a Spanish word transferred to the English language to represent the nearly 800 years in which the Moors and Christians struggled against one another for control of the Iberian Peninsula. The Reconquista: The History and Legacy of the Conflicts Between the Moors and Christians on the Iberian Peninsula examines the events that shaped the modern history of Spain and Portugal, as well as the ramifications.

Fino all'inizio del XIV secolo il Medioevo europeo registra una crescita demografica e urbana, del commercio e della tecnica. Ma l'aumento della popolazione provoca una domanda alimentare superiore all'offerta e si avvertono i segni della crisi. Poi, a metà del secolo, un terribile flagello si abbatte sul Vecchio Continente: nel giro di pochi anni la peste riduce di un terzo circa la popolazione. È l’apice di una crisi profonda che trasforma radicalmente il paesaggio e l'economia e provoca aspri conflitti tra Stati.

Between the infamous Lindisfarne raid in 793 CE and the Norman conquest of 1066, the peoples we know now as the Vikings became one of the most far-ranging and influential civilizations in history. The Vikings are frequently portrayed as raiders, marauding across medieval Europe and Britain, but the culture and society of the medieval Nordic peoples was so much more diverse, multifaceted and influential than it is often depicted.

Meetings with Remarkable Manuscripts is a remarkable examination of 12 illuminated manuscripts from the medieval period. Noted authority Christopher de Hamel invites the listener into intimate conversations with these texts to explore what they tell us about nearly a thousand years of medieval history - and sometimes about the modern world too. In so doing, de Hamel introduces us to kings, queens, saints, scribes, artists, librarians, thieves, dealers, and collectors.

Discover all the foul facts about the Measly Middle Ages on audio, narrated by Terry Deary. Find out why chickens had their bottoms shaved, a genuine jester's joke and what ten-year-old treacle was used for.

Medieval feudalism is one of those subjects which most of us are familiar with, and yet have difficulty describing. Was is a political, military, economic, or social system? And how did it develop? All these questions are answered in this superb book. Carl Stephenson has done a magnificent job of paring away all extraneous subjects and focusing on just the key elements. This short book, a masterpiece of brevity, succinctly sums up medieval feudalism better than anything ever written.

In 1187 Saladin's armies besieged the holy city of Jerusalem. He had previously annihilated Jerusalem's army at the battle of Hattin, and behind the city's high walls a last-ditch defence was being led by an unlikely trio - including Sibylla, Queen of Jerusalem. They could not resist Saladin, but, if they were lucky, they could negotiate terms that would save the lives of the city's inhabitants.

The Holy Land is in turmoil and desperately awaits the arrival of Edward Longshanks and his relieving army of French and English Crusaders. This is a time of brutality, an age of chivalry. A time of strong men with stronger hearts, an era with no place for the weak. Yet a thousand miles away, a 14-year-old boy learns a disturbing secret that drives him on a Crusade of his own. A quest to avenge his family, save his brother, and in the process recover the holiest relic in the history of Christendom.