Surprise Castle
/Books/History/Medieval

Medieval History Books

Explore the drama, devotion, and warfare of the Middle Ages and uncover the forces that shaped Europe and beyond.

Medieval history spans feudal kingdoms, religious conflict, literary traditions, and evolving political borders. From troubadour culture and Arthurian legend to crusading campaigns and children’s battle histories, these books offer diverse perspectives on the medieval world.

Discover our Medieval History Books collection and step into an era of knights, monasteries, and shifting empires.

Why Study the Medieval Period?

Medieval history resources help readers:

  • Understand feudal and religious structures

  • Explore crusading campaigns

  • Study medieval literature and legend

  • Examine borderland politics

  • Learn about warfare in accessible formats

The Middle Ages laid foundations for modern Europe.

Troubadours & Cultural Identity

Medieval France was shaped not only by kings and battles but by poetry and song.

Stolen Song: How the Troubadours Became French examines how troubadour traditions evolved and became integrated into emerging French cultural identity.

Literature and music often reflect deeper political and linguistic shifts.

Witchcraft & Religious Fear

The late medieval period witnessed intense anxiety surrounding witchcraft and heresy.

Malleus Maleficarum: The Witch Hammer (Hardcover) is a 15th-century text that contributed to witch-hunt ideology in parts of Europe. It is studied today primarily for its historical role in shaping witchcraft persecution rather than as a theological authority.

Understanding such texts helps contextualize religious fear and legal practices of the era.

The Crusades & Holy War

The Crusades reshaped political, religious, and economic dynamics between Europe and the Middle East.

The Crusades: The Authoritative History of the War for the Holy Land provides a comprehensive account of the military campaigns and cultural consequences of these conflicts.

Medieval warfare was deeply intertwined with faith and territorial ambition.

Medieval Battles for Young Readers

Educational books can introduce younger audiences to the Middle Ages.

Awesome Battles for Kids: The Medieval Wars presents medieval conflicts in an accessible, age-appropriate format designed to spark historical interest.

Engaging storytelling helps make history memorable for students.

Arthurian Legend & Borderland Politics

Myth and history often intersect in medieval studies.

Arthur Between England and Wales: The Borderland, the Marches, and the Medieval Matter of Britain explores how Arthurian legend developed within the contested borderlands between England and Wales.

Legends reveal how medieval communities shaped national identity.

Medieval History as Living Memory

Medieval History Books support:

  • Cultural and literary study

  • Religious and legal analysis

  • Military history exploration

  • Borderland and identity research

  • Youth education in historical context

The Middle Ages remain central to understanding European development.

Featured Medieval History Books

Stolen Song: How the Troubadours Became French
A cultural history of medieval poetry and identity.

Malleus Maleficarum: The Witch Hammer (Hardcover)
A historically significant witchcraft treatise studied for its role in persecution history.

The Crusades: The Authoritative History of the War for the Holy Land
A detailed study of medieval holy wars.

Awesome Battles for Kids: The Medieval Wars
An accessible introduction to medieval conflicts for younger readers.

Arthur Between England and Wales: The Borderland, the Marches, and the Medieval Matter of Britain
A scholarly look at Arthurian legend within medieval political geography.

How to Choose the Right Medieval History Book

Let your interest guide your selection:

  • Cultural history: troubadour and literary studies

  • Religious conflict: witch-hunt and crusade scholarship

  • Youth learning: accessible battle histories

  • Myth & identity: Arthurian and borderland studies

Medieval scholarship benefits from cross-cultural and interdisciplinary perspectives.

Summary

Medieval History Books illuminate a complex era of faith, conflict, and culture.

  • Focused on literature, warfare, and religious change

  • Grounded in historical and scholarly analysis

  • Designed for both academic and general readers

From troubadour traditions and Arthurian legend to witchcraft treatises and crusading campaigns, these books provide structured insight into the forces that shaped medieval Europe and its enduring legacy.

