Unknown Crusader Castles

The capture of Jerusalem by the First Crusade in 1099 signalled the beginning of an armed struggle in Palestine and throughout the Eastern Mediterranean which lasted until the fifteenth century. It was a war dominated by the building, securing and besieging of castles rather than by pitched battles. Kristian Molin covers the military history of the crusades on a wider geographical scale than previous historians, taking in Armenia, Cyprus and Greece as well as the Holy Land. He also shows the role of castles as administrative, judicial and social centres in times of peace as well as in war. Unknown Crusader Castles provides a fresh perspective on the history of the crusades.

Crusading in the Fifteenth Century - Message and Impact

This collection of essays by European and American scholars addresses the changing nature and appeal of crusading during the period which extended from the battle of Nicopolis in 1396 to the battle of Mohacs in 1526. Contributors focus on two key aspects of the subject. One is developments in the crusading message and the language in which it was framed. These were brought about partly by the appearance of new enemies, above all the Ottoman Turks, and partly by shifting religious values and innovative currents of thought within Catholic Europe.

Handbook to Life in the Medieval World Vol. 1-3

Handbook to Life in the Medieval World covers life in Western Europe and the Middle East from 476 to 1492 in Christian, Jewish, and Muslim societies. The idea behind the set is to show how these three civilizations were interrelated. The authors divide the medieval world into 11 topical sections, among them “Society,” “Economy and Trade,” “Warfare and Weapons,” and “Philosophy and Religion.” These subjects are then examined through the perspective of Christian, Jewish, and Muslim cultures. At the end of each chapter is a list of readings, and an extensive 60-page bibliography and an index are found at the end of the set.

Women's Roles in the Middle Ages

Women's roles and daily life in the middle ages have never been explained so well for a general audience. Information about women in this truly fascinating period from 500 to 1500 is in great demand and has been a challenge for historians to uncover. Bardsley has mined a wide range of primary sources, from noblewomen's writing, court rolls, chivalric literature, laws and legal documents, to archeology and artwork. This fresh survey provides readers with an excellent understanding of how women high and low fared in terms of religion, work, family, law, culture, and politics and public life.

Mills in the Medieval Econonmy - England 1300 - 1540

The late medieval English milling industry epitomizes one of the most important technical achievements of early societies: the exploitation of wind, water and muscle power for augmenting human endeavours. Through a computerized analysis of the number and variety of mills in England from 1300 to 1540, as well as the technology, practices and personnel sustaining them, Langdon reveals the structural evolution of the milling industry, highlighting both its accomplishments and its limitations.