Richard Barber Libros

A delightful translation of one of the finest, and most beautiful, examples of a medieval Bestiary.

The story of Henry II's turbulent relationship with Thomas á Beckett, Queen Eleanor, and his sons Richard and John.

The hugely popular presenter of 'How Clean Is Your House?' tells the inspiring yet harrowing story of the shocking abuse in her childhood and first marriage, before she became Britain's Queen of Clean.

A combination of scholarship with exemplary thoroughness, this profoundly intelligent work merges monumental research with elegance and clarity. The concept of chivalry is central to the medieval world, emerging from the unique intellectual and practical climate of the times, expressed through both words and actions. The author’s extensive knowledge of medieval literature and history enriches the exploration of this captivating subject. Beginning with the prehistory of chivalry, he examines the warrior-knights of early medieval Europe and their evolving social roles. The study delves into the chansons de geste, early romances, and biographies and handbooks for aspiring knights, uncovering early expressions of the chivalric code. An extensive survey of tournaments and the knight's role in the constant warfare of the Middle Ages illustrates chivalry in action. The inherent tensions of courtly love and honorable warfare led to the church's antagonism, yet also sparked the great adventure of the crusades and the establishment of military orders. Finally, the adoption of chivalric ideals by the princes of western Europe culminated in the formation of secular orders, marking the knight's transformation into the Renaissance courtier. This second edition is revised, expanded, and updated.

From Geoffrey of Monmouth to T.H.White here is a sample of Arthurian literature through the centuries.

Henry II (1154-89) through a series of astonishing dynastic coups became the ruler of an enormous European empire. One of the most dynamic, restless and clever men ever to rule England, he was brought down both by his catastrophic relationship with his archbishop Thomas Becket and his debilitating arguments with his sons, most importantly the future Richard I and King John. His empire may have ultimately collapsed, but in Richard Barber's vivid and sympathetic account the reader can see why Henry II left such a compelling impression on his contemporaries.

The Holy Grail is an image familiar to us all as an almost unattainable, infinitely desirable goal. The idea has passed into everyday speech and the legends behind it are as current in today�s culture as they have ever been. And yet the Grail has no real religious meaning and is nowhere mentioned in the Bible. What is the truth behind this elusive symbol? Here, Barber traces the history of the stories surrounding the Holy Grail. He describes how through a long series of imaginative transformations, the grail has moved from the sphere of romance to religion, and in twentieth century popular culture has become an emblem of mysticism and man�s highest aspirations, intimately linked with the central ritual of the Christian faith. The search for the grail has always been described as a quest; in this book, Barber goes on his own quest, brilliantly exploring the richness of the Holy Grail�s cultural impact. Barber traces the history of legends surrounding the Holy Grail, from Chretien de Troyes' great romances to the popular bestsellers of the late twentieth century.

Henry II is the most imposing figure among the medieval kings of England. His fiefs and domains extended from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean, and his court was frequented by the greatest thinkers and men of letters of his time, besides ambassadors from all over Europe. This readable and accessible biography offers both a study of his character, and an estimate of his work as a ruler, work which is in a sense the history of his life, since it occupied his entire energies from his accession at the age of twenty-one to his death thirty-five years later. Nor is this the mere routine of government; from the desolate and lawless anarchy of Stephen's reign, and against the opposition of the great magnates and the Church, he built in England a stable and prosperous realm, and welded his diverse inheritance overseas into a single, and by the standards of the time, peaceful, unit. Only the folly of John dispersed his empire, and his work in England left an enduring mark on the institutions by which we are governed today.RICHARD BARBER's other books include Tournaments, with Juliet Barker, Edward Prince of Wales and Aquitaine, The Life and Campaigns of the Black Prince, The Knight and Chivalry and books on King Arthur; he is currently working on a study of the legend of the Holy Grail. 1154-1189

Includes material on King Lear, Hamlet, Merlin, Taliesin, King Arthur, Beowulf, Cuchulain, the Mabinogi, the voyage of St. Brendan, St. Joseph of Arimathea and Glastonbury, St. George, Helena and the true cross, King Harold, Hereward the Wake, Richard the Lionheart, Havelok the Dane, Guy of Warwick, Robin Hood, Macbeth, and Lady Godiva, among others

This anthology shows the diversity of the Arthurian legends and their many sources by presenting contrasting versions of the stories of Arthur, Gawain, Tristan and other medieval Arthurian heroes - and heroines.

An illustrated history of medieval knighthood traces the origins of chivalry and its development into a romantic tradition and the effect of chivalric ideas on society, religion, and literature

This book draws on recent research into the tournament, the first sport for which detailed rules and regulations survive, and gives insight into the medieval mind. There are parallels with modern sport and a series of illustrations which include some of the finest surviving medieval manuscripts.

Das Turnier war im Mittelalter ein zentrales Ereignis der ritterlichen und höfischen Kultur, zu dem die Menschen von weither zusammenströmten. Ausgehend von den Ursprüngen, behandeln Richard Barber und Juliet Barker das Turnierwesen in den einzelnen europäischen Ländern, schildern die Durchsetzung des Turniers gegen den Widerstand der Kirche und die verschiedenen Formen wie Buhurd (Gruppenturnier) und Tjost (Zweikampf) sowie die oft an die Artusepik (Tafelrunde) angelehnten Bräuche und Rituale (Minne, Herolde, Wappenwesen, Rittergesellschaften). Die sehr dichte, auf reiche Bilddokumente abgestützte Darstellung würdigt eingehend die Bedeutung des Turniers als grundlegendes Phänomen der europäischen Geschichte.