The Fourth Crusade (1202-4) was one of the key events in medieval historyThe fall of Constantinople to the Venetians and the soldiers of the fourth crusade in April 1204 was its climax. It ensured that Byzantium’s days as a great power were over. It equally ensured that westerners would dominate the Levant – the lands of the old Byzantine Empire –until the end of the middle ages. This book asks just how important was the Fourth as a turning point in the Middle East.. The broad sett...

The fall of Constantinople to the Ottomans in 1453 marked the end of a thousand years of the Christian Roman Empire. Thereafter, world civilisation began a process of radical change. The West came to identify itself as Europe; the Russians were set on the path of autocracy; the Ottomans were transformed into a world power while the Greeks were left exiles in their own land. The loss of Constantinople created a void. How that void was to be filled is the subject of this book.Michael...

The recent demise of the independent television companies and the expansion of satellite and cable networks has led to an explosion in small, independent production facilities. In parallel with this development has been a steady increase in media training and a major expansion in corporate video facilities. The Video Studio is written for everyone contemplating setting-up a professional installation, whether studio or location based.The Video Studio shows how to estimate the scale ...

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERIn a chronicle that captures nearly two thousand years of inspiration and intrigue, John Julius Norwich recounts in riveting detail the histories of the most significant popes and what they meant politically, culturally, and socially to Rome and to the world. Norwich presents such popes as Innocent I, who in the fifth century successfully negotiated with Alaric the Goth, an invader civil authorities could not defeat; Leo I, who two...

Even film diehards have a tough time resisting the instant gratification of the digital camera. Today's digital cameras are more affordable then ever before, and they deliver high quality images that are a snap to share. Plus, you can take risks with a digital camera you never would with a film camera. You waste nothing; there's no film required, and because you only print the pictures you need, digital photography is cost effective and environmentally friendly.But to take full adv...

DSLR Fundamentals: An Introduction To Photography is written specifically for the beginning photographer. The book uses text, images, tables, diagrams, video, and reference material to explain and teach a variety of concepts such as setup, shooting, technique, processing, and sharing.The volume covers setting up your DSLR, how to shoot properly, exploring predefined shooting modes, learning manual settings (aperture, shutter speed, ISO), basic equipment needs, composition and techn...

Jesus taught his followers that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter heaven. Yet by the fall of Rome, the church was becoming rich beyond measure. Through the Eye of a Needle is a sweeping intellectual and social history of the vexing problem of wealth in Christianity in the waning days of the Roman Empire, written by the world's foremost scholar of late antiquity.Peter Brown examines the rise of the church through the len...

The great war on heresy obsessed medieval Europe in the centuries after the first millennium. R. I. Moore's vivid narrative focuses on the motives and anxieties of those who declared and conducted the war: what were the beliefs and practices they saw as heretical? How might such beliefs have arisen? And why were they such a threat?In western Europe at AD 1000 heresy had barely been heard of. Yet within a few generations accusations had become commonplace and institutions were being set up ...

An Introduction To Macro & Close-Up Photography, part of the DSLR Fundamentals series, is an eBook written specifically for those interested in learning more about the basics of macro and close-up photography. The book uses text, video links, diagrams, graphs, and charts to explain and teach a variety of concepts such as:- Understanding the difference between macro and close-up photography- Choosing dedicated macro equipment and learning how to use it- Modifying exist...

"The fortunes and misfortunes of a Charlemagne and Henry IV., of a Barbarossa, a Henry VI. and an Emperor Frederick II... The rise and fall of the mediæval German Empire is in itself a subject boundlessly interesting, boundlessly important. ...See how Europe has come to be what it is, and how near it came to being something quite different! If Italy had remained under the sway of Germany, if Frederick Barbarossa or his successors had done away with the papal power, as they...

Everything you need to know about photography, both digital and film, written by a team of experts. This comprehensive and superbly illustrated guide covers all aspects from basic composition to the latest digital know-how and digital darkroom techniques.Practical, inspiring and informative, Collins Complete Photography Manual takes you from choosing the right camera and understanding what different lenses can achieve, to creating the best possible composition. In addition, key tec...

In 1202, zealous Western Christians gathered in Venice determined to liberate Jerusalem from the grip of Islam. But the crusaders never made it to the Holy Land. Steered forward by the shrewd Venetian doge, they descended instead on Constantinople, wreaking terrible devastation. The crusaders spared no one: They raped and massacred thousands, plundered churches, and torched the lavish city. By 1204, one of the great civilizations of history had been shattered. Here, on the eight hundredth ...