Explore Medieval History Books and rediscover the drama of the Middle Ages.

FAQs

What period does medieval history cover?
It typically spans from the 5th to the late 15th century in Europe.

Is the Malleus Maleficarum still used today?
No. It is studied historically for its role in witch-hunt persecutions.

Are the Crusades still debated by historians?
Yes. Scholars examine them from multiple religious and cultural perspectives.

Is King Arthur historical or legendary?
Arthur’s existence is debated, but his legend deeply influenced medieval identity.

Are medieval battle books suitable for children?
Some titles are specifically written in age-appropriate formats for younger readers.

6607 Results

6607 Results

The Late Byzantine Army: Arms and Society, 124-1453
-13%
The Late Byzantine Army: Arms and Society, 124-1453

The Late Byzantine Army: Arms and Society, 124-1453

$38.99
$44.95
Henry of Ghent: Metaphysics and the Trinity
Henry of Ghent: Metaphysics and the Trinity

Henry of Ghent: Metaphysics and the Trinity

$70.99
From Virile Woman to Womanchrist: Studies in Medieval Religion and Literature
-11%
From Virile Woman to Womanchrist: Studies in Medieval Religion and Literature

From Virile Woman to Womanchrist: Studies in Medieval Religion and Literature

$30.99
$34.95
Olivi's Peaceable Kingdom
-1%
Olivi's Peaceable Kingdom

Olivi's Peaceable Kingdom

$83.99
$84.95
The Laws of the Salian Franks
-13%
The Laws of the Salian Franks

The Laws of the Salian Franks

$25.99
$29.95
The Cosmographia of Bernardus Silvestris
The Cosmographia of Bernardus Silvestris

The Cosmographia of Bernardus Silvestris

$32.99
The Pursuit of the Millennium: Revolutionary Millenarians and Mystical Anarchists of the Middle Ages
The Pursuit of the Millennium: Revolutionary Millenarians and Mystical Anarchists of the Middle Ages

The Pursuit of the Millennium: Revolutionary Millenarians and Mystical Anarchists of the Middle Ages

$32.99
Inquisition
Inquisition

Inquisition

$35.99
The Chronicle of Theophanes: Anni Mundi 6095-6305 (A.D. 602-813)
-13%
The Chronicle of Theophanes: Anni Mundi 6095-6305 (A.D. 602-813)

The Chronicle of Theophanes: Anni Mundi 6095-6305 (A.D. 602-813)

$25.99
$29.95
The Magician, the Witch, and the Law
-12%
The Magician, the Witch, and the Law

The Magician, the Witch, and the Law

$21.99
$24.95
Medieval Technology and Social Change
Medieval Technology and Social Change

Medieval Technology and Social Change

$26.99
The House of Condulmer: The Rise and Decline of a Venetian Family in the Century of the Black Death
-2%
The House of Condulmer: The Rise and Decline of a Venetian Family in the Century of the Black Death

The House of Condulmer: The Rise and Decline of a Venetian Family in the Century of the Black Death

$43.99
$45.00
Winner and Waster and Its Contexts: Chivalry, Law and Economics in Fourteenth-Century England
Winner and Waster and Its Contexts: Chivalry, Law and Economics in Fourteenth-Century England

Winner and Waster and Its Contexts: Chivalry, Law and Economics in Fourteenth-Century England

$31.99
The Crusades and Silk Road: A Captivating Guide to Religious Wars During the Middle Ages and an Ancient Network of Trade Routes
-25%
The Crusades and Silk Road: A Captivating Guide to Religious Wars During the Middle Ages and an Ancient Network of Trade Routes

The Crusades and Silk Road: A Captivating Guide to Religious Wars During the Middle Ages and an Ancient Network of Trade Routes

$14.99
$19.97
The Knights Hospitaller: The Mystique and Mystery of the Order of Saint John
-10%
The Knights Hospitaller: The Mystique and Mystery of the Order of Saint John

