Often misconceived as a dark 'between-time' between the ancient and modern eras, the Middle Ages was in fact a period of radical transformation. Professor of Medieval History Phyllis G. Jestice gives a fascinating overview of this incredible period across the world, bringing to life the personalities, the technologies, the politics and the culture that defined this period in the development of the world we know today. Includes: • The rise of Christianity • The astounding advances in the sciences and the arts in the Islamic world • How economic powerhouses developed in Africa and powerful states arose in the Americas • How trade flourished throughout central Asia and China in the form of the Silk Roads • The terrifying depredations of the Mongol invasions • The crusades and other conflicts of Europe that marked a so-called era of 'chivalry'.