The Medieval Period is chiefly concerned with the lands and peoples of the former Roman Empire of the West, which is to say France, Germany, Britain, Spain and Italy. It is these nations that The Story of the Middle Ages focuses upon. The book is written like a story and, in 148 short chapters (usually 1-3 pages each), covers most of the important historical events of the period.
This book is primarily a compilation of two books written by Helene Guerber in the late 19th and early 20th centuries: The Story of Old France and The Story of the English. Because there was so much overlap in the history of these two countries, many chapters were nearly identical, so Christine Miller also adapted and included chapters from Charlotte Yonge's A Young Folk's History of Germany and The Story of the Christians and Moors of Spain, and wrote sections of the book herself.
The result is a book that describes the settling of Europe and its Romanization, the coming and conversion of the barbarians, the Holy Roman Empire, feudalism, Viking raids, the Crusades, and much more. You can learn about Christian martyrs and saints, the kings of France and England, the German Emperors, and the knights whose deeds of valor the bards made legendary. You can meet the good and the just, the wicked and the proud: Saint Patrick and Saint Augustine, Attila the Hun, King Arthur, Charlemagne, Rollo the Viking, Otto the Great, William the Conqueror, Richard the Lion-Hearted, and Joan of Arc, to name a few.
The Story of the Middle Ages is illustrated throughout with famous paintings of its historical subjects and photographs of the places it describes. Maps are present throughout the text, which greatly aids in making clear the confusing times of the barbarian invasions along with their changing boundaries. A complete bibliography and comprehensive index rounds out the book.
Additional Information
Read Chapter LXXXVII: Richard and the Saracens
Read Chapter CXXXVII: Joan to the Rescue
Read Chapter XXXIX: Charlemagne, Emperor
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