Be an eyewitness to what life was really like for a knight in medieval times -- from battles to banquets and from jousting to hunting. See how a knight put on his armor. Find out why knights decorated their shields. Discover deadly weapons known as caltrops.

An illustrated look at various aspects of life in medieval Europe, covering everyday life, religion, royalty, and more.

"An epic reappraisal of the medieval world--and the rich and complicated legacy left to us by the rise of the West--from the New York Times bestselling author of The Templars. When the once-mighty city of Rome was sacked by barbarians in 410 and lay in ruins, it signaled the end of an era--and the beginning of a thousand years of profound transformation. In a gripping narrative bursting with big names--from St Augustine and Attila the Hun to the Prophet...

"Just like in the movies, mammoth castles and armored knights were parts of life in England in the thirteenth century. But European medieval culture was so much more than these romantic props. Readers of this enthralling book will encounter a leper, merchant, blacksmith, knight, and others who offer many facts about medieval life, like what it took to become a knight and how a doctor tried to cure illnesses back then. Photographs of weaponry, art,...

Through examination of artefacts, writings, and possessions, this reappraisal of medieval femininity presents countless cases of influential women such as Jadwiga, the only female King in Europe, whose names were struck from history.