Medieval European history - books for history buffs and historians from Ages Past History Shop, the History Place.

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The Medieval World in Western Europe

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The Middle Ages


Travel through time from the comfort of your living room. Join us as we explore the Middle Ages, an era that lasted from the end of the Dark Ages (1066 AD) until the Renaissance (~1450 AD). The Middle Ages were times of extremes: rich in art, scholarship and adventure, and burdened with poverty, servitude and plague. This was the age of the Crusades and the pilgrimage; of William the Conquerer and Robin Hood; of Gothic cathedrals and the illuminated manuscript; of the chivalric code, the feudal system and the Black Death.


Discover the private and little-known details in the lives of people throughout history. For your enjoyment, we have located fine historical BOOKS, MOVIES and EARLY MUSIC , from the Stone Age through the Renaissance. Here, History lives again, selected and assembled all in one place for you by Ages Past History Shop. Please visit often to see the frequently updated selection. To easily locate us again , BOOKMARK this page now. Thanks for visiting Ages Past,
"Where History Lives!"

Medieval Woes: 1066-1450 Anno Domini
BOOKS



The Castle in Medieval England and Wales

A new copy is not currently available. There are only SEVEN used copies of this title still available.

The author "provides a chronological survey of the changing function, style, and context of the English castle (with some French parallels) from the Norman Conquest to the early Tudor period." superbly illustrated. . . . A concise but helpful glossary is included.



Kings and Queens of England and Scotland
Kings and Queens of England and Scotland



Centuries of Childhood:

Philippe Aries is also known for his "History of Private Life" series of history books. These volumes, edited by Philippe Aries and Georges Duby, are aimed at both the scholar and layperson who wonder how people lived and behaved in private from ancient times to the present: "their thoughts, their feelings, their bodies, their attitudes, their habits and habitations, their codes, their marks, and their signs." The focus is on western European life, primarily French.

Centuries of Childhood
Centuries of Childhood



Medieval England: A Social History and Archaeology from the Conquest to 1600 A.D. by Colin Platt:

1066 to 1600 A.D....This well-researched book covers building, diet, disease, climate, popular taste, religious cults, industry, the relations between different classes and the distribution of wealth. a clearly organized, integrated discussion of a complex and comprehensive collection of data. As such it is an ideal survey for the general reader, the student, or the specialist.
Medieval England: A Social History and Archaeology from the Conquest to 1600 A.D.
Medieval England: A Social History and Archaeology from the Conquest to 1600 A.D.



A World Lit Only by Fire:

Manchester's marvelously vivid popular history humanizes the tumultuous span from the Dark Ages to the Renaissance. This book is a great read for the layman who is interested in a fun, and understandable look at the age that launched the world we have today. Highly recommended!
A World Lit Only by Fire: The Medieval Mind & the Renaissance - Portrait of an Age
A World Lit Only by Fire: The Medieval Mind & the Renaissance - Portrait of an Age



The Hundred Years War by Desmond Seward:

The Hundred Years War: The English in France 1337-1453
The Hundred Years War: The English in France 1337-1453

The cast of characters: Edward III, the Black Prince; Henry V, who was later immortalized by Shakespeare; the splendid but inept John II, who died a prisoner in London; Charles V, who very nearly overcame England; and the enigmatic Charles VII, who at last drove the English out. Desmond Seward's critically-acclaimed account of the Hundred Years War brings to life all of the intrigue, beauty, and royal to-the-death-finding of that legendary century long conflict. A Reader's Catalog Selection of the 40,000+ best books in print.



Common Women:

"Common women in Medieval Times" tells the stories of the daily lives of streetwalkers, brothel workers, and the medieval equivalent of call girls--and their customers... makes a significant contribution to our appreciation of the social and cultural history not of prostitutes alone, but of all women in medieval England.

Common Women; Prostitution and Sexuality in Medieval England Shs



Courtly Love: The Path of Sexual Initiation

A comprehensive examination of the rituals and philosophies that created and sustained medieval troubadour culture.
...Debunks the myth of the platonic nature of courtly love, showing the many sexual similarities to the Tantric practices of India.
Reveals how the roots of courtly love go back to the matriarchal cultures of neolithic times.

The widespread turmoil that shook Western Europe as it entered the new millennium with the year 1000 prompted a vast reevaluation of the chief tenets of society. Foremost among these was a new way of looking at love and the place held by women in society. The Christian-inspired tradition that at best viewed women with contempt--and often with outright fear and loathing--was replaced by a new perspective, one in which women enjoyed a central role as the inspiration for all male action. For several hundred years courtly love, with its emphasis on adultery, carnal pleasures, and the power of the feminine, dominated European culture despite its flouting of conventional Christian morality.

Medieval historians by and large have tended to regard courtly love as a sterile parlor game for the upper classes. To the contrary, Jean Markale shows that the stakes were much higher: the roots of the ritual re-created here go all the way back to the great mother goddess. In addition, the platonic nature attributed to these relationships is based on a misunderstanding of courtly love; underneath the refined poetry of the troubadours' verses flourished a system of sexual initiation that rivaled Indian Tantra.



