The medieval era, spanning roughly 500 to 1500 CE, was a groundbreaking and transformative epoch in Western history. Within this phenomenal millennium, we can observe vital pivot points that allow us to see and to grasp how Western civilization developed.

In these 25 eye-opening lectures, Professor Dorsey Armstrong guides you in a thrilling discovery of the preeminent moments of historical change in the Middle Ages, including:

The Catalytic Battle of Lechfeld. Observe how this 955CE battle revolutionized medieval warfare and how its outcome served to solidify the feudal social order of medieval Europe.
The First Crusade. Grasp the ways in which this dramatic event altered the relationship of religion to warfare and forever marked the interface of Christianity and Islam.
The Divorce of Eleanor of Aquitaine. Trace the world-changing consequences of Eleanor’s royal divorce and remarriage, actions which critically shaped the medieval power balance between England and France.
A Medieval Climate Change. Explore the medieval warm period from 1000 to 1300, which brought hugely increased food production, agricultural innovation, booms in population, trade, shipbuilding, and navigation, along with the revitalization of cities.
The Black Death. Mark the ways in which the plague radically altered medieval society, with major reversals of fortune for merchants and peasants, who found economic opportunity and social mobility that did not exist in the pre-plague world.
The Rise of Medicine and Universities. Follow the emergence of major centers of medical learning and practice in Salerno, Bologna, and Montpellier; and trace the origins of European universities in Italy, France, and England.

In Turning Points in Medieval History, 2nd Edition, you’ll enjoy a deep look into the seminal moments of one of the most dramatic, brilliant, and impactful eras in human history.