This brief but comprehensive book illuminates the history of the Middle Ages. Beginning with the rise of Christianity in the West, and ending with the crises that shook Europe and Byzantium in the fifteenth century, the volume serves as an excellent guide to one of the most complex and creative periods the world has ever known. The narrative discusses events in Europe alongside the spread of Islam and the rise and fall of the Byzantium Empire. While the text gives ample coverage to political events, an equal emphasis is placed on social and cultural developments of the time. The authors give careful attention to such things as the daily life of peasants, the rise of urban societies, and the changing status of women. Numerous illustrations bring the history to life. With nine maps, a chronological table, and a detailed list of suggested further readings, this is the perfect text for undergraduate courses in Medieval history.