The eastern Roman Empire based around Constantinople becomes known as the Byzantine Empire, it remained a potent force throughout the Middle Ages until the 15th century. Its greatest challenge came from the advent of Islam in the 7th century. The Byzantine Empire stood as a bulwark against Muslim expansion throughout the period when Western warriors fought against Islamic warriors in a series of crusader campaigns aimed to capture the holy sites. Outside the conflicts between Christianity and Islam, Vikings, Mongols, Turkic warriors and other barbarian raiders descended upon Christian settlements and rampaged them. Eventually the Age of the Crusades ended when the Ottoman Turks defeated the Byzantine Empire.

Angus McBride gave us 20 brand new illustrations of Western warriors fighting against Muslims and other barbarians. The Battle of Stamford Bridge, Battle of Hastings, Battle of Manzikert, Storming of Jerusalem, Knights Templar, Battle of Liegnitz, Siege of Constantinople are just some of the subject in the fantastic McBride artworks in "Age of the Crusades".