The Making of the Middle Ages: An Atlas of Europe

by Jan van der Crabben
published on 08 March 2026

An in-depth historical atlas that examines the history of Europe from circa 117 CE to 1000 CE. The focus of the book is not on the full period of medieval Europe but rather on how the Europe that we recognise today was formed during the early Middle Ages. It does so using fantastic maps, short and varied descriptive chapters, and many detailed illustrations.

John Haywood, who received a PhD in early medieval European history, is a veteran of creating historical atlases, and his latest book does not disappoint. The Making of the Middle Ages focuses on the period that has traditionally been described as the "Dark Ages", from the fall of the Roman Empire to the beginning of the High Medieval Period (c. 400-1000 CE). It is during this period that Europe as we know it today was formed as power transitioned from the ancient Mediterranean empires to the kingdoms of northern Europe.

This volume contains a plethora of beautifully designed maps. Each map examines one aspect of history, making the maps both in-depth and not overwhelming. Unlike some of Haywood's earlier atlases, there are more pages containing text than there are map pages: Between each map, there are two to three pages of text explaining the history that the maps examine.

The texts in this book are divided into many short chapters (they tend to be a couple of pages in length at most) that succinctly explain facets of medieval history, easily accessible to a general reader. All of the major kingdoms, wars, and events of the period are covered, from the fall of the Roman Empire and the Migration Age to the rise of the Frankish kingdoms, the German Empire, the Rus, and the Vikings.

Haywood explores cultural practices, such as "The Germanic Warrior", individual cities like Ravenna, or questions on mythology, such as his chapter titled "King Arthur, man or myth?" Equally, daily life is explored in chapters such as "Towns, Trade and Farming".

As medieval Europe is very much defined by its adoption of Christianity, there are many maps and chapters looking at Christian Europe from different angles: The spread of Christianity, the building of churches, and the clerical divisions of the late Roman Empire. Several chapters are devoted to the interaction between religion and science, as well as Monasticism.

While the book focuses on Christian Europe, several chapters and maps examine other religions, including the rise of Muhammad, the Islamic Civilisation, and the Jews in Europe under both Christian and Muslim rule.

The book also covers a range of topics that are often glanced over in histories of the European Middle Ages. I was surprised to find chapters on "Scandinavia before the Vikings" and multiple chapters and maps on the Magyars. These are not common topics in medieval studies, and covering them makes this book even more interesting to read.

The Making of the Middle Ages: An Atlas of Europe is well-written and accessible. The maps are of high quality, and the matte print makes for a pleasant reading experience. The text pages contain plenty of white space for illustrations, smaller maps, and photographs to complete the reading and learning experience. This is a highly recommended book, but it must be noted that the title is somewhat misleading, as it only covers the early Middle Ages, not the entirety of the period.

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