Showing titles in Medieval

Today, "the Anarchy" is used to describe the period in English history from the death of Henry I in 1135 to the Treaty of Winchester signed by King Stephen and his successor Henry II in 1153. Despite the name, it was an episode of civil war rather than of lawlessness and is interesting for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that it was the first time in English history that a woman claimed the throne of England in her own right.

Le Crociate: e cioè l'avventura di quei cristiani che hanno accettato l'appello del papa, sentendone il fascino, e si sono messi in gioco, facendo cose che oggi ci sembrano assai discutibili e che invece a loro sembravano sacrosante. Il fatto è che i musulmani non sono rimasti inerti quando un'orda di barbari sanguinari venuti da chissà dove, per di più miscredenti, è entrata in terra islamica seminando distruzione."

Like many historical figures, Harun al-Rashid’s biography has become part reality and part myth. A real individual and the fourth caliph of the Abbasid Caliphate, Harun al-Rashid is best known to many individuals because of his role in famous literature like One Thousand and One Nights, not necessarily because of his policy decisions. This is unusual because Harun al-Rashid was perhaps the most influential of the Abbasid caliphs due to his role in bringing economic prosperity.

The Teutonic Knights are said to be the toughest warriors the Catholic church ever had during the crusades. Discover how this Catholic order has influenced our history and even present times. The Teutonic Knights may receive less attention than the other two Catholic orders of Crusaders - the Hospitallers and the Knights Templar - but their history is just as storied and complex as that of their monastic peers.

For centuries, beautifully illustrated fairy-tale volumes have rested innocently on kids' night tables around the world, long ago relegated to the dubious honor of being branded as "children's literature". But every story is a file packed with information, and Cinderella, Snow White, Puss in Boots, and Bluebeard have always intimated that perhaps they have more to tell besides "beautiful" stories, the same ones that animated the minds of several generations of children.

People have historically been creatures of habit and curiosity at the same time, two parts of the human condition that constantly conflict with each other. This has always been true, but at certain moments in history it has been abundantly true, especially during the mid-14th century, when a boon in exploration and travel came up against a fear of the unknown.

In 2000, archaeologist Paul Gething rediscovered a sword. An unprepossessing length of rusty metal, it had been left in a suitcase for thirty years. But Paul had a suspicion that the sword had more to tell than appeared, so he sent it for specialist tests. When the results came back, he realized that what he had in his possession was possibly the finest, and certainly the most complex, sword ever made, which had been forged in seventh-century Northumberland by an anonymous swordsmith.

Qu'est ce que l'inquisition ? L'histoire de l'inquisition – dans laquelle le Midi de la France tient une large place – a longtemps été l'objet d'opinions contradictoires. On a pu croire qu'elle avait sauvé la chrétienté et la société occidentale de la subversion religieuse et sociale ; on a pu dire qu'elle avait écrasé une religion évangélique par l'oppression, la terreur et les bûchers. Cet enregistrement tente d'approcher au plus près les réalités médiévales sans a priori ou complaisance et de dresser le tableau de l'inquisition en Languedoc au temps où elle consacre tous ses efforts à l'éradication du catharisme. Inquisition et hérésie.

Sie begannen als Pilger, kämpften als Kriegermönche, bereicherten sich als Bankiers und endeten als Häretiker auf dem Scheiterhaufen: Dan Jones hat die Quellen zu den Templern neu gelesen und bietet mit diesem Buch ein Meisterstück an historischer Erzählkunst: auf dem neuesten Forschungsstand, mit sicherem Gespür für außergewöhnliche Episoden und spannend von der ersten bis zur letzten Seite. Jerusalem 1119.

Looking into the past, the Crusades seem incomprehensible. What combination of religious fervor, hatred of people of different faiths, and gall led Europeans of AD 1100 to make their way thousands of miles to conquer the Holy Land? Why did they continue for 200 years? How did the Crusades change the world? The intriguing story is peppered with colorful characters. Over the centuries crusaders saw - and participated in - the evolution of warfare and the transformation of society from feudal fiefdoms to nations and empires.

