B0J0WR Map of Europe in the time of Charlemagne 768-814 AD. Color lithograph Photograph: North Wind Picture Archives/Alamy
Europe is an astonishingly successful place. It has seen some of the world’s most ambitious leaders, transformative eras in both art and politics, and has become one of the greatest symbols of international cooperation in history. Yet Europe’s history is also tarred by Imperialism, dictatorships, and extraordinary counts of violence and brutality. It is a complicated tale of many thousands of interweaving stories and narratives.