English Medieval History

Worried that old age will inevitably mean losing your libido, your health, and possibly your marbles too? Well, Cicero has some good news for you. In How to Grow Old, the great Roman orator and statesman eloquently describes how you can make the second half of life the best part of all - and why you might discover that reading and gardening are actually far more pleasurable than sex ever was.

Valkyries: the female supernatural beings that choose who dies and who lives on the battlefield. They protect some, but guide spears, arrows, and sword blades into the bodies of others. Viking myths about valkyries attempt to elevate the banality of war - to make the pain and suffering, the lost limbs and deformities, the piles of lifeless bodies of young men, glorious and worthwhile. Rather than their death being futile, it is their destiny and good fortune, determined by divine beings.

In the chaos and confusion following the defeat of English army at Bannockburn, the northern counties of England came under immediate and grave risk of attack by the victorious Scottish forces under Robert Bruce. With the English now demoralised and in disarray, the defence of the border counties fell to those lords whose lands were at greatest risk. In many cases they paid “tribute” to the Scots for their lands to be protected. But in Carlisle and the two counties of Cumberland and Westmorland, the English fought back. The Constable of Carlisle, a city that had once been a part of ...

Defending Heaven brings together, for the first time in one volume, a complete history of the Jin, Song, and Ming dynasties' wars fought against the Mongols. Lasting nearly two centuries, these wars, fought to defend Chinese civilization against a brutal and unrelenting foe, pitted personal heroics against the inexorable Mongol war machine and involved every part of the Chinese state.

When you think of democracy, what comes to mind? Comparing democracy to monarchy, are you thankful to be living free rather than suffering oppression under a medieval tyrant? What if you could be evidentially shown that the democracy you hold so dear is not only less ideal than you’ve been taught, but is actually inferior to the kingdoms of the Middle Ages?Get ready for a real history lesson you won’t soon forget. In Jeb Smith’s latest work Missing Monarchy, he uncovers eye-opening facts about the Medieval period, kingship, democracy, and more. When you learn how societies of our past...

The Mongol army led by Genghis Khan subjugated more lands and people in 25 years than the Romans did in 400. In nearly every country the Mongols conquered, they brought an unprecedented rise in cultural communication, expanded trade, and a blossoming of civilization.

Renowned scholar Patrick Collinson is Regius Professor of Modern History, Emeritus, Cambridge. He states, "The Reformation (and Counter Reformation) was the blast furnace in which the modern state was forged." This engaging work offers a concise overview of the ecumenical revolution of the late medieval and Renaissance periods. Narrator John McDonough's presentation of the spiritual and the secular elements that led to religious reform will captivate listeners.

The quest for the old scrolls is on. The stakes are high. No one is safe. France, 1798. Cavalry Captain Pascal de Charney is summoned by his father, Roland, before leaving to Egypt with Napoleon’s army. Roland wishes Pascal to perform a task for him. Israel, 2010. Yossi Luria is an ex-cop turned private investigator, who still hurts over his dismissal from the police force. Jeanne de Charney, an enchanting Frenchwoman from Normandy, steps in to hire his services. She presents him with a batch of intriguing old letters from Pascal, which she has uncovered while searching in her family’s ...

From the author of the bestselling Tahoe Mystery series... After UCLA Professor Josie Strong catches a sniper who murdered two people, the man is killed in an explosion. The governor of California pressures Professor Strong to investigate. He believes the professor can use her medieval weapon skills to uncover a conspiracy. Josie's investigation takes her into the wilderness of the Sierra foothills, where she finds an old religious abbey that is headquarters for a crime syndicate. Josie designs a medieval ambush. She thinks her chance of success is minimal. But if she fails, a second sniper...

We tend to think of the Middle Ages as a dark, backward, and unchanging time characterized by violence, ignorance, and superstition. By contrast, we believe progress arose from science and technological innovation, and that inventions of recent centuries created the modern world. We couldn't be more wrong.

The millennium between the breakup of the western Roman Empire and the Reformation was a long and hugely transformative period - one not easily chronicled within a single book. Yet distinguished historian Chris Wickham has taken up the challenge in this landmark book, and he succeeds in producing the most riveting account of medieval Europe in a generation.

