Medieval Legends of Love & Lust

This unique collection of romantic stories from the 12th – 15th centuries is authentically and entertainingly retold from translations of the original, very lengthy and complex texts. The thirty stories – both famous and little known – are drawn from the medieval literature of England, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Portugal, Scotland, Spain and Wales.

They feature dramatic adventures in courtly love, mystical passion, bawdy and jocular tales, tragedy, scandal and feminist longing – essential reading for anyone interested in the popular thought and culture of the Middle Ages.

Written by a highly acclaimed expert in world legends includes writings on the 12th century #MeToo scandal of "Abelard & Heloise". Why a medieval feminist condemned the bestselling "Romance of the Rose". The secret heartache behind Dante’s seminal work, "Divine Comedy". Bawdy tales from Chaucer and Boccaccio Why men were banned from the mysterious "City of Ladies". How Queen Guinevere’s affair with Sir Lancelot brought down the legendary King Arthur. The tear-jerking twists and turns of Portuguese romantic epic, "Amadis & Oriana" And much more!