*History: Background Information

The Oxford Companion to Irish History offers a radically new and eminently readable introduction to all aspects of the history of this fascinating and complex land. Written by a team of 87 specialists, its 1,800 entries explore Irish history from earliest times to the recent past. Key figures and events are re-evaluated in the light of recent research, while emerging areas of scholarship, such as women's history and public health, are discussed in depth. Many entries focus on enduring themes of Irish history, including nationalism, unionism, and Catholicism, breaking away from a purely chronological approach to examine the contexts and traditions that underpin Irish identity. In a field bedeviled by controversy, The Oxford Companion to Irish History offers a reference that is both authoritative and innovative.

The most comprehensive reference resource on Celtic culture; an encyclopedia written by and for scholars, yet accessible to all. This encyclopedia covers the entirety of the Celtic world, both through time and across geography. Although emphasizing the areas where Celtic languages and traditions survive into the present, the work does not slight the reaches of the Celtic empire, which was the largest language and cultural group on earth prior to the rise of Rome. In some 1,500 articles, many representing original research by the finest Celtic scholars, the work covers the Celts from prehistory to the present, giving comprehensive treatment to all topics from myth to music, religion to rulers, literature to language, government to games, and all topics in between. Entry into the rich world of Celtic scholarship has been difficult: The available information must be teased out of dense scholarly tomes or lightweight books emphasizing such popular elements of Celtic tradition as wee people, Druids, and blue-painted pagans. While this work treats those topics within its broad scope, the information is presented as scholarship, without the pop patina. * 1,500 A-Z entries cover every aspect of Celtic life, from prehistory to the present, with bibliographic references for further reading * Original articles by the world's finest Celtic scholars * A comprehensive bibliography of 7,000+ items including both original sources and the most important and up-to-date modern discussions * 200 drawings and illustrations * A quick-reference and glossary containing 10,000 entries

First published in 2000. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

Providing a comprehensive discussion of Russia's people, politics, economics, religion and social systems, the "Encyclopedia of Russian History complements the study of comparative politics, world history, geography, literature, arts and culture and world cultures. With approximately 1,600 entries and 500 illustrations, this four-volume set spans the time from the earliest beginnings of the Russian nation to the rise and fall of the Soviet Union.

The Oxford Dictionary of the Middle Ages is a major new reference resource for all key aspects of European history, society, religion, and culture from 500 to 1500. Since neighbouring areas of Asia and North Africa impinged on and helped shape the civilization of the West, relevant aspects ofthe Byzantine Empire, the Islamic dynasties, and Asiatic peoples such as the Avars and the Mongols are included. It is designed both for medievalists, who need a detailed and reliable reference tool for their own research and teaching, and for non-specialists, who need an accessible guide to thestudy of the Middle Ages. All entries are written with both audiences in mind. Over 800 scholars, guided by an international advisory board of five and an international editorial board of 26, have written the over 5,000 entries, and these entries have been lavishly supplemented by more than 500illustrations and 50 maps. Each entry contains a brief bibliography.Distinguishing this research resource are its balanced coverage of both the whole geographical extent of the European Middle Ages and sixteen major topics centrally important to the study of the period. Ten members of the editorial board have ensured ample coverage of geographical regions: France,Germany and Austria, Spain and Portugal, Italy, Sicily, and Latin Greece, the Low Countries, England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales, Scandinavia and Iceland, and Central and Eastern Europe. In addition sixteen members of the board have ensured similar coverage of major international topics: art andarchitecture, archaeology, science, medicine, technology, law, ecclesiastical history, intellectual history, philosophy, social and economic history, Romance, Germanic, and Slavic languages and literatures, Islam, Judaica, medieval Latin, and music and liturgy. There are also separate andsubstantial entries on women and children in each of the geographical areas represented and in Jewish and Islamic society.

