The wars of the medieval period were brutal affairs fought over dynastic or religious issues. The era began with battles fought at close range with impact weapons and the crossbow, but ended with gunpowder weapons reshaping the nature of the battlefield. The Medieval Wars 500-1500CE – the second volume in the Encyclopedia of Warfare Series – charts the bloody history of medieval warfare from the post-Roman world to the rise of the professional army. A chronological guide to conflict on every continent, from the expansion of Islam, the various Crusades (1096–1291), the conquests of Gengis Khan (1211–27), and the Hundred Years' War (1337–1457), this volume gives a comprehensive guide to the wars and battles of the period. Featuring full colour maps illustrating the formations and strategies used, plus narrative descriptions of the circumstances behind each battle, this is a comprehensive guide to the conflicts of the medieval world. The Encyclopedia of Warfare Series is an authoritative compendium of almost five millennia of conflict, from the ancient world to the Arab Spring. Written in a style accessible to both the student and the general enthusiast, it reflects the latest thinking among military historians.