Barber, Richard W

Contains 600 alphabetically arranged entries describing fabulous birds, beasts, fishes, and beings found in poetry, fiction, mythology, and heraldry.

Describes the medieval monuments, trade and town life, religion, secular power, and the intellectual atmosphere of the Middle Ages in Europe.

Presents a broad picture of the chivalric world, and shows how chivalry affected or was affected by social movements, writers and events, and analyses the legacy it passed down to later ages.

Alphabetically lists the gods of such diverse cultures as Polynesia, Japan, and ancient Greece, with substantial accounts of their exploits.

Traces the legends and myths of the Holy Grail throughout history, from the twelfth through the twentieth century, looking at the Grail's appearance in literature and spiritual quests.

Through a study of the political and social institutions, the rulers, artists, scientists and craftsmen of the Middle Ages, examines what everyday life in medieval times was like and what links with the era still survive.

Illustrations and text describe medieval tournaments in detail.