Describes knights and knighthood focusing on their earliest history, their armor, weapons, horses, battles, the castle at peace, and the lords and ladies of the manors. Also provides information on chivalry, the tournaments, jousts, heraldry, and hunting. In addition contains descriptions of a knight's faith, pilgrimages, and crusades, and other related material.

Provides an overview of the lives of Charlemagne and his subjects in the Frankish empire of the late eighth and early ninth centuries, and includes excerpts from poems, letters, laws, and diaries of the time.

Discusses the different manners and customs that were practiced by kings, knights, ladies, and peasants.

Describes the late Middle Ages, the people, working conditions, village life, religion, and conquests.

"Describes disgusting details about daily life in the Middle Ages, including housing, food, and sanitation"--Provided by publisher.

"Castles may conjure up a romantic fairy tale world; however, in real life, during the Middle Ages, castles were fortresses, providing shelter and protection for the lord as well as for the peasants who lived on his land. For an army, a lord depended on young soldiers in armor called knights who spent years at the castle learning the skills of warfare"--

Describes the social and economic structure of country life during the late Middle Ages, 1100 through 1400, and the role of the peasants, villagers, and landowners in the shaping of European civilization.

Describes the development of cities during the late Middle Ages, 1100 through 1400, discussing how they varied in government, commerce, population, and culture and how they influenced the shaping of European civilization.

Working from plans of an actual 14th century European castle, Stephen Biesty has sliced the building into various cross-sections, each one teeming with life and detail.