Uppity Women of Medieval Times
Uppity Women of Medieval Times

Historical Hilarity-Vicki Leon, tireless explorer of the past, has gathered a treasure of information from sources written, etched, carved, and painted, to reconstruct the lives of wild women who wouldn't keep their places. From Queen Elizabeth to Joan of Arc, from Artemisia Gentileschi to Damia al-Kahina, this collection of medieval women who took history into their own hands will mesmerize, amuse, and inspire you.



The Book of the Crossbow:

Fascinating study — the only book devoted exclusively to the crossbow — traces use of the crossbow as military and sporting weapon, its construction and management in medieval and modern times; also, related weapons: balistas, catapults, Turkish bow, more. Over 240 illustrations.

The Book of the Crossbow
The Book of the Crossbow



Outrageous Women of the Middle Ages
Outrageous Women of the Middle Ages

..vivid, playful and readable -Great for young readers as well as adults- The stories and sidebars provide a detailed picture of the times. It is rare to see a book about the Middle Ages that presents such diversity. The women profiled lived in the 6th through 14th centuries in Europe, Asia, and Africa. Their spheres included everything from astronomy to warfare. They were nomads and empresses.... a fine companion to Leon's earlier work, "Outrageous Women of Ancient Times".



Knights and Castles: A Nonfiction Companion to the Knight at Dawn (Magic Tree House Research Guide Series)
Knights and Castles: A Nonfiction Companion to the Knight at Dawn (Magic Tree House Research Guide Series)

Recommended Age Range: 5 to 8. Perfect for the little historian in your family. What was it like to wear armor? What was the food like in castles? This book explores what life was really like in medieval times.



Rare and Out of Print Books

Click here to search for used and old books. Purchase a first edition or autographed book gift! Out-of-print, used, and rare books make great gifts, so visit our OOP search page, where your can find a first edition, signed copy, or hard-to-find book for anyone on your gift list.




Abelard: A Medieval Life

Introduces the reader to medieval life through the experience of Peter Abelard, master of the Paris schools, whose career included seducing his student Heloise, being castrated, being accused of treason, being condemned as a heretic (twice), and writing his "story of calamities". The first biography of the great medieval theologian and lover in over 30 years.

Abelard: A Medieval Life



Fast and Feast: Food in Medieval Society
Fast and Feast: Food in Medieval Society

'A fascinating narrative of food and life five centuries ago... this book is highly recommended to dietitians, nutritionists, lovers of food history, and students of medieval life and literature.'



Black Death

An overview of the most devastating period of death and destruction in European history. This highly readable account contains no original research and is intended for the general reader.



King Death: The Black Death and Its Aftermath in Late-Medieval England

The History of the bubonic plague in its first 150 years, concentrating on its influence in all sectors of European society, but particularly on the shortage of labor it caused which heralded the end of feudal bondage...The Black Death came to England is 1348 and for over three centuries bubonic plague remained a continual and threatening presence in the everyday life of the country.... rich in detail, King Death offers an important analysis of one of the most potent instruments of change in late-medieval England...extensively annotated, copiously referenced, informative book with valuable insights.



The Monks of War:

The Monks of War: The Military Religious Orders
The Monks of War: The Military Religious Orders

Military religious orders emerged during the Crusades as Christendom's stormtroopers in the savage conflict with Islam. Some of them still exist today. ...the first general history of these orders to have appeared since the 18th century. Acclaimed on publication, it has now been revised and updated, with a concluding chapter to take events into the 1990s.



The Black Death:

The Black Death: Natural and Human Disaster in Medieval Europe

The Black Death traces the causes and far-reaching consequences of this infamous outbreak of plague that spread across the continent of Europe from 1347 to 1351. Drawing on sources as diverse as monastic manuscripts and dendrochronological studies (which measure growth rings in trees), historian Robert S. Gottfried demonstrates how a bacillus transmitted by rat fleas brought on an ecological reign of terror - killing one European in three, wiping out entire villages and towns, and rocking the foundation of medieval society and civilization.



Royal Blood: Richard III and the Mystery of the Princes:

Was Richard the villainous murderer of his nephews, Edward, Prince of Wales, and Richard, Duke of York? Fields outlines and evaluates the arguments on both sides, weighs the evidence, and offers the definitive truth about this extraordinary man. A thorough investigation of an age-old question, and though the historical record is not complete, Fields's persuasive interpretations and arguments may change some opinions about Richard and his nephews' fate.

A new copy is not currently available. There are 43 used copies of this title still available.

Royal Blood: Richard III and the Mystery of the Princes
Royal Blood: Richard III and the Mystery of the Princes



Albertus Magnus on Animals: A Medieval Zoologica [2 vol Set]

Albertus Magnus
Albertus Magnus "on Animals": A Medieval "Summa Zoologica"

A new copy is not currently available. There is only ONE used copy of this set still available.

