Early Mediaeval

Embark on an enthralling journey through the heart of Medieval England in this captivating exploration of one of history's most dynamic periods. Delve into the lives of kings and queens, knights and peasants, as the story of England unfolds against the backdrop of feudalism, chivalry, and religious upheaval. Experience the turbulence of the Magna Carta, the devastation of the Black Death, and the intrigue of the Wars of the Roses, all of which shaped the destiny of England.

Step beyond the myth of the Dark Ages and discover how Rome's spectacular fall sparked a dramatic medieval rebirth. Perfect for your daily commute or a focused evening of learning, this immersive narrative history transports you to an atmospheric era of kings, monks, and colliding empires...

In Wild, Amy Jeffs journeys—on foot and through medieval texts—from landscapes of desolation to hope, offering the listener an insight into a world at once distant and profoundly close to home. The seven chapters, entitled Earth, Ocean, Forest, Beast, Fen, Catastrophe, Paradise, open with fiction and close with reflection. They blend reflections of travels through fen, forest and cave, with retelling of medieval texts that offer rich depictions of the natural world.

From the schism between Rome and Constantinople to the rise of the T'ang Dynasty, from the birth of Muhammad to the crowning of Charlemagne, this erudite book tells the fascinating, often violent story of kings, generals, and the peoples they ruled.

Pick up almost any book on early and medieval world history and empire, and where do you find West Africa? On the periphery. This pioneering book tells a different story. Interweaving political and social history and drawing on a rich array of sources, Michael Gomez unveils a new vision of how categories of ethnicity, race, gender, and caste emerged in Africa and in global history. 

The millennium between the breakup of the western Roman Empire and the Reformation was a long and hugely transformative period - one not easily chronicled within a single book. Yet distinguished historian Chris Wickham has taken up the challenge in this landmark book, and he succeeds in producing the most riveting account of medieval Europe in a generation.

A history of peasants in the Middle Ages, the story takes the listener into the life of Marion, the carpenter's wife, and her extended family as they struggle to survive through hardship, featuring a year in their lives at the mercy of the weather and the Lord of the Manor. Existing without soap, paper or glass and only with the most basic of tools, we learn how they survive starvation, sickness, fire and natural disaster in their home on the edge of the Weald.

This richly detailed and dramatic account takes listeners deep into the heart of feudal conflict—from the roar of charging cavalry to the silence before a siege. Whether you're a student of history, a fan of epic warfare, or simply curious about how medieval people fought, survived, and conquered, this book delivers a vivid and immersive journey.

Bloomsbury presents Inventing the Renaissance by Ada Palmer, read by Candida Gubbins. The Renaissance is one of the most studied and celebrated eras of history. Spanning the end of the Middle Ages to the beginning of modernity, it has come to symbolise the transformative rebirth of knowledge...

Bloomsbury presents Conquered by Eleanor Parker, read by Kristin Atherton. "Outstanding." – The Sunday Times "Beautifully written." The Times "Superbly adroit." The Spectator "Excellent." BBC History Magazine The Battle of Hastings and its aftermath nearly wiped out the leading families of...

*Winner of the Aurora Award for Best Novel* From SUNDAY TIMES bestselling author Kate Heartfield comes a glorious, lyrical retelling of one of Norse mythology’s greatest epics 'With a brilliant heroine at the helm, this richly detailed, character-driven story renders epic mythological battles...

Trace the epic state-building of Eastern Europe as nomadic tribes and Viking warlords clash to forge a massive empire. Perfect for your daily commute, this immersive historical narrative transports you across ancient rivers and frozen steppes. Witness the ruthless ambition and shifting alliances...

The Hospitallers started out as caretakers of the Christian pilgrims in Jerusalem, but they soon emerged from their hospices and adopted a new military role that shaped the history of medieval Europe forever. This audiobook seeks to explore the curious rise of the Hospitallers from their humble origins to one of the most powerful institutions in medieval Europe.

For centuries, St Cuthbert (c. 634-687) was the most worshipped saint in England, revered for his virtuous life and his miracles. Even centuries after his death, stories were told of his body remaining ‘incorrupt’ in his tomb. What we know about his work and character comes from the records...

Bloomsbury presents The Cuckoo's Lea: The Forgotten History of Birds and Place by Michael J. Warren, read by John Sackville Birds have long inspired our emotional and imaginative connections to physical environments, but where did it all begin? Hidden in the names of English towns and villages...

Illuminating Advent Through Diverse Voices from Early Christianity In Candles in the Darkness, historian Lynneth Miller Renberg and theologian Adam R. Renberg invite us to travel back in time and encounter faithful voices from many walks of life, including bishops and mothers, monks and nuns...

Random House presents the unabridged downloadable audiobook edition of Pendragon by James Wilde, read by David Shaw Parker. Here is the beginning of a legend. Long before Camelot rose, a hundred years before the myth of King Arthur was half-formed, at the start of the Red Century, the world was...

In this indispensable volume, one of America's ranking scholars combines a life's work of research and teaching with the art of lively narration. Both authoritative and beautifully told, The Middle Ages is the full story of the thousand years between the fall of Rome and the Renaissance - a time that saw the rise of kings and emperors, the flowering of knighthood, the development of Europe, the increasing power of the Catholic Church, and the advent of the middle class.

Bloomsbury presents The Mercian Chronicles by Max Adams, read by Kris Dyer. A brilliant recreation of the golden age of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Mercia – its landscapes, peoples, conflicts, power structures and political geography. The eighth century has long been a neglected backwater in...

This is Mercia. The year is 757. A king will fall. A king will rise. But first, civil war will rage. King Æthelbald's forty-year vice-like rule over Mercia has been rigid. But he lacks a legitimate heir despite his insatiable bedchamber antics. Offa must stand hostage to his family’s good...