First published by E.J. Brill (The Netherlands) in 1969 as Geschichte der Islamischen Lander, this volume is still one of the few studies to deal -- authoritatively, comprehensively, and clearly to the non-specialist -- with the Mongols. It provides a lucid account of the empires of the two greatest Mongol empire-builders, Jingiz (Genghis) Khan and Timur (Tamerlane), and their successor states in Western Eurasia. Arthur Waldron's new introduction discusses the contribution of the Mongols and other nomadic societies to world history.

The Epic of Sumanguru Kante contains the Bamana text and English translation of griot Abdoulaye Sako's oral narrative of the life of Sumanguru, recorded in 1997 in Koulikoro (Mali), together with explanatory notes, a scholarly introduction, and sections on the Bamana language and musical accompaniment. Sumanguru is a familiar figure within Manding epic oral traditions about ancient Mali. But while these narratives generally focus on Sunjata Keita, Sako's oral poem is rare in according Sumanguru the central role. In so doing he includes hitherto undocumented episodes relating to Sumanguru's life and role as the ruler of Soso, the little known state said to have flourished in the western Sudan between the fall of ancient Ghana and rise of ancient Mali.

Disavowing their traditional portrayal as the progenitors of medieval Christian dualism, this book recasts the Paulicians as broadly conventional Christians inspired by the apostle Paul. Using previously neglected Paulician testimony and a critical reappraisal of the existing sources, it explains their fleeting regional prominence via a pluralistic approach to Paulician identity within the complex socio-religious milieus of Armenia and Asia Minor. Exploring their history of schism, persecution, and resistance, it reassesses their relationship with the iconoclast controversy and the changing fortunes of Byzantine-Islamic warfare, shedding new light on their obscure but fascinating transformation from itinerant preachers to militarized insurrectionists.

Space, Place, and Motion: Locating Confraternities in the Late Medieval and Early Modern City offers the first sustained comparative examination of the relationship between confraternal life and the spaces of the late medieval and early modern city. By considering cities large (Rome) and small (Aalst) in regions as disparate as Ireland and Mexico, the essays collected here seek to uncover the commonalities and differences in confraternal practice as they played out on the urban stage. From the candlelit oratory to the bustling piazza, from the hospital ward to the festal table, from the processional route to the execution grounds, late medieval and early modern cities, this interdisciplinary book contends, were made up of fluid and contested 'confraternal spaces.' Contributors are: Kira Maye Albinsky, Meryl Bailey, Cormac Begadon, Caroline Blondeau-Morizot, Danielle Carrabino, Andrew Chen, Ellen Decraene, Laura Dierksmeier, Ellen Alexandra Dooley, Douglas N. Dow, Anu Mand, Rebekah Perry, Pamela A.V. Stewart, Arie van Steensel, and Barbara Wisch.

This Companion to the Abbey of Le Bec in the Central Middle Ages (11th-13th Centuries) offers the first major collection of studies dedicated to the medieval abbey of Le Bec, one of the most important, and perhaps the single most influential, monastery in the Anglo-Norman world. Following its foundation in 1034 by a knight-turned-hermit called Herluin, Le Bec soon developed into a religious, cultural and intellectual hub whose influence extended throughout Normandy and beyond. The fourteen chapters gathered in this Companion are written by internationally renowned experts of Anglo-Norman studies, and together they address the history of this important medieval institution in its many exciting facets. The broad range of scholarly perspectives combined in this volume includes historical and religious studies, prosopography and biography, palaeography and codicology, studies of space and identity, as well as theology and medicine. Contributors are Richard Allen, Elma Brenner, Laura Cleaver, Jean-Herve Foulon, Giles E.M. Gasper, Laura L. Gathagan, Veronique Gazeau, Leonie V. Hicks, Elizabeth Kuhl, Benjamin Pohl, Julie Potter, Elisabeth van Houts, Steven Vanderputten, Sally N. Vaughn, and Jenny Weston.

Antonia Bosanquet's Minding Their Place is the first full-length study of Ibn al-Qayyim's (d. 751/1350) collection of rulings relating to non-Muslim subjects, Ahkam ahl al-dhimma. It offers a detailed study of the structure, content and authorial method of the work, arguing that it represents the author's personal composition rather than a synthesis of medieval rulings, as it has often been understood. On this basis, Antonia Bosanquet analyses how Ibn al-Qayyim's presentation of rulings in Ahkam ahl al-dhimma uses space to convey his view of religious hierarchy. She considers his answer to the question of whether non-Muslims have a place in the Abode of Islam, how this is defined and how his definition contributes to Ibn al-Qayyim's broader theological world-view.

