Showing titles in Medieval

In this landmark study of Agincourt, prize-winning author Juliet Barker draws upon a huge range of sources, published and unpublished, English and French, to give a compelling account of a battle upon which so many legends have been built. But she also looks behind the action on the field to paint a portrait of the age. A mad king, murderous dukes, scheming bishops, knightly heroes, surgeons, heralds, spies, and pirates: the story of Agincourt has them all.

During the Spanish inquisition, being called a heretic, a witch, or a sinner meant business. It could mean the end of your life. And so, it is with a tragic view on the past that we see countless innocent victims being accused of something they never did, with no bad intentions or rebellious behavior, and nonetheless being executed in brutal manners. One of the proponents of this system, and an active executioner, was Thomas de Torquemada, a completely insane, cruel man who had become notorious for his methods of hunting down and taking out supposed anti-church offenders.

The Calle Cardenal Herrero in Córdoba is an iconic cobbled street impossible to overlook, for it is home to the Andalusian city's spectacular Mosque-Cathedral. Also known as “La Mezquita,” this one-of-a-kind Moorish and Christian place of worship reels in about 1.5 million visitors each year, most of whom find themselves spellbound by its hypnotic architectural features and the riveting history that has transpired and continues to within the beautifully weathered walls of the dual-church. That said, the Mezquita is far more than a mere tourist attraction.

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.

Perhaps you have heard of the horrible stories of the Spanish, Portuguese, or French inquisition, the Catholic body of persecutors who would arrest the supposed “heathens” and accuse them of witchcraft, heresies, blasphemy, adultery, and a whole list of other sins or crimes. Torture, interrogations, executions, burnings, and other inhumane methods were used to then force, coerce, or kill the victims of this Catholic organization within the church at the time.

The Hagia Sophia, built from 532-537, is inarguably the masterpiece of Byzantine architecture and one of the greatest buildings ever constructed. Upon its completion, the Hagia Sophia remained the largest enclosed space in the world for nearly a thousand years, a reign that only ended after the rebuilding of St. Peter's in Rome. Fittingly, the rebuilding of St. Peter's was partly inspired by the conversion of Hagia Sophia into a mosque in 1453.

The Hospitallers started out as caretakers of the Christian pilgrims in Jerusalem, but they soon emerged from their hospices and adopted a new military role that shaped the history of medieval Europe forever. This audiobook seeks to explore the curious rise of the Hospitallers from their humble origins to one of the most powerful institutions in medieval Europe.

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.

The mystical floating city of Venice has inspired awe for generations and continues to be one of the most visited European cities for good reason. Tourists are drawn to the stunning blend of classical, Gothic, and Renaissance-inspired architecture across the picturesque towns and villages, the charming open-air markets, the mouthwatering traditional cuisine, and of course, the famous gondolas drifting down the twinkling blue waters.

"L'Histoire de France" de Jules Michelet est un monument. Littéraire, d'abord, par le style envolé de ce digne héritier de Dumas et par sa puissance d'évocation : Michelet s'était donné pour mission de ressusciter le passé, de faire revivre personnages et coups d'éclat qui ont construit l'identité de la France pour mettre en évidence ce qui fait l'âme d'une nation. Historique dans tous les sens du terme, ensuite : ses dix-sept tomes publiés entre 1833 et 1867 constituent la première histoire exhaustive consacrée à la France, qui avant lui n'était décrite que par une "suite d'annales" sans qu'un sens global en ait jamais été dégagé.

In terms of geopolitics, perhaps the most seminal event of the Middle Ages was the successful Ottoman siege of Constantinople in 1453.

For centuries, Christians and Muslims were embroiled in one of the most infamous territorial disputes of all time, viciously and relentlessly battling one another for the Holy Land. In the heart of Jerusalem sat one of the shining jewels of the Christian faith, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Legend has it that this was where their Savior had been buried before his fabled resurrection. What was more, it was said to house the very cross Jesus Christ had died upon.

Radicales en sus ideas y dotados de una profunda espiritualidad, los cátaros rechazaban el materialismo, trataban como iguales a las mujeres, aceptaban la diferencia de credo, defendían el amor libre y afirmaban que el infierno no existía. Pero sobre todo, estos rebeldes pusieron en entredicho la autoridad de la Iglesia y su concepción del bien y del mal, provocando con ello que se tambaleara el sistema de valores impuestos.

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.

Much of what is known of the Norse myths comes from the 10th century onwards. Until this time and, indeed, for centuries afterwards, Norse culture (particularly that of Iceland, where the myths were eventually transcribed) was an oral culture. In fact, in all Scandinavian countries well into the thirteenth century laws were memorized by officials known as “Lawspeakers” who recited them at the “Thing.” The Thing was the legislative assembly in Scandinavia “held for judicial purposes”. One of the most famous of these lawspeakers was the Icelander Snorri Sturluson.

Una dinastía que supo expandirse por el Mediterráneo y crear, a golpe de hierro, uno de los reinos más importantes de toda la Edad Media. Es un lugar común en el estudio de la historia de España, centrarse en la historia de Castilla a la hora de estudiar la Edad Media y dedicarle menos tiempo al estudio de la Corona de Aragón. David González Ruiz, en un estilo cercano a la narración -como corresponde a este periodo de batallas y traiciones pretende señalar la importancia del reino de Aragón, que fue más decisivo en el devenir de la historia....

If you want to discover the captivating history of the Crusades and Silk Road, then this audiobook is for you. In part one, you'll learn all about the military expeditions of the Middle Ages. In part two, you will learn about the Silk Road and its significance. Includes two books: The Crusades and The Silk Road.

"La Breve historia del rey Arturo" analiza uno de los romances medievales más importantes de la Europa occidental: el mito del rey Arturo, que unifica los reinos de Inglaterra y hace retroceder a los invasores sajones, persiguiéndolos hasta el continente. Arturo, junto a su mujer, Ginebra, ejerce su reinado en la magnífica ciudad de Camelot, donde reúne alrededor de una inmensa mesa redonda a formidables caballeros: Gauvain, Kay, Percival, Lancelot, Tristán.

There is a tendency to view witchcraft as an inherently feminine subject. But it this entirely fair? For centuries, men have plumbed the depths of the occult and the fantastic, searching for new ways in which to employ ancient knowledge. These mystics, occultists, and wizards has sought to expand their knowledge about the universe in ways which were forbidden, untrusted, or simply unknown. These magickal men have a unique way of looking at the world and one which should certainly be celebrated.

Experts on ancient history consider the epic of Gilgamesh to be the oldest preserved Mesopotamian poem ever written. Archeologists say that the story was originally written on 11 clay tablets in cuneiform script. The story was about the notable exploits of a historical and legendary king of Uruk (modern-day Iraq) who lived somewhere between 2750 and 2500 BCE. His name was Gilgamesh.