From the Islamic expansion into the Middle East, North Africa and Europe to the European discovery of the Americas, "The Times Medieval World" covers a period of cultural vibrancy and political diversity. Far from being a homogeneous world of knights and castles, the medieval world saw a multitude of contrasting, and often competing, cultures, many of which laid crucial foundation stones for the building of modern societies. The book covers nearly a millennium of one of the most formative phases in history: its geographical scope is vast, treating all major cultures outside the Americas. The Arab invasions of Europe, the empire of Charlemagne, the African kingdoms of Songhay and Mali, the Crusades, the Viking and Mongol invasions, the Delhi sultanate and the T'ang and Ming empires are just a few of the subjects covered in the book's 80 spreads. Cultural and economic trends such as the spread of literacy and the growth of towns take their place alongside the formation of kingdoms and the march of armies to form a comprehensive history of the Middle Ages.