Historical Novels: Medieval Europe

Medieval Europe offers historical fiction fans the grandeur of medieval royalty contrasted with the stark struggle for survival of the common folk. It features conflicts between Christianity and the remnants of paganism, and the open warfare of the Crusades. It offers towering, often controversial historical figures like William the Conqueror, Eleanor of Aquitaine, Richard the Lionheart, and Richard III, as well as the medieval Celts, the Vikings and the Byzantine Empire.

Over 800 novels are listed in the Medieval section, divided into nine subpages. Click on one of the links below to go to a subpage.

An original historical novel in serial form is now being featured on the blog. A World So Wide, set in medieval Germany, is about a young woman who becomes entangled in a murderous feud between a princess of Burgonden and the powerful lord who tries to prevent both women from marrying the men they love. The first episode was posted April 21, 2010.

Novels for Young Adults with medieval settings

The Medieval Celts, A.D. 500-1300 (over 90 novels listed)

Anglo-Saxon England and Continental Europe, A.D. 500-1066 (over 50 novels listed)

Norman England (1066-1133), from the Norman Conquest to the wars between Stephen and Matilda, plus Norman Italy (11th-12th centuries) (over 100 novels listed); for an article on novels set in medieval Sicily, click here

The Angevins and their time: Henry II, Eleanor of Aquitaine, Richard the Lionheart, King John (and King Henry III), or set in 12th-13th century Europe generally (over 120 novels listed)

The Crusades from the perspective of European Crusaders (over 100 novels listed); for novels from the perspective of Middle Easterners, see the Middle East page

The late 13th, 14th and 15th centuries from the reign of Edward I of England up to the beginning of the Wars of the Roses in 1455; includes the Hundred Years' War, Joan of Arc, the Plague, the English Peasants' Rebellion, and Robert the Bruce, among other subjects (over 180 novels listed)

The Wars of the Roses, including Edward IV, Richard III, the Princes in the Tower, and the British during the late 15th century (over 70 novels listed)

Medieval Constantinople and the Byzantine Empire (over 30 novels listed)

Scandinavia and the Vikings, including novels about Vikings serving in the Varangian Guard in the Byzantine Empire (over 50 novels listed)

Novels set outside Europe appear on the Africa, Asia, India, Latin America and Middle East pages. Novels about Native Americans before European settlement appear on the Prehistoric page.