Medieval History For Dummies

Is your knowledge of The Crusades less than tip-top? Maybe you're curious about Columbus, or you're desperate to read about the Black Death in all its gory detail? Whatever your starting point, this expert guide has it all - from kings, knights and anti-Popes, to invasion, famine, the Magna Carta and Joan of Arc (and a few rebellious peasants thrown in for good measure ). Get ready for a rip-roaring ride through the political, religious and cultural life of the Middle Ages, one of the most talked-about periods in history.

Medieval History for Dummies includes:

Part I: The Early Middle AgesChapter 1: The Middle Ages: When, Where, What, Who?Chapter 2: The end of Rome and the not so 'Dark Ages'.Chapter 3: Angles, Saxons and Feudalism.Chapter 4: The Carolingians grab their chance.Chapter 5: Charlemagne - A new empire is born.

Part II: The Making of EuropeChapter 6: The (Holy Roman) Empire Strikes Back.Chapter 7: East Meets West: Islam in the Western Mediterranean.Chapter 8: The Vikings: A threat from the north.Chapter 9: Schism: The Church splits itself in two.Chapter 10: The Normans: The 'real' Middle Ages begin.

Part III: 'Holy War': Crusading at home and abroad.Chapter 11: Crusade: A call to arms.Chapter 12: The First CrusadeChapter 13: England vs France & Pope vs EmperorChapter 14: The Second Crusade & The 'Crusades at Home'Chapter 15: Richard vs Saladin: The Third CrusadeChapter 16: The later Crusades and other failures.

Part IV: Parliament, Priories, Provisions & PlagueChapter 17: John, Henry, Rudolf & Edward.Chapter 18: Monks & Merchants: The new power brokersChapter 19: The Papacy on Tour: Avignon and the Anti-PopesChapter 20: 'God's Judgement?': The Black Death

Part V: The End of the Middle and the start of discovery.Chapter 21: One Hundred Years of WarChapter 22: The Peasants are RevoltingChapter 23: Agincourt, Joan of Arc & the French recoveryChapter 24: Columbus & The New World

Part VI: The Part of TensChapter 25: Ten Rubbish KingsChapter 26: Ten Curious Medieval PastimesChapter 27: Ten Great CastlesChapter 28: Ten People Who Changed The WorldChapter 29: Ten Great Books (To read next)