The period we know as the Middle Ages, roughly the years 400-1400, saw the formation of ideas and institutions that mark modern societies. Developments as disparate as the foundation of Islam and the emergence of the middle class occurred during this pivotal millennium. Although historical study of the Middle Ages has traditionally focused on Western Europe, modern historians recognize the complex global nature of this era. For all major world regions, this three-volume work offers in-depth essays on broad themes, short entries on specific topics, and carefully selected primary documents to help readers more fully understand this critically important period. Edited by Joyce Salisbury, who is general editor of the award-winning Greenwood Encyclopedia of Daily Life, and written by Professor Salisbury and a series of prominent historians with regional expertise, Greenwood Encyclopedia of Global Medieval Life and Culture comprises three volumes covering the following areas of the globe: Volume 1:Europe and the Americas Volume 2: Islam and Africa Volume 3: Asia and Oceania Each regional section comprises seven in-depth essays covering the following broad topics and concluding with bibliographies of important and current information resources: Historical Overview of the Region, Religion, Economy, The Arts, Society, Science and Technology, and Global Ties. The Global Ties essays trace the political, social, economic, religious, technological, or commercial connections that existed between the region under discussion and any other world regions during the Middle Ages. Each regional section also includes a series of brief entries covering people, events, developments, and concepts mentioned in the in-depth essays. Examples of entry topics include the following: Berbers, Emperor Harsha, Ethiopian Christianity, Flowery Warfare, Footbinding, Hildegard of Bingen, Jainism, Jihad, Maya Collapse, Neo-Confucianism, Romanesque, and Sharia. A series of sidebars in each section will provide lists, graphs, charts, and other useful data relating to the region. Each section will also be illustrated and will include a selection of interesting primary documents that further illustrate the main themes addressed in the in-depth essays. Cross-references within the sections and a detailed subject index will also help readers access information in the essays and short entries.

Trade, Travel, and Exploration: An Encyclopediais a reference book that covers the peoples, places, technologies, and intellectual concepts that contributed to trade, travel and exploration during the Middle Ages, from the years A.D. 525 to 1492.

Forged in an age of faith and war and tempered by great statesmen, religious leaders and artists, medieval civilizations witnessed remarkable transformations. Far from being a homogeneous world of knights and castles, the era saw a multitude of contrasting and often competing cultures, many ofwhich became the foundation stones for the emergence of modern societies. From the expansion of Islam across the Mediterranean to the appearance of centralized states and Christian monarchies, the Atlas of the Medieval World draws from new archival and archaeological evidence to reveal a period ofastonishing cultural vibrancy and political diversity.Alongside stunning maps covering nearly a millennium of one of the most formative phases in history, hundreds of exquisite pictures of art and architecture accompany expertly written text edited by Rosamond McKitterick, Professor of Early Medieval History at Cambridge University to bring anextraordinary period to life as no reference has before. The Arab invasions of Europe, the empire of Charlemagne, the African kingdoms of Songhai and Mali, the Crusades, the Viking and Mongol invasions, the Delhi sultanate and the T'ang and Ming empires are just a few of the subjects explained inthe Atlas of the Medieval World. What's more, cultural and economic trends such as the spread of literacy and the growth of towns receive equal attention alongside the emergence of kingdoms and the march of armies to form a comprehensive history of all major societies outside of the Americas duringthe Middle Ages.

From women's medicine and the writings of Christine de Pizan to the lives of market and tradeswomen and the idealization of virginity, gender and social status dictated all aspects of women's lives during the middle ages. A cross-disciplinary resource, Women and Gender in Medieval Europe examines the daily reality of medieval women from all walks of life in Europe between 450 CE and 1500 CE, i.e., from the fall of the Roman Empire to the discovery of the Americas. Moving beyond biographies of famous noble women of the middles ages, the scope of this important reference work is vast and provides a comprehensive understanding of medieval women's lives and experiences. Masculinity in the middle ages is also addressed to provide important context for understanding women's roles. Entries that range from 250 words to 4,500 words in length thoroughly explore topics in the following areas: ¿ Art and Architecture ¿ Countries, Realms, and Regions ¿ Daily Life ¿ Documentary Sources ¿ Economics ¿ Education and Learning ¿ Gender and Sexuality ¿ Historiography ¿ Law ¿ Literature ¿ Medicine and Science ¿ Music and Dance ¿ Persons ¿ Philosophy ¿ Politics ¿ Political Figures ¿ Religion and Theology ¿ Religious Figures ¿ Social Organization and Status Written by renowned international scholars, Women and Gender in Medieval Europe is the latest in the Routledge Encyclopedias of the Middle Ages. Easily accessible in an A-to-Z format, students, researchers, and scholars will find this outstanding reference work to be an invaluable resource on women in Medieval Europe.

