Powers and Thrones A New History of the Middle Ages

Dan Jones's Powers and Thrones recounts the thousand-year saga of the medieval world, charting the emergence of Europe from the ashes of the Roman Empire to its first encounters with the Americas. This history details how the West was rebuilt from a state of collapse and came to exert global influence. The narrative explores pivotal forces such as commerce, conquest, and Christianity, alongside the impact of climate change, pandemic disease, mass migration, and technological revolutions that shaped the era.

The book takes readers on a journey through an evolving Europe, examining the great capitals of late Antiquity and influential cities of the Islamic West. It features figures from Attila the Hun to the Prophet Muhammad and Eleanor of Aquitaine, providing insight into the individuals and movements that drove change. Powers and Thrones offers a framework for understanding how the modern world was constructed and reveals the enduring legacy of the Middle Ages.