Filled with unforgettable stories of emperors, generals, and religious patriarchs, as well as fascinating glimpses into the life of the ordinary citizen, Lost to the West reveals how much we owe to the Byzantine Empire that was the equal of any in its achievements, appetites, and enduring legacy.For more than a millennium, Byzantium reigned as the glittering seat of Christian civilization. When Europe fell into the Dark Ages, Byzantium held fast against Muslim expansion, k...

In AD 793 Norse warriors struck the English isle of Lindisfarne and laid waste to it. Wave after wave of Norse ‘sea-wolves’ followed in search of plunder, land, or a glorious death in battle. Much of the British Isles fell before their swords, and the continental capitals of Paris and Aachen were sacked in turn. Turning east, they swept down the uncharted rivers of central Europe, captured Kiev and clashed with mighty Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire.But there is...

《紐約時報》暢銷作家，英語世界公認，最會說歷史故事的說書人：拉爾斯．布朗沃思中古歐洲系列三部曲經典改版回歸！***Amazon 4.8分評價、Goodreads 4.4分評價***這是一場基督徒稱為「聖戰」，穆斯林稱為「法蘭克人入侵」的戰爭也是未來的一千年，基督教與伊斯蘭爭鬥的開端歐洲歷時兩百年的「十字軍東征」即將拉開序幕　　十字軍東征（1096-1291）是一場由西方基督教世界號召，集結了包括騎士、商人、農民，甚至兒童等志願兵，延續將近兩百年的宗教戰爭。一波波如潮湧般向東挺進的十字軍隊伍，前前後後共發動了九次，加入奪回聖地耶路撒冷的爭鬥。西歐的基督徒相信，只要收復了耶路撒冷、趕走占據者土耳其人，就可以獲得上帝的恩寵，讓靈魂得到救贖。　　十字軍雖然以宗教為號召，實際上卻蘊含複雜的政治與經濟動機。對於那些渴望擴張勢力與領地的王公貴族、缺乏發展空間的失意騎士、追求萬貫財富的商人，乃至於生活於困苦之中的平民而言，參與十字軍不僅意味著靈魂的得救，更是實現個人世俗目標的一種途徑，...

《紐約時報》暢銷作家，英語世界公認，最會說歷史故事的說書人：拉爾斯．布朗沃思中古歐洲系列二部曲經典改版回歸！***《紐約時報》暢銷圖書 ***常駐Amazon 北歐歷史榜前十名、Goodreads 千人以上4顆星評價一群橫掃歐洲大陸、攻無不克的海上戰狼一段由長船與戰斧、欲望與貪婪主宰的血腥歷史歐洲歷時三百年，人民惶惶不可終日的「維京時代」即將拉開序幕　西元七世紀的不列顛，在羅馬帝國崩解後的兩百年，人們的生活逐漸回到常軌，過著安定、和平、虔誠的信仰生活。一座座神聖的基督教修道院紛紛興起，裡頭藏有珍貴的聖物、鑲上寶石的聖物匣，以及用泥金裝飾封面的福音書。但這種和平的景象延續很長一段時間，直到一群來自北歐斯堪地那維亞半島的海賊破壞了這一切。　　西元七九三年的六月八日，一艘艘船頭刻著類似龍蛇圖案的船隻出現在英格蘭外海，悄悄靠近林迪斯法恩島的修道院。當船靠岸時，手持刻滿怪異盧恩字母長劍的野蠻人一湧而出，修道院遭到破壞，僧侶無論年老或體衰者皆無一倖免。金銀的盤子被搶走...

There is much more to the Norman story than the Battle of Hastings. These descendants of the Vikings who settled in France, England, and Italy - but were not strictly French, English, or Italian - played a large role in creating the modern world. They were the success story of the Middle Ages; a footloose band of individual adventurers who transformed the face of medieval Europe. During the course of two centuries they launched a series of extraordinary conquests, carving out kingdoms from...

