Introduction to Medieval Europe 300-1500 provides a comprehensive survey of this complex and varied formative period of European history. Covering themes as diverse as barbarian migrations, the impact of Christianization, the formation of nations and states, the emergence of an expansionist commercial economy, the growth of cities, the Crusades, the effects of plague, and the intellectual and cultural life of the Middle Ages, the book explores the driving forces behind the formation of medieval society and the directions in which it developed and changed. In doing this, the authors cover a wide geographic expanse, including Western interactions with the Byzantine Empire and the Islamic World. ? Now in full colour, this second edition contains a wealth of new features that help to bring this fascinating era to life, including: A detailed timeline of the period, putting key events into context Primary source case boxes Full colour illustrations throughout New improved maps A glossary of terms Annotated suggestions for further reading The book is supported by a free companion website with resources including, for instructors, assignable discussion questions and all of the images and maps in the book available to download, and for students, a comparative interactive timeline of the period and links to useful websites. The website can be found at www.routledge.com/cw/blockmans.? Clear and stimulating, the second edition of Introduction to Medieval Europe is the ideal companion to studying Europe in the Middle Ages at undergraduate level.

Introduction to Medieval Europe 300–1500 provides a comprehensive survey of this complex and varied formative period of European history, covering themes as diverse as barbarian migrations, the impact of Christianisation, the formation of nations and states, the emergence of an expansionist commercial economy, the growth of cities, the Crusades, the effects of plague, and the intellectual and cultural life of the Middle Ages. The book explores the driving forces behind the formation of medieval society and the directions in which it developed and changed. In doing this, the authors cover a wide geographic expanse, including Western interactions with the Byzantine Empire and the Islamic World. This third edition contains a wealth of new features that help to bring this fascinating era to life, including: In the book: A number of new maps and images to further understanding of the period Clear signposting and extended discussions of key topics such as feudalism and gender Expanded geographic coverage into Eastern Europe and the Middle East On the companion website: An updated, comparative and interactive timeline, highlighting surprising synchronicities in medieval history, and annotated links to useful websites A list of movies, television series and novels related to the Middle Ages, accompanied by introductions and commentaries Assignable discussion questions and the maps, plates, figures and tables from the book available to download and use in the classroom Clear and stimulating, the third edition of Introduction to Medieval Europe is the ideal companion to studying Europe in the Middle Ages at undergraduate level.

The opposite of love is not hate. The opposite of love is indifference. Elie Wiesel, Holocaust survivor, Author and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate The predominant attitude over the past 1,700 years among Christians toward Jews has been both indifference and hatred. The decision of the First Nicaean Council to abandon the traditional Christian Passover for Roman Easter began the divorce of the church from its Jewish roots. This decree was followed by an onslaught of Jewish suffering at the hands of Christians: the blood libel fallacy, the Inquisition, Martin Luthers invectives against the Jews, countless pogroms in the name of Christ, and the formation of the German Evangelical Church (the puppet church which Hitler used to create an Aryan version of Christianity, devoid of its Jewish roots). This resulted in the murder of over six million Jews in the Holocaust while the majority of the Church silently watched. The Churchs legacy throughout the centuries is covered with innocent Jewish blood. In this treatise Dr. Smith explores: Anti-Semitism in the Church from the time of the Emperor Constantine to the present Eye-witness accounts by Jewish Holocaust survivors and leaders of the Resistance Current threats to Israel and the Diaspora due to an upsurge of anti-Semitism The roots and consequences of replacement theology in the church Comfort Ye My People is a source book for information on anti-Semitism in Church history and in the world today, as well as a spiritual analysis of implications arising from the divorce of Christianity from its Jewish roots. A commissioning is offered to those who would receive it to Comfort my people - to support and to speak out for the welfare of Israel and the Jewish people. A must read. . .This is the definitive book to be read in the times in which we live to be fully aware . . . of what is happening (and has happened) behind the scenes.. Ardoine Clauzel, Attorney at Law, Author and Co-Director: toile du Matin Ministries, France

This book takes a fresh look at the Hundred Years War by gathering the latest scholarship on several aspects of the conflict that have not been amply studied before and several that have become “gospel” by numerous scholarly treatments. The collection focuses on the following subjects: (1) the Hundred Years War as a wide-ranging struggle that effected many European regions, (2) the battle of Agincourt and its political and emotional aftermath, (3) the Iberian theater of war that sprang from the main conflict, (4) the impact of the crossbow and longbow on the great battles of the conflict, (5) great leaders of the war, and (6) economic, literary, and psychological aspects of the conflict. Contributors are: William P. Caferro, Megan Cassidy Welch, Kelly DeVries, Donald J. Kagay, Ilana Krug, Russell Mitchell, Steven Muhlberger, Clifford J. Rogers, L. B. Ross, Dana Sample, Wendy Turner, Richard Vernier, L. J. Andrew Villalon and David Whetham. Winner of the 2014 Verbruggen Prize of De Re Militari (the Society for the Study of Medieval Military History) given annually for the best book on medieval military history.