This two-volume work seeks to praise Albert the Great by being respectful of his prose and his thoughts, never dragging them out of the 13th century within which they shone so brightly, while at the same time making them comprehensible to contemporary readers and researchers. Although many chapters are scholarly, other parts are simply entertaining, offering useful insights into medieval life not seen elsewhere and drawing one into a real, day-to-day world where the lure and lore of animals are of paramount importance.



The Olde Daunce:

The nature of intimate relations in the middle ages. Explores the relations between love and companionship, equality, and power; and between expressions of love and creativity, literacy, voyeurism, chastity, hate and other issues. The overall impression is that people used to do it in a very scholarly manner!

Olde Daunce: Love, Friendship, Sex, and Marriage in the Medieval World
Olde Daunce: Love, Friendship, Sex, and Marriage in the Medieval World



Medieval Britain: The Age of Chivalry
Medieval Britain: The Age of Chivalry

A new copy is not currently available. There are only SEVEN used copies of this title still available.

Spanning almost 500 years, from 1066 to 1485, the Middle Ages were times of extremes: rich in art, scholarship and adventure, and burdened with poverty, servitude, and plague. . This was the age of the Crusades and the pilgrimage; of Richard the LionHeart and Robin Hood; of Gothic cathedrals and the illuminated manuscript; of the chivalric code, the feudal system and the Black Death.

With meticulous research and an eye for a good story, the Laings have constructed an intricate tableau of life in the medieval world, using existing evidence of art and architecture to explore all spheres of life, from the dizzy heights of courtly love to the fields of the humble serf. With major sections on urban, rural, Church and court society, and including absorbing detail on medieval pastimes, science and superstition, art, attitudes to women and the more gruesome aspects of medical practice, this richly illustrated book brings to life the imagination, ambitions and everyday realities of the world which formed the foundations of modern western society.



The Wars of the Roses:

Wars of the Roses
Wars of the Roses

For much of the fifteenth century two families were locked in battle for control of the British monarchy. Kings were murdered and deposed. Armies marched on London. Old noble names were ruined while rising dynasties seized power and lands. Alison Weir brings brilliantly to life both the war itself and the historic figures who fought it on the great stage of England.

Historian Weir presents a well-written, entertaining narrative of the first phase of the War of the Roses. Illuminating asides makes Miss Weir's sometimes dauntingly detailed history a joy to read. So do her little gems of scholarship. A footnote informs us that the purchasing power of money in 1459 can be roughly related to 1995 values by multiplying by 234... Any student of English history will appreciate the ease with which the period is unveiled and the detailed information on the people and places of England from 1399 to 1500.



Women in Medieval Times:

Recommended for young readers Grades 4-8. This history covers a broad spectrum of Christian women in many European nations. Contents include the role of women in medieval society. Highlights some of the better-known women of the time, as well as the lives of everyday women. Numerous photographs and reproductions of period art and artifacts.Hardcover.

Women in Medieval Times
Women in Medieval Times




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Rare, Used and Out of Print Books



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BOOKS

Ancient Goddess Worship - Evidence proving that 30,000 years ago the dieties were female. Includes many goddesses of more recent ancient cultures. Paleo-World - Origin of mankind and the struggle to survive. Earliest civilizations, the change from hunter-gatherer to farmer, where different ethnic groups originated... Greco-Roman Era - Private lives of the ancients in Greece, Rome, Egypt, Gaul and Britain. Habits, food, sex, slavery, blood sports. Caesar and Cleopatra, conquest of Gaul, the fall of Rome... The Dark Ages - Charlemagne, monasteries and manuscripts. The Viking raids, art, William the Conquerer, feudalism ... King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table - King Arthur, Camelot, Merlin, Guinevere, Lancelot, the Holy Grail, Arthurian lore and legend. Celtic History - The Celts and their achievements. Origins, magnificent gold work, clans and stone circles....Click Here to visit the section on Celtic faith and spirituality from paganism to Chrisitanity. Ancient Faiths - Early Judaism, Goddess worship, Pharoah worship in Egypt, Noah's Flood, Secrets of Kabbalah, Genesis... Early Christianity - The nature of Christ, Gnostic Gospels, martyrdom in the Arena, the first Christian struggles, Constantine and Rome, St. Augustine... Courtly Love - Knights and fair maidens, Eleanor of Aquitaine, troubadours and Crusaders, Chivalry and courtly love... Medieval Woes - Wars, the Black Plague, the Inquisition and the Crusades. Building the great cathedrals & castles of Europe... Magic, Witches and Druids - Spells, potions, beliefs and practice. Persecution of witches by the Church in Europe, modern white witchcraft...(This site does not deal with black magic or Satanism)... The Renaissance - Art, Humanism, Discovery, harlots and sinners, Henry the 8th and the Tudors...





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