This work should prove to be a joy and a delight to both novices and experts. Its depth of coverage within its topics places it well beyond more general works. . . . [Its] usefulness in the areas of history, literature, and the arts can justify its purchase by any library with patrons whose interests are set in the medieval period. RQ Most historians find a work such as this valuable, but could bot have compiled it themselves; the fifteen years of research which produced this book would have reduced most of us to babbling, drooling, burnt-out cases, if not to catatonia. The effort and care which obviously went into this book evoke awe and admiration. . . . This work will be useful--perhaps even essential--to undergraduates writing papers in the area of knighthood and chivalry, as well as to historians wishing to confirm what they should already know. The Dictionary is particularly strong in matters military and heraldic. It is also fun for the browser; anyone who claims to have learned nothing from it is either the author or a liar. Albion In this comprehensive reference work, Bradford B. Broughton has organized alphabetically the terms and concepts of medieval English and French knighthood and chivalry. He describes the training of a young man as a page and squire for knighthood, as well as the equipment of a knight and those duties he could be called upon to perform. Contemporary data, such as legal terms and tables of weights and measures, are included, as are descriptions of the various military orders which existed. Although the focus of this reference work is on chivalry and knighthood, the social and political panorama of the period is well covered. Such subjects as the the coronation ritual, the precedence of royalty, and consequent distinctions between ranks of the peerage are described, making this an ideal reference source for most terms relative to medieval chivalry. Generous cross-referencing, bibliographical references for further study, and an appendix listing entries by topic provide ready access for those seeking information on a particular aspect of the period. A complete list of Feast and Saint's Days is also included.

The Historical Atlas series offers a highly visual and compelling presentation of the history and development of different lands and empires throughout the world and across time. Each volume pairs lively "you are there" accounts with a superb combination of detailed maps, stunning photographs and illustrations, profiles of key figures, timelines, and much more. About 800 CE, mysterious longships made their first appearance along the North Sea coast of Britain. From north to south, these raiding ships appeared out of the sea mists, carrying warriors so fierce that no one could stand against them. This was the beginning of a period of history known to us as the Viking Age, when Scandinavian peoples influenced much of northern Europe and beyond. The Historical Atlas of the Viking World chronicles Viking achievements, drawing on archaeological evidence as well as the rich source of Norse sagas and mythology. With a wealth of full-color illustrations, many of which have never been published before, and evidence from the latest archaeological discoveries and historical research, this is the most current and comprehensive study of the Vikings and the territories they explored.

What were the Crusades? Were they a series of battles that pitted European Christians against Muslims for control of the Holy Land, or was there something deeper, something more significant beneath the violence? This A-to-Z encyclopedia explores the phenomenon of the Crusades in all of its complexity, ranging from the classic numbered crusades in the Middle East to the Reconquista in Spain, and from the Baltic Crusades to the crusades against Albigensian heretics in France. The Crusades marked a violent interaction between cultures. This book includes not only European leaders and themes but also biographical portraits of Islamic leaders and topics related to Islamic culture. And although men dominated the Crusades, women also played important roles. Their contributions are examined. This is the most up-to-date reference source available, reflecting the most recent scholarship in the field. More than 200 entries are extensively cross-referenced, and many provide additional readings, including accessible primary sources. Nearly 100 photos and six maps accompany the text. A bibliographic essay leads readers to the most useful and important works in the field, while an appendix of major crusades, events, and figures helps readers put the era into perspective. This invaluable tool gives students, researchers, and general readers all they need to begin their own exploration of this fascinating time of intercultural conflict--one which continues to reverberate in today's world.

This valuable reference work offers concise, expert answers to questions on all aspects of life and culture in medieval England-art, architecture, law, literature, kings, commoners, women, music, commerce, technology, warfare, religion, and many others. It takes as its scope English social, cultural, and political life from the Anglo-Saxon invasions in the fifth century to the turn of the sixteenth century. To make it even more useful to information seekers, the Encyclopedia also traces England's ties to the Celtic world of Wales, Scotland, and Ireland, to the French and Anglo-Norman world of the Continent, to the Viking and Scandinavian world of the North Sea, and to the world of medieval Christendom. The result is a detailed portrait of the English Middle Ages and their key historical events, personages, and cultural contexts.

Medieval Ireland: An Encyclopedia brings together in one authoritative resource the multiple facets of life in Ireland before and after the Anglo-Norman invasion of 1169, from the sixth to sixteenth century. Multidisciplinary in coverage, this A¿Z reference work provides information on historical events, economics, politics, the arts, religion, intellectual history, and many other aspects of the period. With over 345 essays ranging from 250 to 2,500 words, Medieval Ireland paints a lively and colorful portrait of the time. For a full list of entries, contributors, and more, visit the Routledge Encyclopedias of the Middle Ages website.