The first two titles in the "History of Europe" series, telling the story of European politics, culture and society from prehistory to the present day. These are the first two books in the "History of Europe" series, telling the story of European politics, culture and society from prehistory to the present day. The first book covers the earliest civilization in Minoa in Crete to the fragmentation of the Roman Empire into the "barbarian" kingdoms of the West and the Byzantine Empire in the East. The second book begins with the rise of the Emperor Charlemagne to dominate Western Europe and finishes with the artistic triumphs of the High Renaissance. Both books are extensively illustrated with colour photographs and include timeliness and specially commissioned maps.

Covering the period from A.D. 700-1599 A.D., this second volume in the "History of Europe" series follows the continent's tumultuous rise from the ashes of the Roman Empire through the age of exploration and conquest to the birth of the "modern" Europe of Shakespeare. More than 130 color photographs, regional maps and biographies of notable personalities highlight the authoritative text and give insight into everyday medieval life. The role of faith is explored, from the creation of the Papal States to the rise of Protestantism and the religious wars that bloodied Europe's battlefields. This engaging chronicle also spotlights how education, literature, architecture, the arts, and science and technology developed in Europe's nation-states, as well as how women's roles shifted over time.