John Haywood – författare

From Finland to Newfoundland and Jelling to Jerusalem, follow in the wake of the Vikings—a transformative story of a people that begins with paganism and ends in Christendom. In AD 800, the Scandinavians were just barbarians in longships. Though they held sway in the north, their power meant little more than the ability to pillage and plunder, which they did to bolster their status at home. But as these Norse warriors left their strongholds to trade, raid, and settle across wide areas of Europe, Asia, and the North Atlantic, their violent and predatory culture left a unique imprint on medieval history. The twist that no one predicted, however, was a much slower, insidious takeover than any the Vikings would execute, and by a turn of the tide, they themselves became its target. For as they made their mark on Europe, Europe made its mark on them. By the year 1200, what remained of the Vikings’ pagan origins floated beneath the surface and the strong, strange territories of the north had become a part of Latin Christendom.Northmen is there to tell the tale, to pay homage to what was lost and celebrate what was won. Focusing on key events, including the sack of Lindisfarne in 793 and the Battle of Stamford Bridge in 1066, medieval history expert John Haywood recounts the saga of the Viking Age, from the creation of the world through to the dwindling years of halfhearted raids and elegiac storytelling in the thirteenth century. He does so with meticulous research, engaging narrative, and sensitivity for his subject, shedding light and blood along the way.

This dramatic history traces the mysterious Celts from their dark origins, including Druids and King Arthur, right across Britain and Europe and looking at their beliefs, cultures and arts as well as their warring and expansion.

The resurgence of Celtic identity in Britain and Europe has revitalized interest in Celtic history. At the same time, developments in genetics and archaeology have led to it becoming an arena of serious controversy. John Hayward explores the changing identity of Europe''s Celtic speaking peoples through history, both as they saw themselves and as others saw them. Covering continental Europe, Britain and Ireland, and the present day Celtic global diaspora, this is a vibrant and meticulously researched account.

This dramatic history traces the mysterious Celts from their dark origins, including Druids and King Arthur, right across Britain and Europe and looking at their beliefs, cultures and arts as well as their warring and expansion.

The resurgence of Celtic identity in Britain and Europe has revitalized interest in Celtic history. At the same time, developments in genetics and archaeology have led to it becoming an arena of serious controversy. John Hayward explores the changing identity of Europe''s Celtic speaking peoples through history, both as they saw themselves and as others saw them. Covering continental Europe, Britain and Ireland, and the present day Celtic global diaspora, this is a vibrant and meticulously researched account.

Sumeria, c.3500 BC, witnessed the birth of the world''s very first city by the rich and fertile banks of the Uruk. Over the next four millennia, the social and cultural landscape would change beyond recognition as many of history''s most important kingdoms and cities took root. Interweaving Mesopotamian, Egyptian, Persian, Greek and Roman history, this book follows these burgeoning empires over 4,000 years, examining the delicate balance of power as they vied for territory, conquest and glory. From Alexander the Great''s 22,000-mile march on Persia to Attila the Hun''s plunder of the Roman empire, John Haywood brings the most crucial battles and decisive campaigns to vivid life, and examines the extraordinary cultural achievements of these civilizations - the first written words, the spectacular works of architecture, the growth of democracy and the spread of religions - that changed our world for ever.