In the Middle Ages nothing that happened was ever regarded as absolutely new; each development was seen as a renewal of a former state of things. By studying the concept of empire during that period, one can understand how it caused political structures to be formed which claimed to be a continuation of the Empire of Rome.

General survey of European history from the end of the Roman Empire to the early 20th century.

This eBook collection has been formatted to the highest digital standards and adjusted for readability on all devices. Content: The Roman Empire The Barbarian World Outside the Empire The Decline of the Roman Empire The Barbarian Invasions: 378-511 A.D. "The City of God" German Kingdoms in the West Justinian and the Byzantine Empire Gregory the Great and Western Christendom The Rise and Spread of Mohammedanism The Frankish State and Charlemagne The Northmen and Other New Invaders The Feudal Land System and Feudal Society Feudal States of Europe The Growth of the Medieval Church The Expansion of Christendom and the Crusades The Rise of Towns and Gilds The Italian Cities French, Flemish, English, and German Towns The Medieval Revival of Learning Medieval Literature The Medieval Cathedrals The Church Under Innocent III Innocent III and the States of Europe The Growth of National Institutions in England The Growth of Royal Power in France The Hundred Years War Germany in the Later Middle Ages Eastern Europe in the Later Middle Ages The Papacy and Its Opponents in the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Centuries The Italian Renaissance: Politics and Humanism The Italian Renaissance: Fine Arts and Voyages of Discovery The Rise of Absolutism and of the Middle Class