An illustrated history of medieval knighthood traces the origins of chivalry and its development into a romantic tradition and the effect of chivalric ideas on society, religion, and literature

Henry II is the most imposing figure among the medieval kings of England. His fiefs and domains extended from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean, and his court was frequented by the greatest thinkers and men of letters of his time, besides ambassadors from all over Europe. This readable and accessible biography offers both a study of his character, and an estimate of his work as a ruler, work which is in a sense the history of his life, since it occupied his entire energies from his accession at the age of twenty-one to his death thirty-five years later. Nor is this the mere routine of government; from the desolate and lawless anarchy of Stephen's reign, and against the opposition of the great magnates and the Church, he built in England a stable and prosperous realm, and welded his diverse inheritance overseas into a single, and by the standards of the time, peaceful, unit. Only the folly of John dispersed his empire, and his work in England left an enduring mark on the institutions by which we are governed today.RICHARD BARBER's other books include Tournaments, with Juliet Barker, Edward Prince of Wales and Aquitaine, The Life and Campaigns of the Black Prince, The Knight and Chivalry and books on King Arthur; he is currently working on a study of the legend of the Holy Grail. 1154-1189

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Looks at the history of tournaments, draws parallels with modern sports, and describes the social role of jousting in medieval Europe (view table of contents)

Edward, prince of Wales and Aquitaine, known as the Black Prince, is one of the legendary figures of English history, victor of three great battles and a model of chivalry and courtesy. Behind this image, which many of his contemporaries eagerly believed in, it is difficult to get at the realities of the life that he led. Most of his biographers have based their work on the vision of chivalry conjured up by Froissart, but the present book shuns this approach, to see what can be found in official records, particularly from those who campaigned with the prince. Special attention has been paid not only to the confused accounts of the great battles, but also to the prince's early years, his close companions who contributed to his successes, and to his government of Aquitaine, a very important part of his career. A number of persistent errors in early histories, deriving from Froissart, are corrected. A concluding chapter examines how the legend of the Black Prince (and his curious nickname) came into being. By separating the image and the reality, a clearer picture of the prince emerges. (view table of contents)

Pilgramage, the journey to a distant sacred goal, is found in all the great religions of the world. It is a journey both outwards, to new, strange, dangerous places, and inwards to spiritual improvement, whether through increased self-knowledge or through the braving of physical dangers. It can also encompass penance for past sins and the search for physical benefits through the medium of a god or saint. The pilgrim may pursue spiritual ecstasy in seeking out the cradle of a particular religion, or look for a miracle to resolve a purely material state. Throughout the world the idea of pilgrimage is understood and accepted as a natural activity. Pilgrims move invisibly in huge numbers among the tourists of today, indistinguishable from them except in purpose. The pilgrimage to Mecca can attract almost two million travellers a year, while the vast tide of men and women that flows to the Ganges at Prayaga for the great festival held every 12 years numbers over 15 million - more than the entire population of one of the world's greatest cities. This is the first book to offer a survey of the great pilgrimage traditions. It outlines the history and nature of the different ideas and rites of pilgrimage, and brings together some of the common themes which emerge in the process. These reveal a surprising consistency of practice, often down to small details, among pilgrims of widely differing beliefs and times.

Product Description: The story of Henry II's turbulent relationship with Thomas á Beckett, Queen Eleanor, and his sons Richard and John. A tie-in with the BBC2 mini-series. (view table of contents, read Amazon.com's description)

Knighthood during the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries is examined in relation to literature, religion, and the state

Product Description: `The whole subject is brought up to date- Arthurian buffs will want this book.' DAILY TELEGRAPH Who was the real Arthur? Why were his knights so famous? Was he buried at Glastonbury? Richard Barber takes the story from the anonymous 8th century chronicler who first listed his battles to the novelists of the 20th century...read more

Gods and goddesses of various world mythologies are described, with illustrations and brief summaries of the tales surrounding them

Product Description: The portrait of a diarist, musician, bibliophile, theater-lover, amateur of science & all curious knowledge around 1670 in England.