The Holy Land The author Paul Johnson has had a long career in journalism including the editorship of the New Statesman from 1965 to 1970. He has written many books of history including A History of Christianity (1975), Civilizations of the Holy Land (1979), Pope John Paul II and the Catholic Rest...

The Crusades During the Dark Ages, Muslim influence spread throughout Africa and Eastern Europe. The quick spread caused Christians to become more and more fearful of Muslim invasion. As new Turk leaders limited pilgrimages to the Holy Land and the Byzantine Empire became more susceptible to att...

Attila the Hun Attila the Hun is known as one of the most ferocious leaders of ancient times. He was given the nickname "Scourge God" because of his ferocity. During the twentieth century, "Hun" was one of the worst name you could call a person, due to Attila. The Huns were ...

Attila the Hun is known as one of the most ferocious leaders of ancient times. He was given the nickname "Scourge God" because of his ferocity. During the twentieth century, "Hun" was one of the worst name you could call a person, due to Attila. The Huns were a barbaric and savag...

The greatest of medieval civilizations was the Eastern Roman Empire. The Roman Empire was divided in 395. The Western half, ruled from Rome, was ruled by the barbarians in the 5th century. The Eastern half, known as the Byzantine Empire, lasted for more than over 1,000 years. The Byzantine ...

Christianity played a major role throughout the Middle Ages in society and politics. The Middle Ages, classified from 600 AD to 1350 AD, was significantly effected by Christianity because of the impact it had on the daily lives of people of the time. The beginning of the Early Middle Ages, after ...

During the fifteenth century, the crusades had spent their force. Even though they were originally started to turn away Muslim armies and unite Christendom the exact opposite occurred. Constantinople fell in 1453 before Turkish Muslim conquerors. It was renamed Istanbul and turned into the seat o...

The middle ages 2000 The Roman Empire geographically established the original concept of a European boundary. With all of it's great achievements likee civil law, politics and literature, the collective willpower of the Roman Empire would eventually degrade over time and give way to new id...

The Crusades began formally on Tuesday, November 27, 1095, in a field just outside the walls of the French city of Clermont-Ferrand. On that day Pope Urban II preached a speech to crowds of laypeople attending a Church council at Clermont. In his speech, the pope outlined a plan for a Crusade and ca...

The word "medieval" came about when early scholars combined the two Latin words medium (middle) and aevum (age), which means the transition between ancient and modern times. The first 500 years of this period are the Early Middle Ages or the Dark Ages. They were called the Dark Ages because learni...

During the Medieval period (600 A.D. to 830 AD) in Europe only a few leaders showed great glory and compassion. Mythical characters usually made up these leaders. Yet Charlemagne wasn't a figment of our imagination. He is one of the world's finest leaders. Charlemagne established the t...

The First Crusades In the middle of the Eleventh Century the tranquility of the eastern Mediterranean seemed assured for many years to come, but little did the people know what was ahead. This embarks a journey back into the First Crusade. The Crusades were a time of confusion for most pe...

What were the consequences of the Mongol invasion on Kievan Russia? The question about the consequences of the Mongol invasion is considered one of the most difficult in the history of Russia. Definitely, they had a great impact on demographics, agriculture, social, political and cultural deve...

Pope Urban II had called the Christians to join him in a Holy War to reclaim the Holy Lands as an act of Christianity, but there were many activities that took place that weren't characteristics of Christianity. The Crusades were a smokescreen for Pope's craving for power and control. The ...

Since its establishment in 681AD, Bulgaria has been the object of aspirations of many powerful nations. Bulgaria's fertile lands, beautiful mountains, and dense network of fast-flowing rivers have been the cause of many wars whose purpose was to control those valuable resources. Another factor t...

Pope Urban II had called the Christians to join him in a Holy War to reclaim the Holy Lands as an act of Christianity, but there were many activities that took place that weren't characteristics of Christianity. The Crusades were a smokescreen for Pope's craving for power and control...

Medieval Warfare Amos 1 Warfare and Punishment during the Middle Ages were very brutal and used a variety of weapons, strategies, and torture devices. Spanning some 1,000 years of conflict, from the fifth to the 15th century, the Middle Ages was a period in which the mounted ...

The greatest of medieval civilizations was the Eastern Roman Empire. The Roman Empire was divided in 395. The Western half, ruled from Rome, was ruled by the barbarians in the 5th century. The Eastern half, known as the Byzantine Empire, lasted for more than over 1,000 years. The Byzantine Empire ...

The conflict between the Christians and the Muslims, between 1098 and 1229, was the result of political unrest; which was fueled the Muslims migrating into the Christian holy lands, lead by Pope Urban II and carried on, throughout latter centuries by his followers. What follows is a story of war...

European civilizations in the Early Middle Ages (750-1000) stemmed from the fall of the Roman Empire. The establishment of the Germanic states (which was a result of Roman disintegration) brought together the three main components of a new European civilization. The combination of the German tribes...

Alexander the Great Alexander the Great was a great conqueror that created the largest empire the world has ever known. In doing so, he not only established a great kingdom, he also spread the Greek Culture throughout this empire. Alexander the Great was able to establish an enormous empire by ...

In the year 610 A.D. the Roman Empire had reduced to only that area east of Pannonia and the transition from a Pagan culture to a Christian culture was one in which the continuity of the empire was virtually nonexistent. We can follow these difficulties from the early migrations to Justinian's...