Step Into the Life of a Revolutionary Who Changed History Meet John Wycliffe, the trailblazer who dared to challenge the medieval Church and ignite a movement that would forever alter Christianity. His relentless pursuit of truth and unwavering courage gave birth to ideas that laid the foundation for the Reformation, inspired generations of believers, and reshaped how we understand faith today. Discover Why His Ideas Changed the World Learn how Wycliffe championed the first English Bible, making scripture accessible to ordinary people for the first time. Explore his bold critiques of ...

Are you ready to embark on a journey through the rich history of art? Discover the key movements and artists that have shaped the Western art tradition and gain a deeper understanding of how art reflects the world around us. With this book, you will: Expand your knowledge of art history in an easily digestible format. Engage with key facts and features from significant art movements. Delve into the Classical, Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, Rococo, Neoclassicism, Romanticism, Realism, Impressionism, Post-Impressionism, Symbolism and other periods as well as lesser known but still highly ...

In imagining a Viking, a certain image springs to mind: a barbaric warrior, leaping ashore from a longboat, and ready to terrorize the hapless local population of a northern European town. Yet while such characters define our imagination of the Viking Age today, they were in the minority. Instead, in the time-stopping soils, water, and ice of the North, Eleanor Barraclough excavates a preserved lost world, one that reimagines a misunderstood society.

From the author of the bestselling Tahoe Mystery series... When a Forest Service Ranger is killed near Lake Tahoe, the ranger’s wife contacts the governor of California. She wants the governor, who is a family friend, to convince UCLA Professor Josie Strong to investigate. When Professor Strong resists the request, the governor cancels the professor’s classes and blackmails her into tracking down the killer. But the murderer is an Army-trained sniper. He has weapons and the best training, while all Josie Strong has is her medieval knowledge. Josie designs a classic medieval trap. If she...

The year 1316 was a bleak one for anyone who lived in the North of England. King Edward II had been humiliated at Bannockburn two years before, and appeared to be powerless against his cousin and political adversary, Thomas earl of Lancaster. Both men ignored the Northern counties of England as they continued their power struggle, leaving Robert Bruce a free hand to raid as widely and often as he wished. Only one man offered any hope to the beleaguered Northerners. Andrew de Harcla had led the defence of Carlisle the previous year, proving that the Scots were not invincible, but he had been...

In Foundation the chronicler of London and of its river, the Thames, takes us from the primeval forests of England's prehistory to the death of the first Tudor king, Henry VII, in 1509. He guides us from the building of Stonehenge to the founding of the two great glories of medieval England: common law and the cathedrals. He shows us glimpses of the country's most distant past - a Neolithic stirrup found in a grave, a Roman fort, a Saxon tomb, a medieval manor house.

Historian Justine Firnhaber-Baker tells the epic story of the Capetian dynasty of medieval France, showing how their ideas about power, religion, and identity continue to shape European society and politics today. Reigning from 987 to 1328, the Capetians became the most powerful monarchy of the Middle Ages. Consolidating a fragmented realm that eventually stretched from the Rhône to the Pyrenees, they were the first royal house to adopt the fleur-de-lys, displaying this lily emblem to signify their divine favor and legitimate their rule.

Interweaving two captivating stories of romance and intrigue, humor and faith, The Emerald Isle wraps up the multi-colored threads of Angela Elwell Hunt's The Heirs of Cahira O'Connor series in a page-turning conclusion that will satisfy both spirit and heart. Resisting her confining, traditional role as a king's daughter, fiery-spirited Cahira O'Connor dreams of practicing her bow, not of capturing a husband. But when Norman invaders challenge the borders of the Kingdom of Connacht, Cahira finds both the one man who could win her heart and an irresistible calling to fight for the land and ...

Central Europe has long been infamous as a region beset by war, a place where empires clashed and world wars began. In The Middle Kingdoms, Martyn Rady offers the definitive history of the region, demonstrating that Central Europe has always been more than merely the fault line between West and East. Even as Central European powers warred with their neighbors, the region developed its own cohesive identity and produced tremendous accomplishments in politics, society, and culture.