Download or read book The Greatest Conquerors of the Middle Ages written by Charles River Charles River Editors and published by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform. This book was released on 2018-02-14 with total page 182 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: *Includes maps of each conqueror's empire and pictures depicting the conquerors and other important people and places. *Discusses legends and controversies surrounding the lives, deaths, and legacies of the conquerors. *Includes a Bibliography for further reading. The most famous man of the Middle Ages was probably Charlemagne, and few would argue that he was also the most important man during those centuries. Upon the death of his father, Pepin the Short, in 768, Charlemagne became King of the Franks, and he proceeded to create one of the largest European empires since the collapse of Rome. Through his conquests across Western Europe and Italy, Charlemagne became the first Holy Roman Emperor after a famous imperial coronation by Pope Leo III. In becoming the first Holy Roman Emperor, Charlemagne essentially established the new order on the European continent, thereby directly influencing how European politics and royalty proceeded in the coming centuries. As if to demonstrate how large he loomed in life, Charlemagne was numbered Charles I in Germany, France, and the Holy Roman Empire. Charlemagne is also viewed as having brought about the Carolingian Renaissance, a revival of art, religion, and culture through the Catholic Church that predated the Italian Renaissance by centuries. The Carolingian Renaissance helped establish a uniform European culture, helping Charlemagne earn the title "Father of Europe." In a world fascinated by men like Alexander the Great and Julius Caesar, Genghis Khan is one of history's greatest and most famous conquerors. No man, before or since, has ever started with so little and gone on to achieve so much. From a noble family but raised in poverty that drove him to the brink of starvation, Genghis Khan rose to control the second-largest empire the world has ever known (the largest being, arguably, the British Empire of the 18th and 19th centuries), and easily the largest empire conquered by a single man. And while many empires disintegrate upon the death of an emperor, like Alexander the Great's, Genghis Khan's empire endured and was actually enlarged by his successors, who went on to establish dynasties that in some cases lasted for centuries. Though history is usually written by the victors, history was largely written by those who Genghis Khan and Saladin vanquished. And while that meant Genghis Khan became widely reviled, it had the opposite effect on Saladin. Saladin is widely considered one of the greatest generals in history and one of the most famous leaders of the Middle Ages, but he remains a paradox, both in personal and in historical terms. A military genius, he first served other generals and was overshadowed, late in life, by his greatest rival, Richard I of England. He was far more admired by his Christian enemies, who extolled his chivalry, than some of his Muslim rivals, who fought him for control of Egypt and Syria in the 12th century. His Christian enemies continued his name long after it was forgotten in the Middle East, only to spark a revival of his reputation in Arab culture in the 20th century. Revered as the flower of Arab culture, he was really a Kurd who nearly destroyed it. Taught to Egyptian children as a native born Egyptian hero, he was, in fact, Egypt's conqueror, the man who destroyed its native dynasty and suppressed the local Shi'ite sect. The Greatest Conquerors of the Middle Ages chronicles the amazing lives and conquests of the three men, while examining their empires and their enduring legacies. Along with pictures of important people, places and events, you will learn about Charlemagne, Saladin and Genghis Khan like you never have before.
