The History of the Medieval World: From the Conversion of Constantine to the First Crusade

by Susan Wise Bauer

Overview

A masterful narrative of the Middle Ages, when religion became a weapon for kings all over the world.

In her earlier work, The History of the Ancient World, Susan Wise Bauer wrote of the rise of kingship based on might. But in the years between the fourth and twelfth centuries, rulers had to find new justification for their power, and they turned to divine truth or grace to justify political and military action. Right began to replace might as the engine of empire.

Not just Christianity and Islam but also the religions of the Persians, the Germans, and the Mayas were pressed into the service of the state. Even Buddhism and Confucianism became tools for nation building. This phenomenon—stretching from the Americas all the way to Japan—changed religion, but it also changed the state.

The History of the Medieval World is a true world history, linking the great conflicts of Europe to the titanic struggles for power in India and Asia. In its pages, El Cid and Guanggaeto, Julian the Apostate and the Brilliant Emperor, Charles the Hammer and Krum the Bulgarian stand side by side. From the schism between Rome and Constantinople to the rise of the Song Dynasty, from the mission of Muhammad to the crowning of Charlemagne, from the sacred wars of India to the establishment of the Knights Templar, this erudite book tells the fascinating, often violent story of kings, generals, and the peoples they ruled.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780393059755
Publisher:	Norton, W. W. & Company, Inc.
Publication date:	02/22/2010
Edition description:	First Edition
Pages:	746
Sales rank:	74,409
Product dimensions:	6.30(w) x 9.30(h) x 1.70(d)

About the Author

Susan Wise Bauer is a writer, educator, and historian. Her previous books include the Writing With Ease, Writing With Skill, and Story of the World series from Well-Trained Mind Press, as well as The Well-Trained Mind: A Guide to Classical Education at Home, The Well-Educated Mind: A Guide to the Classical Education You Never Had, Rethinking School, The Story of Western Science: From the Writings of Aristotle to the Big Bang Theory, and the History of the World series, all from W. W. Norton. She has a Ph.D. in American Studies from the College of William & Mary in Virginia, as well as an M.A. in seventeenth-century literature and a Master of Divinity in Ancient Near Eastern Languages and Literature. For fifteen years, she taught literature and composition at the College of William and Mary.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"[A] witty and well-written examination of world history...that is rich in detail and intriguing in anecdotal information." —-Publishers Weekly

Editorial Reviews

Bauer (The History of the Ancient World) continues her witty and well-written examination of world history with a volume that is rich in detail and intriguing in anecdotal information. In describing dramatic events (such as the worldwide –impact of the eruption of Krakatoa in 535 C.E., or civil war among the descendants of Charlemagne), near-legendary individuals (like the great general turned mercenary El Cid), and decisive historical movements from the fourth century C.E. to the beginnings of the 12th century, attention is effectively paid not only to western and eastern Europe but to North Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, the Far East, South Asia, and the Americas. The political and military rise and fall of rulers or would-be rulers and the prominence of religion in matters of conscience and state give force and power to the narrative as does the constant impact of simple human emotion and ambition on the flow of history. A bit overwhelming in its scope, Bauer’s work nevertheless proves perfectly, and entertainingly, that the “more things change, the more they stay the same.” 20 illus., 85 maps. (Feb.)

Publishers Weekly

"[A] witty and well-written examination of world history...that is rich in detail and intriguing in anecdotal information." ---Publishers Weekly

From the Publisher

Following on her HISTORY OF THE ANCIENT WORLD, Bauer tackles the history of the medieval world, from the fourth century through the First Crusade at the end of the eleventh century. The flowing narrative traces parallel stories through Europe, Asia, and the Americas, artfully weaving them together and highlighting the similarities in the development of each region. John Lee deftly navigates the dense text with his steady, controlled reading, and his clear enunciation and even pace make the somewhat overwhelming scope of the text easier to digest. The narrative style of Bauer's work transitions well to audio, although the maps and time lines that are sprinkled throughout the written text are sorely missed. The interspersed author's notes, while necessary, are the only disruption in the flow of this detailed historical account. E.N. © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine

MAY 2010 - AudioFile