Covering the period from the fall of the Roman Empire through to the beginnings of the Renaissance, this indispensable volume brings the complex and colorful history of the Middle Ages to life. It investigates the major political, social and cultural changes, showing their spread throughout the middle ages, and takes into account recent developments in scholarship. It also includes geographical coverage, extending the broadest definition of Europe from the Atlantic coast to the Russian steppes; maps addressing a separate issue or series of events in Medieval history, with a commentary locating it in its broader context; and maps providing a vivid representation of the development of nations, peoples and social structures. With over 140 maps, expert commentaries and an extensive bibliography, this is the essential reference for students at all levels, libraries and all those who want a thorough, geographically based guide to medieval Europe.

Forged in an age of faith and war and tempered by great statesmen, religious leaders and artists, medieval civilizations witnessed remarkable transformations. Far from being a homogeneous world of knights and castles, the era saw a multitude of contrasting and often competing cultures, many of which became the foundation stones for the emergence of modern societies. From the expansion of Islam across the Mediterranean to the appearance of centralized states and Christian monarchies, the Atlas of the Medieval World draws from new archival and archaeological evidence to reveal a period of astonishing cultural vibrancy and political diversity. Alongside stunning maps covering nearly a millennium of one of the most formative phases in history, hundreds of exquisite pictures of art and architecture accompany expertly written text edited by Rosamond McKitterick, Professor of Early Medieval History at Cambridge University to bring an extraordinary period to life as no reference has before. The Arab invasions of Europe, the empire of Charlemagne, the African kingdoms of Songhai and Mali, the Crusades, the Viking and Mongol invasions, the Delhi sultanate and the T'ang and Ming empires are just a few of the subjects explained in the Atlas of the Medieval World. What's more, cultural and economic trends such as the spread of literacy and the growth of towns receive equal attention alongside the emergence of kingdoms and the march of armies to form a comprehensive history of all major societies outside of the Americas during the Middle Ages.

This is a revised edition of "The Penguin Atlas of Medieval History".

Surveys the history of European culture and society from the decline of the Roman empire to the discovery of America.

This comprehensive historical atlas concentrates on the Mediterranean world but also shows what happened across the globe between A.D. 400 and 1500--from the fall of Rome to the age of discovery. Sumptuously illustrated, it features period works of art, fascinating maps, quotes from medieval figures, close-ups of intriguing artifacts, and rich landscape photographs. For every century, a signature city is spotlighted to represent that era's developments, and time lines connect the many dramatic events that took place in these dark and exciting times.

This volume is the first publication to draw upon the mass of information provided by the Historic Towns Atlases in order to explore comparative questions in medieval urban history. The volume addresses the wider question of comparative urban studies, the processes that determined the morphological formation of towns, and the symbolic meaning of large-scale town plans in their cultural context.

Central Europe remains a region of ongoing change and continuing significance in the contemporary world. This third, fully revised edition of the Historical Atlas of Central Europe takes into consideration recent changes in the region. The 120 full-colour maps, each accompanied by an explanatory text, provide a concise visual survey of political, economic, demographic, cultural, and religious developments from the fall of the Roman Empire in the early fifth century to the present. No less than 19 countries are the subject of this atlas. In terms of today's borders, those countries include Lithuania, Poland, and Belarus in the north; the Czech Republic, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Hungary, and Slovakia in the Danubian Basin; and Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, Romania, Moldova, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Albania, and Greece in the Balkans. Much attention is also given to areas immediately adjacent to the central European core: historic Prussia, Venetia, western Anatolia, and Ukraine west of the Dnieper River. Embedded in the text are 48 updated administrative and statistical tables. The value of the Historical Atlas of Central Europe as an authoritative reference tool is further enhanced by an extensive bibliography and a gazetteer of place names - in up to 29 language variants - that appear on the maps and in the text. The Historical Atlas of Central Europe is an invaluable resource for scholars, students, journalists, and general readers who wish to have a fuller understanding of this critical area, with its many peoples, languages, and continued political upheaval.

Miriam tells how her Jewish parents hid her when the Nazis invaded the Netherlands in 1940. 'An exceptionally sensitive and effective portrayal of a difficult subject.' Ages 9+

The image of armored knights and elaborate castles is put into its true historic perspective with Atlas of Medieval Europe. The centuries-long historic era is traced from its stagnant origins in the Dark Ages, through the spread of religion, the Norman conquest, and the Crusades, to the development of towns, trade, science, and art that gave birth to the Renaissance. The course of the medieval period is divided by century and theme, detailing the evolution of the continent and constant influences such as war and religion. Unique maps illustrate the geography of battlegrounds, trade centers and routes, and empire territories, while a continuous timeline highlights key events and people. Atlas of Medieval Europe is rounded out by special studies which highlight subjects in the political, military and cultural arenas, and is illustrated by a wealth of photographs and contemporary paintings.