In thirteen articles, this volume affirms that the Hundred Years War was a struggle that spilled out of its heartlands of England and France into many European regions. These a oedifferent vistasa of scholarship greatly amply the study of the conflict.

The medieval mounted knight was a fearsome weapon of war, captivating and horrifying in equal measure, they are a continuing source of fascination. They have been both held up as a paragon of chivalry, whilst often being condemned as oppressive and violent. Occupying a unique place in history, knights on their warhorses are an enigma hidden behind their metal armor, and seemingly unreachable on their steeds. This book seeks to understand the world of the medieval knight by studying their origins, their accomplishments and their eventual decline. Forged in the death throes of the Roman Empire, the mounted knight found a place in a harsh and dangerous world where their skills and mentality carved them into history. From the First Crusade to the fields of Scotland, knights could be found, and their human side is examined to see how these men came to both rule Europe, and ride into enduring legend. The challenges facing the mounted knight were vast and deadly, from increasingly professional and competent infantry forces to gunpowder, the rise of political unity and the crunch of finance. The factors which forced the knight into the past help to define who and what they were, as well as the legacy that they have left indelibly imprinted on the world. The standout feature of this book is the focus on the equine half of the partnership, from an author who practices the arts of horsemanship on a daily basis, including combat with sword and lance. The psychology of the horse, refined by the experience of actually training warhorses, has helped the author to add to the body of academic work on the subject. This insight opens up the world of the mounted knight, and importantly and uniquely, challenges the perception of what he and his horse could really do.

From antiquity to the nineteenth century, the royal hunt was a vital component of the political cultures of the Middle East, India, Central Asia, and China. Besides marking elite status, royal hunts functioned as inspection tours and imperial progresses, a means of asserting kingly authority over the countryside. The hunt was, in fact, the "court out-of-doors," an open-air theater for displays of majesty, the entertainment of guests, and the bestowal of favor on subjects. In the conduct of interstate relations, great hunts were used to train armies, show the flag, and send diplomatic signals. Wars sometimes began as hunts and ended as celebratory chases. Often understood as a kind of covert military training, the royal hunt was subject to the same strict discipline as that applied in war and was also a source of innovation in military organization and tactics. Just as human subjects were to recognize royal power, so was the natural kingdom brought within the power structure by means of the royal hunt. Hunting parks were centers of botanical exchange, military depots, early conservation reserves, and important links in local ecologies. The mastery of the king over nature served an important purpose in official renderings: as a manifestation of his possession of heavenly good fortune he could tame the natural world and keep his kingdom safe from marauding threats, human or animal. The exchanges of hunting partners—cheetahs, elephants, and even birds—became diplomatic tools as well as serving to create an elite hunting culture that transcended political allegiances and ecological frontiers. This sweeping comparative work ranges from ancient Egypt to India under the Raj. With a magisterial command of contemporary sources, literature, material culture, and archaeology, Thomas T. Allsen chronicles the vast range of traditions surrounding this fabled royal occupation.

A discussion of the differences among societies with respect to their religion, culture, political institutions, social structures and foreign imperialistic policies that takes into account geographic and economic circumstances, but stresses the psychological background. Freeman points out that fear, apprehension, obsession with status, aggression, guilt feelings and the need for a sense of belonging have all entered into the great drama of history.

In Philip of Spain and the Netherlands, C.J. Cadoux discusses the expression of moral judgements regarding leading figures in major historical events. Indeed, Cadoux, using the case of the Dutch Revolt, questions whether it is possible at all to assess moral quality without adequate knowledge of the relevant facts, at least. First published in 1947, Cadoux's approach is one of presenting history, both national and personal, in a non-judgemental manner. This holistic approach allows for a clear and concise depiction of events and persons that is not skewed by an overbearing opinion. He posits that in the great struggle between Spain and the Netherlands in the sixteenth century, a new ethic of Christian mercy is discernible. Cadoux concludes his book by asking the reader 'in whose behaviour there can be seen some promise of better and humaner things?', reinforcing the inherent difficulty that remains when passing moral judgement.

This book uses lessons from history to help African countries take charge of their own economic development agenda. History is an important part of Africa’s economic development narrative, and Ocran investigates how the development outcomes between Africa and Western Europe became so divergent when in the early medieval period average income levels and economic development in the two regions differed only marginally. The sixteenth century marked a turning point, with the emergence of Western European mercantilism and capitalism and their associated exploitation of other countries. In understanding Africa’s economic development, it is crucial to recognise that Africa has not always been poor. Examining 400 years of enslavement and colonisation, this book takes us to present day Africa and economic issues affecting the continent. With selected case studies from Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore to South Korea and China, Ocran proposes ways to break out of the economic development quandary Africa currently faces.