From Genghis Khan to Giotto, Marco Polo to Joan of Arc, Avicenna to Dante, this panorama of the medieval world features a cast of some of the most compelling personalities in history, whose lives capture the pivotal moments and essential ideas of the Middle Ages. These extraordinary people, whether seeking power and influence or justice and salvation, made their mark at every level of society, from the rulers of Christian and Muslim kingdoms to the leaders of peasant uprisings.

In sixty-nine succinct biographies, Michael Prestwich takes us on a tour of the medieval world, journeying from Salisbury to Samarkand and encompassing the most significant figures in art, architecture, politics, religion, philosophy and science. The 700 years of history covered in this book saw astounding advances against a turbulent backdrop of plagues and crusades. Featuring warriors and saints, innovators and explorers, queens and nuns, pirates and poets, this is an enthralling overview of the people who made the Middle Ages.