Download or read book The Greatest Conquerors of the Middle Ages Charlemagne Saladin and Genghis Khan written by Charles River Editors and published by . This book was released on 2013-10-09 with total page 98 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: *Includes maps of each conqueror's empire and pictures depicting the conquerors and other important people and places. *Discusses legends and controversies surrounding the lives, deaths, and legacies of the conquerors. *Includes a Bibliography for further reading. The most famous man of the Middle Ages was probably Charlemagne, and few would argue that he was also the most important man during those centuries. Upon the death of his father, Pepin the Short, in 768, Charlemagne became King of the Franks, and he proceeded to create one of the largest European empires since the collapse of Rome. Through his conquests across Western Europe and Italy, Charlemagne became the first Holy Roman Emperor after a famous imperial coronation by Pope Leo III. In becoming the first Holy Roman Emperor, Charlemagne essentially established the new order on the European continent, thereby directly influencing how European politics and royalty proceeded in the coming centuries. As if to demonstrate how large he loomed in life, Charlemagne was numbered Charles I in Germany, France, and the Holy Roman Empire. Charlemagne is also viewed as having brought about the Carolingian Renaissance, a revival of art, religion, and culture through the Catholic Church that predated the Italian Renaissance by centuries. The Carolingian Renaissance helped establish a uniform European culture, helping Charlemagne earn the title "Father of Europe". In a world fascinated by men like Alexander the Great and Julius Caesar, Genghis Khan is one of history's greatest and most famous conquerors. No man, before or since, has ever started with so little and gone on to achieve so much. From a noble family but raised in poverty that drove him to the brink of starvation, Genghis Khan rose to control the second-largest empire the world has ever known (the largest being, arguably, the British Empire of the 18th and 19th centuries), and easily the largest empire conquered by a single man. And while many empires disintegrate upon the death of an emperor, like Alexander the Great's, Genghis Khan's empire endured and was actually enlarged by his successors, who went on to establish dynasties that in some cases lasted for centuries. Though history is usually written by the victors, history was largely written by those who Genghis Khan and Saladin vanquished. And while that meant Genghis Khan became widely reviled, it had the opposite effect on Saladin. Saladin is widely considered one of the greatest generals in history and one of the most famous leaders of the Middle Ages, but he remains a paradox, both in personal and in historical terms. A military genius, he first served other generals and was overshadowed, late in life, by his greatest rival, Richard I of England. He was far more admired by his Christian enemies, who extolled his chivalry, than some of his Muslim rivals, who fought him for control of Egypt and Syria in the 12th century. His Christian enemies continued his name long after it was forgotten in the Middle East, only to spark a revival of his reputation in Arab culture in the 20th century. Revered as the flower of Arab culture, he was really a Kurd who nearly destroyed it. Taught to Egyptian children as a native born Egyptian hero, he was, in fact, Egypt's conqueror, the man who destroyed its native dynasty and suppressed the local Shi'ite sect. The Greatest Conquerors of the Middle Ages chronicles the amazing lives and conquests of the three men, while examining their empires and their enduring legacies. Along with pictures of important people, places and events, you will learn about Charlemagne, Saladin and Genghis Khan like you never have before.
Download or read book An Introduction to the Study of the Middle Ages 375 814 written by Ephraim Emerton and published by . This book was released on 1916 with total page 296 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The period of time of which this book treats is that lying between the greatest splendor of the Roman Empire and the beginning of what may properly be called the Middle Ages. What had before seemed blind forces of destruction became agents working together in the making of a new and fairer civilization. It is the purpose of this book to dwell upon these elements of construction, to show how they originated, and how they were tending to produce the life of the great period which was to follow. These forces were chiefly three: first, the organized Christian Church; second, the Germanic races; third, the domination of the Frankish race over all the other Germanic nations of the continent. The history of these three lines of development finds its natural culmination in the union of the Frankish kingdom with the Roman papacy under the form of the Holy Roman Empire. - Preface.
