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The Jesuit order was the work of St. Ignatius of Loyola (1491–1556). He was born in Spain, into a Basque minor noble family, and was severely wounded as a soldier in 1521. During his convalescence he read religious works and suddenly converted. In Manresa, Catalonia, he undertook spiritual exercises and experienced visions. He was tormented by...

Until the Danish invasion of 865–78, England consisted of many smaller kingdoms, but above them stood the "overking" (warlord), the ruler of Britain. The lesser kings acknowledged his authority, appeared at his court from time to time, and marched into battle under his banner — although within their own domains, they exercised full power.

The upper layers of society in 8th–10th-century England were characterized by the close relationship between a lord and his followers. This relationship was not based on tribal or kinship structures, but was distinctly personal in nature. The followers served their lord faithfully and were prepared to die for him in war. In times of peace, they...

The spread of the Christian religion—alongside Romanization and the Migration Period—was the third major factor that significantly influenced the economic development of Europe. This dynamically developing new religion rearranged previous values and gave human life new directions and goals.