The Middle Ages are now back in fashion. We are surrounded by many examples of renewed interest in this historical era: from illustrated magazines and comics to numerous online communities that romanticize the time of knights and princesses. This book lifts the veil of secrecy over many medieval mysteries (from the Templars to witches) and allows the reader to emerge from the role of a passive observer, blinded by the bright scenery of modern films and plays about that era. At the same time, the reader will be able to discover around him those features of the current civilization that have their roots precisely in the Middle Ages: attempts by the Catholic Church to establish control over all believers, the emergence of modern civil society, some gestures (such as removing a hat for the purpose of greeting), and also many words from the fields of philosophy, law, technology and commerce, which we still use today.