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The Dark Ages have come to a close. The waves of barbarians—the Goths, Huns, Magyars and Vikings—are finally receding. Now dawns the glory of the Middle Ages.
The medieval period is a time of transition and change. From the chaos of the Dark Ages, new powers arise as old ones decline. Although they are not yet the nations they will become,
England and France have kings who are slowly forging a national identity for their people. While these powers rise, the remnants of ancient Rome—Italy and the Holy Roman Empire—slowly fracture into a patchwork of duchies, cities, palatinates, and principalities.
Weak kings reign, but they rely on their powerful vassals—dukes, earls, counts, margraves, and princes—to govern and protect the land. These lords build castles to defend their lands, maintain their own knights, and make war on their neighbors as they please. They are kings unto themselves.
It is a time of war and conquest. In the 11th century, William the Conqueror invades England. In the 12th, the Holy Roman Emperor battles the Lombard League in Northern Italy and his own vassals in Saxony. In the 13th, the Church announces a crusade against heretics in southern France, and England is rocked by a series of civil wars. By the 14th century, England and France are locked in the great struggle known as the 100 Years War.
In this society of knights, chivalry is not just a word; it is a way of life. At tournaments and on the battlefield, knights risk their lives at the forefront of battle for glory and honor. And some pass into legend like Richard the Lion-Hearted; Edward, the Black Prince; Joan of Arc; William the Conqueror; and Frederick Barbarossa.
What does it take to prevail in the Age of Chivalry?
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