Download or read book Conquering the Middle East written by Charles River Charles River Editors and published by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform. This book was released on 2018-03-02 with total page 178 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: *Includes paintings and busts depicting important people, places, and events. *Discusses both common legends and little known facts about the lives of each conqueror. *Includes a Bibliography for further reading. Over the last 2,000 years, ambitious men have dreamed of forging vast empires and attaining eternal glory in battle, but of all the conquerors who took steps toward such dreams, none were ever as successful as antiquity's first great conqueror. Leaders of the 20th century hoped to rival Napoleon's accomplishments, while Napoleon aimed to emulate the accomplishments of Julius Caesar. But Caesar himself found inspiration in Alexander the Great (356-323 B.C.), the Macedonian King who managed to stretch an empire from Greece to the Himalayas in Asia at just 30 years old. It took less than 15 years for Alexander to conquer much of the known world. As fate would have it, Alexander died of still unknown causes at the height of his conquests, when he was still in his early 30s. Although his empire was quickly divided, his legacy only grew, and Alexander became the stuff of legends even in his own time. Alexander was responsible for establishing 20 cities in his name across the world, most notably Alexandria in Egypt, and he was directly responsible for spreading Ancient Greek culture as far east as modern day India and other parts of Asia. In a world fascinated by men like Alexander the Great and Julius Caesar, Genghis Khan is one of history's greatest and most famous conquerors. No man, before or since, has ever started with so little and gone on to achieve so much. From a noble family but raised in poverty that drove him to the brink of starvation, Genghis Khan rose to control the second-largest empire the world has ever known (the largest being, arguably, the British Empire of the 18th and 19th centuries), and easily the largest empire conquered by a single man. And while many empires disintegrate upon the death of an emperor, like Alexander the Great's, Genghis Khan's empire endured and was actually enlarged by his successors, who went on to establish dynasties that in some cases lasted for centuries. Though history is usually written by the victors, history was largely written by those who Genghis Khan and Saladin vanquished, and while Genghis was reviled, Saladin became celebrated. Saladin is widely considered one of the greatest generals in history and one of the most famous leaders of the Middle Ages, but he remains a paradox, both in personal and in historical terms. A military genius, he first served other generals and was overshadowed, late in life, by his greatest rival, Richard I of England. He was far more admired by his Christian enemies, who extolled his chivalry, than some of his Muslim rivals, who fought him for control of Egypt and Syria in the 12th century. His Christian enemies continued his name long after it was forgotten in the Middle East, only to spark a revival of his reputation in Arab culture in the 20th century. Revered as the flower of Arab culture, he was really a Kurd who nearly destroyed it. Taught to Egyptian children as a native born Egyptian hero, he was, in fact, Egypt's conqueror, the man who destroyed its native dynasty and suppressed the local Shi'ite sect. Having united almost all of the Levant under one rule, he left it as divided as before. He founded a dynasty that was eventually destroyed by slaves. Conquering the Middle East chronicles the amazing lives and conquests of each conqueror, while looking at the legends and myths surrounding each man's legacy. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about Alexander, Saladin and Genghis Khan like you never have before.
Download or read book The Middle Ages written by Philip Van Ness Myers and published by General Books. This book was released on 2009-08 with total page 394 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: EUROPE IN THE REIGN OF THEODORIC About A.D. 5OO ] ] Roman Empire Celis Teutonic Setilements J LLPyuei. Ener., N.T. 25 80 15 40 15 50 65 60 65 Kingdom of the Visigoths 19 Like many another great ruler and leader of men, he had lived too long for his fame. His massive mausoleum stands in Ravenna to-day. The kingdom established by the rare abilities of Theodoric lasted only twenty-seven years after his death. It was destroyed by the generals of Justinian, the emperor of the East (par. 62); and Italy, freed from the barbarians, was for a time reunited to the empire (a.d. 553). 17. Kingdom of the Visigoths (a.d. 415-711).?The Visigoths (Western Goths) were already in possession of Southern Gaul and the greater part of Spain when the Roman empire in the West was brought to an end by the act of Odovacar and his companions. The name of Euric (a.d. 466-483) holds the same place of preeminence among their kings as does that of Theodoric among the Ostrogothic princes. His fame was spread not only throughout Europe, but even reached some of the most distant countries of Asia. Being driven south of the Pyrenees by the kings of the Franks, the Visigoths held their possessions in Spain until the beginning of the eighth century, when the Saracens crossed the Straits of Gibraltar (par. 90), destroyed the kingdom of Roderic, the last of the Gothic kings, and established in the peninsula the authority of the Koran (a.d. 711). The Visi- gothic kingdom when thus overturned had lasted nearly three hundred years. During this time the conquerors had mingled with the old Romanized inhabitants of Spain, so that in the veins of the Spaniard of to-day is blended the blood of Iberian, Celt, Roman, and Teuton, together with that of the last intruder, the African M...
