Medieval Sea

"This book covers the period from about 1000 A.D. to 1500 A.D., and shows how the peoples of north-west Europe and the Mediterranean came to terms with the sea, what kind of boats were used and how they were built. It also answers questions such as how easy was it to navigate on short or long passages; whether trade by sea was crucial to the economy of this area; how the sea was represented in poems and other writings; and what life was like for those who went to sea or who lived by its shores." "Susan Rose shows how European maritime adventurers and merchants acquired the tools and the confidence to extend their influence to the oceans of the world, opening the way to the modern era. The Medieval Sea is the first book to treat this subject in an inclusive and accessible way."--BOOK JACKET.