In ihrem ersten Sachbuch erzählt uns die Bestsellerautorin Rebecca Gable die Geschichte des englischen Mittelalters neu: kompetent und informativ, herrlich farbenprächtig und mitreiß wie ein Roman, und immer mit einem Schmunzeln. Lesen Sie, wie die Wikinger in Ermangelung anderer Hobbys Englanderoberten, unabsichtlich unterstützt vom englischen König Thelred, dessen Ruf seitdem ruiniert ist.

Fra' Salimbene da Parma, il francescano che ha conosciuto papi e imperatori, vescovi e predicatori, e su ognuno ha da raccontare aneddoti, maldicenze e pettegolezzi; Dino Compagni, il mercante di Firenze che ha vissuto in prima persona i sussulti politici d'un comune lacerato dai conflitti al tempo di Dante; Jean de Joinville, il nobile cavaliere che ha accompagnato Luigi il Santo alla crociata, testimone imperturbabile di sacrifici, eroismi e vigliaccherie; Caterina da Siena, che parlava con Dio e le cui lettere infuocate facevano tremare papi e cardinali.

The Middle Ages have long sparked people's imaginations thanks to imagery of armored knights battling on horseback and armies of men trying to breach the walls of formidable castles. But medieval warfare was constantly adapting to the times with new techniques and technology. By the middle of the 15th century, artillery was knocking down castle walls that had stood for generations, while infantry were also proving their worth with powerful longbows and tight formations of polearms that upset the long dominance of mounted, heavily armored knights.

This audiobook will provide you with details about the time period in which the Vikings reigned. Learn how the Scandinavian people lived, who sailed as part of the Viking raids, the weapons they used in battle, and their religious beliefs.

Most people know about the Spanish Inquisition, but there were other inquisitions, such as those carried out by the Romans and the Portuguese. What was it that motivated these diehard religious zealots to squash all contrary views from their midst?

This isn’t a biography. It’s a deep-dive into the man who fused warlord power with priestly authority and accidentally programmed Western civilization. Through brutal conquest and divine branding, he became more than king—he became the template. Popes would crown in his shadow. Emperors would copy his crown. Napoleon would steal his vibe. And every modern system of power would inherit his logic. This is the story of how one man merged Church and State into a single executable file—and why we’re still running his code.

The Holy Grail is one of the most famous relics of Christianity, but also one of the least understood. Today, it is mostly associated with Christ's Last Supper, possibly used during the meal as a serving cup. The gospels in the New Testament specifically mention the Holy Chalice that Jesus used to serve wine, so it's no surprise that images of the Holy Grail depict a similar kind of cup.

Carcassonne today is the capital of the Aude department in the Occitanie region of southwestern France, about 58 miles from Toulouse. It lies by the eastward bend of the glittering cobalt waters of the River Aude, which serves as a barrier between the two towns of the city: the Cité and the Ville Basse. It is the old Cité that attracts most of Carcassonne's visitors (three million of them each year), for it houses the historic fortress that looks like it came straight out of a fairy tale. This audiobook examines the origins of the site and its sweeping history.

Scotland is an old country with an ancient history. There is no doubt about that. Many traditions, words, symbols, and other cultural aspects we see as normal today originate from Scotland. Scotland's documented history started with the Roman Empire's entrance in the first century, when the province of Britannia broadened as far north as the Antonine Wall. With all of this history and more in the past few centuries, when things got really interesting, let’s take a look at some of the best-known, most important factors of Scotland’s history, and what we can learn from them.

Thugs, a term used interchangeably with “gangsters” at times, are hardcore outlaws of the street, and like most criminals, tend to find strength in numbers. As it turns out, the Thuggee, the group that influenced this now controversial word, is far more fascinating than one might have imagined. The Thuggee explores both the etiological myth and origin story of this prolific cult of murderous bandits, and takes an in-depth look into its practices and their ultimate demise.