The Medieval era is often dismissed as a brutal period of darkness, ignorance, bloodshed and disease – the so-called ‘Dark Ages’ dividing classical antiquity from the age of enlightenment. But while warfare, invasions and religious persecution were certainly defining themes of the period, Medieval history is also filled with intrepid explorers, revolutionary artists and thinkers, and inspirational rulers whose legacies still live on to this day. In the All About History Book of Medieval History we explore some of the most fascinating stories from this tumultuous period, from the triumph of William the Conqueror at the Battle of Hastings to the brutal Spanish Inquisition begun by Isabella of Castile. Read on to discover tales of kings and queens, crusaders and criminals, popes and peasants, and more