The Knights Hospitaller: The Mystique and Mystery of the Order of Saint John

$8.99
$9.99
Afterlives: The Return of the Dead in the Middle Ages
Afterlives: The Return of the Dead in the Middle Ages

Afterlives: The Return of the Dead in the Middle Ages

$24.99
Warfare in the Middle Ages: The History of Medieval Military and Siege Tactics
-1%
Warfare in the Middle Ages: The History of Medieval Military and Siege Tactics

Warfare in the Middle Ages: The History of Medieval Military and Siege Tactics

$10.99
$11.14
The Templar's Chart, or Hieroglypic Monitor
The Templar's Chart, or Hieroglypic Monitor

The Templar's Chart, or Hieroglypic Monitor

$5.99
Trial by Fire and Water: The Medieval Judicial Ordeal (Oxford University Press Academic Monograph Reprints)
-7%
Trial by Fire and Water: The Medieval Judicial Ordeal (Oxford University Press Academic Monograph Reprints)

Trial by Fire and Water: The Medieval Judicial Ordeal (Oxford University Press Academic Monograph Reprints)

$24.99
$26.95
God's Unruly Friends: Dervish Groups in the Islamic Later Middle Period, 1200-1550
-7%
God's Unruly Friends: Dervish Groups in the Islamic Later Middle Period, 1200-1550

God's Unruly Friends: Dervish Groups in the Islamic Later Middle Period, 1200-1550

$25.99
$28.00
The Chronicle of the Czechs
The Chronicle of the Czechs

The Chronicle of the Czechs

$36.99
The First Samurai: The Life and Legend of the Warrior Rebel, Taira Masakado
-25%
The First Samurai: The Life and Legend of the Warrior Rebel, Taira Masakado

The First Samurai: The Life and Legend of the Warrior Rebel, Taira Masakado

$14.99
$19.99
A Military History of the Western World, Vol. I: From the Earliest Times to the Battle of Lepanto
-26%
A Military History of the Western World, Vol. I: From the Earliest Times to the Battle of Lepanto

A Military History of the Western World, Vol. I: From the Earliest Times to the Battle of Lepanto

$19.99
$26.99
A Fool and His Money: Life in a Partitioned Town in Fourteenth-Century France
-27%
A Fool and His Money: Life in a Partitioned Town in Fourteenth-Century France

A Fool and His Money: Life in a Partitioned Town in Fourteenth-Century France

$15.99
$22.00
Women Saints' Lives in Old English Prose
-17%
Women Saints' Lives in Old English Prose

Women Saints' Lives in Old English Prose

$24.99
$29.99
History of Medieval Spain: Memory and Power in the New Europe (Revised)
History of Medieval Spain: Memory and Power in the New Europe (Revised)

History of Medieval Spain: Memory and Power in the New Europe (Revised)

$40.99
The Decline of Medieval Hellenism in Asia Minor and the Process of Islamization from the Eleventh Through the Fifteenth Century
The Decline of Medieval Hellenism in Asia Minor and the Process of Islamization from the Eleventh Through the Fifteenth Century

The Decline of Medieval Hellenism in Asia Minor and the Process of Islamization from the Eleventh Through the Fifteenth Century

$106.99
Abelard: A Medieval Life
Abelard: A Medieval Life

Abelard: A Medieval Life

$73.99
Public Engagement in the European Middle Ages: Medieval Solutions for a Modern Crisis
-26%
Public Engagement in the European Middle Ages: Medieval Solutions for a Modern Crisis

Public Engagement in the European Middle Ages: Medieval Solutions for a Modern Crisis

$27.99
$37.95
Richard Whitford's Work for Householders
Richard Whitford's Work for Householders

Richard Whitford's Work for Householders

$153.99
The Vocabulary of Wisdom in the Old Norse Poetic Corpus
The Vocabulary of Wisdom in the Old Norse Poetic Corpus