Peasants, Lords and State: Comparing Peasant Conditions in Scandinavia and the Eastern Alpine Region, 1000-1750 challenges the once widespread view, rooted in the historical thinking of the nineteenth century, that Scandinavian and especially Norwegian peasants enjoyed a particular "peasant freedom" compared to their Continental counterparts. Markers of this supposed freedom were believed to be peasants' widespread ownership of land, extensive control over land and resources, and comprehensive judicial influence through the institution of the thing. The existence of slaves and unfree people was furthermore considered a marginal phenomenon. The contributors compare Scandinavia with the eastern Alpine region, two regions comprising fertile plains as well as rugged mountainous areas. This offers an opportunity to analyse the effect of topographical factors without neglecting the influence of manorial and territorial power structures over the long time-span of c.1000 to 1750. With contributions by Markus Cerman, Tore Iversen, Michael Mitterauer, John Ragnar Myking, Josef Riedmann, Werner Roesener, Helge Salvesen, and Stefan Sonderegger.

This volume highlights the wealth of medieval storytelling and the fundamental unity of the medieval Mediterranean by combining in a comprehensive overview popular eastern tales along with their Greek adaptations and examining Byzantine love tales, both learned and vernacular, alongside their Persian counterparts and the later adaptations of Western romances.

First published as a special issue of the journal Medieval Encounters (vol. 23, 2017), this volume, edited by Josefina Rodriguez-Arribas, Charles Burnett, Silke Ackermann, and Ryan Szpiech, brings together fifteen studies on various aspects of the astrolabe in medieval cultures. The astrolabe, developed in antiquity and elaborated throughout the Middle Ages, was used for calculation, teaching, and observation, and also served astrological and medical purposes. It was the most popular and prestigious of the mathematical instruments, and was found equally among practitioners of various sciences and arts as among princes in royal courts. By considering sources and instruments from Muslim, Christian, and Jewish contexts, this volume provides state-of-the-art research on the history and use of the astrolabe throughout the Middle Ages. Contributors are Silke Ackermann, Emilia Calvo, John Davis, Laura Fernandez Fernandez, Miquel Forcada, Azucena Hernandez, David A. King, Taro Mimura, Gunther Oestmann, Josefina Rodriguez-Arribas, Sreeramula Rajeswara Sarma, Petra G. Schmidl, Giorgio Strano, Flora Vafea, and Johannes Thomann.

"The Pilgrim's Way to St. Patrick's Purgatory" traces a route for the modern pilgrim across Ireland and across the boundaries of the Irish Republic and Northern Ireland. It begins in Dublin and ends at Lough Derg in County Donegal, bringing travelers on a journey through the medieval past and the fragmentary riches that remain today. It provides a cultural itinerary that can be traveled by car or bike, on foot, and even partly by boat, through one of the loveliest landscapes of Ireland and Europe. This publication, offered in both print and digital formats, presents an introduction to the topic, an exploration of a taxonomy for medieval pilgrimage and an overview of what the early pilgrims have told us about the route. It features descriptions of the monuments, relics and saints along the way, as well as a stage-by-stage description of the journey itself. Ancillary materials include travelers' information, a complete bibliography, a chronology and index. 54 photos, 23 maps and plans. 204 pages

The Uses of the Bible in Crusader Sources sets out to understand the ideology and spirituality of crusading by exploring the biblical imagery and exegetical interpretations which formed its philosophical basis. Medieval authors frequently drew upon scripture when seeking to justify, praise, or censure the deeds of crusading warriors on many frontiers. After all, as the fundamental written manifestation of God's will for mankind, the Bible was the ultimate authority for contemporary writers when advancing their ideas and framing their world view. This volume explores a broad spectrum of biblically-derived themes surrounding crusading and, by doing so, seeks to better comprehend a thought world in which lethal violence could be deemed justifiable according to Christian theology. Contributors are: Jessalynn Bird, Adam M. Bishop, John D. Cotts, Sini Kangas, Thomas Lecaque, T. J. H. McCarthy, Nicholas Morton, Torben Kjersgaard Nielsen, Luigi Russo, Uri Shachar, Iris Shagrir, Kristin Skottki, Katherine Allen Smith, Thomas W. Smith, Carol Sweetenham, Miriam Rita Tessera, Jan Vandeburie, Julian J. T. Yolles, and Lydia Marie Walker.