REA's Essentials provide quick and easy access to critical information in a variety of different fields, ranging from the most basic to the most advanced. As its name implies, these concise, comprehensive study guides summarize the essentials of the field covered. Essentials are helpful when preparing for exams, doing homework and will remain a lasting reference source for students, teachers, and professionals. Medieval History: 500 to 1450 AD discusses Byzantium, Islam civilization in the Middle Ages, Europe in antiquity, Charlemagne, the Carolingian Empire &Renaissance, manorialism and feudalism, the rise of the Papacy, the Holy Roman Empire, Norman England, the Crusades, the Black Death, and the Hundred Years' War.