简介：Oneoftheworld'sgreatestauthoritiesontheMiddleAges,ProfessorRobertBartlettofStAndrew'sUniversity,investigatestheintellectuallandscapeofthemedievalworld. Inthefirstprogramme,Knowledge,heexploresthewaymedievalmanunderstoodtheworld-asaplaceofmystery,evenenchantment.TheworldwasabookwrittenbyGod.ButastheMiddleAgesgrewtoaclose,itbecameaplacetobemastered,evenexploited. InSex,heunearthsremarkableevidenceofthecomplexpassionsofmedievalmenandwomen.TheChurchpreachedhatredoftheflesh,promotedthecultofvirginityandcondemnedwomanasthesinfulheirtoEve.Yetthiswastheerathatgavebirthtotheideaofromantic,or'courtly'love. InBelief,thesupernaturalcomesunderthespotlight.Themedievaldeadsharedtheworldwiththeliving:thecultofthesaints,encounterswiththedead,andvisionsofthenextworldwereallseenasproofofatwo-waytrafficbetweenthisworldandthenext. Inthefinalprogramme,Power,ProfessorBartlettlaysbarethebrutalframeworkofthemedievalclasssystem.Inequalitywasapartofthenaturalorder:thelifeofserfswaslittlebetterthanthoseofanimals,whiletheknight'scodeofchivalrywasbasedmoreoncastesolidaritythanmorality.Theclassyouwerebornintodeterminedwhoyouwere.…