Download or read book Legends of the Middle Ages the Life and Legacy of William the Conqueror written by Charles River Charles River Editors and published by . This book was released on 2018-01-08 with total page 76 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: *Includes historic art depicting William the Conqueror and other important people and places in his life. *Discusses the facts and legends of William's life and the Battle of Hastings. *Includes a Bibliography for further reading. "Stranger and conqueror, his deeds won him a right to a place on the roll of English statesmen, and no man that came after him has won a right to a higher place." - E.A. Freeman A lot of ink has been spilled covering the lives of history's most influential figures, but how much of the forest is lost for the trees? In Charles River Editors' Legends of the Middle Ages series, readers can get caught up to speed on the lives of the most important medieval men and women in the time it takes to finish a commute, while learning interesting facts long forgotten or never known. "We, conquered by William, have liberated the Conqueror's land". So reads the memorial to the British war dead at Bayeaux, Normandy. Commemorating those who gave their lives to free France in 1944, it also serves to remind us of an earlier conflict. For the English, the Norman conquest remains deeply embedded in the national psyche. As the last contested military invasion to have succeeded in conquering this proud island nation, the date of 1066 is the one every citizen can remember. For them, William will forever be the "Conqueror", the last invader to beat them in an open fight. For others, notably the French, he is the "Bastard", a reference not only to his lineage. William's conquest of the island arguably made him the most important figure in shaping the course of English history, but modern caricatures of this vitally important medieval figure are largely based on ignorance. William is a fascinating and complex figure, in many ways the quintessential warrior king of this period. Inheriting the Duchy of Normandy while still an infant and forced to fight for his domain almost ceaselessly during his early years, William went on to conquer and rule England, five times larger and three times wealthier. In doing so, he demonstrated sophisticated political and diplomatic skill, military prowess and administrative acumen. Although he lived by the sword, he was a devout man who had only one wife, to whom he remained faithful. However, peering back nearly 1,000 years to understand William does not just require a suspension of 21st century values and prejudices, because the evidence itself is far from complete. The historical record includes chronicles and documents, most notably the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, the famous Domesday Book and the Bayeux tapestry, leaving scholars to attempt the meticulous and painstaking process of piecing together the narrative of his life and determining what William and the Normans might actually have been like. At the same time, those scholars are the first to admit the limitations of these abilities, since the few people who could write in medieval England and Normandy often had important agendas and prejudices of their own, or they were recording events decades after they occurred. Legends of the Middle Ages: The Life and Legacy of William the Conqueror chronicles the historic life and conquests of the medieval king and analyzes his monumental legacy. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about William the Conqueror like you never have before, in no time at all.
Download or read book Great Conquerors written by Claire Price-Groff and published by . This book was released on 2000 with total page 136 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The history of the world turns on the deeds and lives of certain pivotal individuals. This book provides insight into the personalities of seven such men who, though they represent different periods of history and different cultures, have directly affected our present culture and civilization. These lively, well-documented short biographies cover: Alexander the Great; Augustus, the First Roman Emperor; Attila, the Scourge of God; Charlemagne the Great; William the Conqueror; Genghis Kahn, Emperor of all Mongols; and Napoleon Bonaparte.
Download or read book Famous Men of the Middle Ages written by Addison B. Poland and published by 谷月社. This book was released on 2015-11-27 with total page 163 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: THE GODS OF THE TEUTONS THE NIBELUNGS ALARIC THE VISIGOTH ATTILA THE HUN GENSERIC THE VANDAL THEODORIC THE OSTROGOTH CLOVIS JUSTINIAN THE GREAT MOHAMMED CHARLEMAGNE HARUN-AL-RASHID EGBERT ROLLO THE VIKING ALFRED THE GREAT HENRY THE FOWLER CANUTE THE GREAT THE CID EDWARD THE CONFESSOR WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR PETER THE HERMIT FREDERICK BARBAROSSA LOUIS THE NINTH ROBERT BRUCE MARCO POLO EDWARD THE BLACK PRINCE TAMERLANE HENRY V JOAN OF ARC GUTENBERG WARWICK THE KINGMAKER
Download or read book Famous Men of the Middle Ages written by John Henry Haaren and published by . This book was released on 1904 with total page 284 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Famous Men of the Middle Ages written by John Henry Haaren and published by Good Press. This book was released on 2021-04-11 with total page 144 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: As the title suggests this book contains stories about many of the most prominent people of the Middle Ages, including Joan of Arc. The writer's style is clear and easy to read and the range of persons included is impressive.
Download or read book The Kings of England in the Middle Ages written by Sean Benham and published by . This book was released on 2021-04-24 with total page 300 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Kings of England in the Middle Ages is a great read for all those, who love the Middle Ages and are history buffs. All kings from William the Conqueror to Henry VII are portrayed in this easy to read book, that sums up their lives and reigns, without letting out anything that You really want to know about, including the wars they fought, the women they loved, the policies they enacted and the faith they held.
