Cathedral Forge and Waterwheel

<p><strong>From bestselling historians Joseph and Frances Gies whose books have been used by George R.R. Martin as source material for <em>Game of Thrones</em> comes a classic book on innovation and technological change in medieval Europe</strong></p><p>In this account of Europe's rise to world leadership in technology Frances and Joseph Gies show how early modern technology and experimental science were direct outgrowths of the decisive innovations of medieval Europe in the tools and techniques of agriculture craft industry metallurgy building construction navigation and war. The Gieses report that many of Europe's most important inventions--the horse harness the stirrup the magnetic compass cotton and silk cultivation and manufacture papermaking firearms and Arabic numerals--had their origins outside Europe in China India and the Middle East. Europe synthesized its own innovations--the three-field system water power in industry the full-rigged ship the putting-out system--into a powerful new combination of technology economics and politics.<em></em></p>