The Vocabulary of Wisdom in the Old Norse Poetic Corpus

$175.99
The battle of Agnadello - 14 May 1509
-6%
The battle of Agnadello - 14 May 1509

The battle of Agnadello - 14 May 1509

$31.99
$33.99
Emperor Charles IV and the Origins of the Great Schism, C. 1375-1378: Volume 4
Emperor Charles IV and the Origins of the Great Schism, C. 1375-1378: Volume 4

Emperor Charles IV and the Origins of the Great Schism, C. 1375-1378: Volume 4

$39.99
Medieval Arms and Armour: A Sourcebook. Volume III: 1450-1500
Medieval Arms and Armour: A Sourcebook. Volume III: 1450-1500

Medieval Arms and Armour: A Sourcebook. Volume III: 1450-1500

$43.99
Lives in Adab: Essays in Honour of Julia Bray
Lives in Adab: Essays in Honour of Julia Bray

Lives in Adab: Essays in Honour of Julia Bray

$130.99
A Jewish Physician's Response to the Black Death: Abraham Caslari's Tractate on Pestilential Fevers and Fever Types
-28%
A Jewish Physician's Response to the Black Death: Abraham Caslari's Tractate on Pestilential Fevers and Fever Types

A Jewish Physician's Response to the Black Death: Abraham Caslari's Tractate on Pestilential Fevers and Fever Types

$93.99
$130.00
Vikings in North America
-12%
Vikings in North America

Vikings in North America

$21.99
$24.95
World History: The Basics
World History: The Basics

World History: The Basics

$33.99
Prophecy and Politics in the Early Carolingian World
Prophecy and Politics in the Early Carolingian World

Prophecy and Politics in the Early Carolingian World

$64.99
Gaelic and Gaelicized Ireland in the Middle Ages
-26%
Gaelic and Gaelicized Ireland in the Middle Ages

Gaelic and Gaelicized Ireland in the Middle Ages

$13.99
$18.99
Names to Remember: Medieval Artists in Word and Image, Ca. 700-1200
Names to Remember: Medieval Artists in Word and Image, Ca. 700-1200

Names to Remember: Medieval Artists in Word and Image, Ca. 700-1200

$87.99
Life of St. Francis of Assisi (Cram Edition)
-7%
Life of St. Francis of Assisi (Cram Edition)

Life of St. Francis of Assisi (Cram Edition)

$27.99
$29.95
Medieval Iran: Sultans, Saints, and Steppe Lords from the Arab Conquest to the Timurid Renaissance
-26%
Medieval Iran: Sultans, Saints, and Steppe Lords from the Arab Conquest to the Timurid Renaissance

Medieval Iran: Sultans, Saints, and Steppe Lords from the Arab Conquest to the Timurid Renaissance

$19.99
$26.95
John Duns Scotus and His Parisian Interlocutors
John Duns Scotus and His Parisian Interlocutors

John Duns Scotus and His Parisian Interlocutors

$164.99
Rewriting the First Crusade: Epistolary Culture in the Middle Ages
Rewriting the First Crusade: Epistolary Culture in the Middle Ages

Rewriting the First Crusade: Epistolary Culture in the Middle Ages

$31.99
The Sword and the Steppe: A Complete History of the Magyar People
-5%
The Sword and the Steppe: A Complete History of the Magyar People

The Sword and the Steppe: A Complete History of the Magyar People

$17.99
$18.99
Authorship in Neo-Latin Literature (C. 1350-C. 1650): On Authorisation and Transmission of Knowledge Via Dedications, Prefaces, Author Portraits and D
Authorship in Neo-Latin Literature (C. 1350-C. 1650): On Authorisation and Transmission of Knowledge Via Dedications, Prefaces, Author Portraits and D

Authorship in Neo-Latin Literature (C. 1350-C. 1650): On Authorisation and Transmission of Knowledge Via Dedications, Prefaces, Author Portraits and D

$243.99