Download or read book Legends of the Middle Ages the Life and Legacy of Genghis Khan written by Charles River Charles River Editors and published by . This book was released on 2013-10-26 with total page 34 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: *Includes maps of Genghis Khan's empire and pictures depicting Genghis and other important people and places in his life. *Discusses legends and controversies surrounding Genghis Khan's life, death and legacy. *Includes a Bibliography for further reading. "Conquering the world from horseback is easy. It is dismounting and governing that is hard." - Genghis Khan In a world fascinated by men like Alexander the Great and Julius Caesar, Genghis Khan is one of history's greatest and most famous conquerors. No man, before or since, has ever started with so little and gone on to achieve so much. From a noble family but raised in poverty that drove him to the brink of starvation, Genghis Khan rose to control the second-largest empire the world has ever known (the largest being, arguably, the British Empire of the 18th and 19th centuries), and easily the largest empire conquered by a single man. And while many empires disintegrate upon the death of an emperor, like Alexander the Great's, Genghis Khan's empire endured and was actually enlarged by his successors, who went on to establish dynasties that in some cases lasted for centuries. Though history is usually written by the victors, the lack of a particularly strong writing tradition from the Mongols ensured that history was largely written by those who Genghis Khan vanquished. Because of this, Genghis Khan's portrayal in the West and the Middle East has been extraordinarily (and in many ways unfairly) negative for centuries, at least until recent revisions to the historical record. Certainly Genghis Khan was not a peaceful man, or a particularly merciful one, and he famously boasted to the Khwaremzids that he was "the flail of God, come to punish you for your sins". However, the image of him as a bloodthirsty barbarian is largely the result of hostile propaganda. He was far more complex than the mere brute that his negative portrayals indicate, and though there is a slew of graves and depopulated regions to testify to the fact that he was not a gentle man, it would be simplistic and wrong to describe him merely as a madman bent on destruction for destruction's sake. In truth he was an extremely intelligent and extraordinarily ambitious man with a gift for warfare, empire-building and administration, and he was a political visionary who dreamed of a united Asia under Mongol control. He was neither the vile mass-murderer he is seen as in much of the Middle East, nor the shining, flawless hero he is often remembered as in Mongolia and western China. Nor should this fractured tribal background confirm one of the longest-lasting impressions that people have held about Genghis Khan and his Mongols, that of wild horse-archers galloping out of the dawn to rape, pillage, murder and enslave. The Mongol army was a highly sophisticated, minutely organized and incredibly adaptive and innovative institution, as witnessed by the fact that it was successful in conquering enemies who employed completely different weaponry and different styles of fighting, from Chinese armored infantry to Middle-Eastern camel cavalry all the way to Western medieval knights and men-at-arms. Likewise, the infrastructure and administrative corps which governed Genghis Khan's empire, though largely borrowed from the Chinese, was inventive, practical, and extraordinarily modern and efficient. This was no fly-by-night enterprise but a sophisticated, complex and extremely well-oiled machine. One thing all can agree on is that Genghis Khan's story is a fascinating tale of glory, strife, backstabbing, and, above all, ruthless willpower. Legends of the Middle Ages: The Life and Legacy of Genghis Khan chronicles the amazing life of the conqueror, examines his accomplishments, and analyzes his legacy. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about Genghis Khan like you never have before, in no time at all.
Download or read book The Worlds of Alfonso the Learned and James the Conqueror written by Robert Ignatius Burns and published by . This book was released on 2016-04-19 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The thirteenth-century monarch Alfonso the Learned of Castile and his contemporary rival James the Conqueror, of Aragon-Catalonia, are key figures who made enduring contributions to Western civilization--although neither is well known to American students. This book explores the contrasts and convergences not only of the kings but of the scholarly-cultural with the military-commercial society. Originally published in 1985. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.
Download or read book Kings of England in the Middle Ages written by Sean Benham and published by . This book was released on 2021-03-17 with total page 300 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Kings of England in the Middle Ages is a great read for all those, who love the Middle Ages and are history buffs. All kings from William the Conqueror to Henry VII are portrayed in this easy to read book, that sums up their lives and reigns, without letting out anything that You really want to know.