這是一場基督徒稱為「聖戰」，穆斯林稱為「法蘭克人入侵」的戰爭也是未來的一千年，基督教與伊斯蘭爭鬥的開端歐洲歷時兩百年的「十字軍東征」即將拉開序幕十字軍東征（1096-1291）是一場由西方基督教世界號召，集結了包括騎士、商人、農民，甚至兒童等志願兵，延續將近兩百年的宗教戰爭。一波波如潮湧般向東挺進的十字軍隊伍，前前後後共發動了九次，加入奪回聖地耶路撒冷的爭鬥。西歐的基督徒相信，只要收復了耶路撒冷、趕走占據者土耳其人，就可以獲得上帝的恩寵，讓靈魂得到救贖。十字軍雖然以宗教為號召，但其中卻夾雜了許多政治或經濟目的。對許多想增加聲望或領地的王公，在家鄉沒有發展空間的破落騎士，又或者想賺大錢的商人、生存在水深火熱的貧苦百姓，參加十字軍到東方去，不僅僅可以讓靈魂獲得救贖，也可以滿足人生的其他想望，也因此著名的歷史研究者柏奈特（Judith M. bennett）曾說過：「十字軍遠征聚合了當時的三大時代熱潮：宗教、戰爭和貪欲。」在宗教熱情與人性貪欲的交織下，十字軍東征的過程往往顯露出人性最真實的一面。在本書中，...

In the late fall of 1095 Pope Urban II gave a speech in Clermont, France and set all of Europe into motion. As many as a hundred and fifty thousand people eventually responded to the call, leaving everything they knew behind to undertake what appeared to be a fool’s mission: marching several thousand miles into enemy territory to reconquer Jerusalem for Christendom. Against all odds they succeeded, creating a Christian outpost in the heart of the Islamic world that lasted for the better pa...

《紐約時報》暢銷作家，英語世界公認，最會說歷史故事的說書人： 拉爾斯．布朗沃思中古歐洲系列首部曲經典改版回歸！***《紐約時報》暢榜圖書 ***Amazon 4.3分評價、Goodreads 3.9 分評價、中國豆瓣網站 7.6 分評價他們是維京人的後裔，現代英國、法國、義大利人的先祖他們曾征服英格蘭與西西里、領導十字軍，也曾戰勝拜占庭、力阻神聖羅馬大軍他們是中古歐洲時期的風雲兒，從南到北、由東至西，在整個歐洲都留下了足跡 ────他們是諾曼人　　諾曼人的先祖是維京人，原是斯堪地那維亞半島來的「蠻族」，在西元十世紀左右登上歐洲的歷史舞台。這群航海民族四處劫掠，最終有一支維京人定居在今日法國西北部。因他們是從北方來的民族，故名為諾曼人（Norman），而他們所居之地也成為後世的諾曼地（Normandy）。　　諾曼人以他們的智慧和武力，縱橫於中世紀的封建諸侯間，從原本在海上漂泊劫掠的野蠻人，搖身一變成為號令四方的王公貴族。在這三百年中，諾曼人征服了英格蘭，建立諾曼王朝；攻取...

Filled with unforgettable stories of emperors, generals, and religious patriarchs, as well as fascinating glimpses into the life of the ordinary citizen, Lost to the West reveals how much we owe to the Byzantine Empire that was the equal of any in its achievements, appetites, and enduring legacy.For more than a millennium, Byzantium reigned as the glittering seat of Christian civilization. When Europe fell into the Dark Ages, Byzantium held fast against Muslim expansion, k...

In the late fall of 1095, Pope Urban II gave a speech in Clermont, France, and set all of Europe into motion. As many as a hundred and fifty thousand people eventually responded to the call, leaving everything they knew behind to undertake what appeared to be a fool's mission: marching several thousand miles into enemy territory to reconquer Jerusalem for Christendom. Against all odds they succeeded, creating a Christian outpost in the heart of the Islamic world that lasted for the better ...

In AD 793, Norse warriors struck the English isle of Lindisfarne and laid waste to it. Wave after wave of Norse "sea wolves" followed in search of plunder, land, or a glorious death in battle. Much of the British Isles fell before their swords, and the continental capitals of Paris and Aachen were sacked in turn. Turning east, they swept down the uncharted rivers of central Europe, captured Kiev, and clashed with mighty Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire.But there ...

There is much more to the Norman story than the Battle of Hastings. These descendants of the Vikings who settled in France, England, and Italy—but were not strictly French, English, or Italian—played a large role in creating the modern world. They were the success story of the Middle Ages: a footloose band of individual adventurers who transformed the face of medieval Europe. During the course of two centuries, they launched a series of extraordinary conquests, carving out kingdoms from th...