Crusades

Here we discuss the period following the fall of the Roman Empire in Europe, and before the Renaissance--The Middle Ages! Western Europe changed dramatically entering a period of feudalism when power was based upon control of land.  There was a decline in culture, learning, and ultimately the Crusades as the power of the Church grows.  Following the Crusades, however, a new period of trade and rebirth will  emerge, ending the Middle Ages and leading to the Renaissance.

After the fall of the western portion of the Roman Empire, Byzantium remained as a significant trade center.  This podcast discusses Justinian and the interactions between the Byzantines, the Russians in Kiev, and the Seljuk Turks.