Download or read book The Great Schoolmen of the Middle Ages written by William John Townsend and published by . This book was released on 1881 with total page 392 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book The Beginning The Middle Ages Epochs of Modern History written by R. W. Church and published by Church Press. This book was released on 2007-03 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: PREFACE. THE Author of this very practical treatise on Scotch Loch - Fishing desires clearly that it may be of use to all who had it. He does not pretend to have written anything new, but to have attempted to put what he has to say in as readable a form as possible. Everything in the way of the history and habits of fish has been studiously avoided, and technicalities have been used as sparingly as possible. The writing of this book has afforded him pleasure in his leisure moments, and that pleasure would be much increased if he knew that the perusal of it would create any bond of sympathy between himself and the angling community in general. This section is interleaved with blank shects for the readers notes. The Author need hardly say that any suggestions addressed to the case of the publishers, will meet with consideration in a future edition. We do not pretend to write or enlarge upon a new subject. Much has been said and written-and well said and written too on the art of fishing but loch-fishing has been rather looked upon as a second-rate performance, and to dispel this idea is one of the objects for which this present treatise has been written. Far be it from us to say anything against fishing, lawfully practised in any form but many pent up in our large towns will bear us out when me say that, on the whole, a days loch-fishing is the most convenient. One great matter is, that the loch-fisher is depend- ent on nothing but enough wind to curl the water, -and on a large loch it is very seldom that a dead calm prevails all day, -and can make his arrangements for a day, weeks beforehand whereas the stream- fisher is dependent for a good take on the state of the water and however pleasant and easy it may be for one living near the banks of a good trout stream or river, it is quite another matter to arrange for a days river-fishing, if one is looking forward to a holiday at a date some weeks ahead. Providence may favour the expectant angler with a good day, and the water in order but experience has taught most of us that the good days are in the minority, and that, as is the case with our rapid running streams, -such as many of our northern streams are, -the water is either too large or too small, unless, as previously remarked, you live near at hand, and can catch it at its best. A common belief in regard to loch-fishing is, that the tyro and the experienced angler have nearly the same chance in fishing, -the one from the stern and the other from the bow of the same boat. Of all the absurd beliefs as to loch-fishing, this is one of the most absurd. Try it. Give the tyro either end of the boat he likes give him a cast of ally flies he may fancy, or even a cast similar to those which a crack may be using and if he catches one for every three the other has, he may consider himself very lucky. Of course there are lochs where the fish are not abundant, and a beginner may come across as many as an older fisher but we speak of lochs where there are fish to be caught, and where each has a fair chance. Again, it is said that the boatman has as much to do with catching trout in a loch as the angler. Well, we dont deny that. In an untried loch it is necessary to have the guidance of a good boatman but the same argument holds good as to stream-fishing...
Download or read book The Middle Ages written by Johannes Fried and published by Harvard University Press. This book was released on 2015-01-13 with total page 653 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Since the fifteenth century, when humanist writers began to speak of a “middle” period in history linking their time to the ancient world, the nature of the Middle Ages has been widely debated. Across the millennium from 500 to 1500, distinguished historian Johannes Fried describes a dynamic confluence of political, social, religious, economic, and scientific developments that draws a guiding thread through the era: the growth of a culture of reason. “Fried’s breadth of knowledge is formidable and his passion for the period admirable...Those with a true passion for the Middle Ages will be thrilled by this ambitious defensio.” —Dan Jones, Sunday Times “Reads like a counterblast to the hot air of the liberal-humanist interpreters of European history...[Fried] does justice both to the centrifugal fragmentation of the European region into monarchies, cities, republics, heresies, trade and craft associations, vernacular literatures, and to the persistence of unifying and homogenizing forces: the papacy, the Western Empire, the schools, the friars, the civil lawyers, the bankers, the Crusades...Comprehensive coverage of the whole medieval continent in flux.” —Eric Christiansen, New York Review of Books “[An] absorbing book...Fried covers much in the realm of ideas on monarchy, jurisprudence, arts, chivalry and courtly love, millenarianism and papal power, all of it a rewarding read.” —Sean McGlynn, The Spectator
