About the book: 2007 / The famous Italian historian Gina Fazoli presents to the reader a book about perhaps the most turning point in the history of Italy, when the question was being decided - whether Italy should be a single state or fall under the rule of foreign rulers and petty feudal lords. The 10th century was an era of violence and endless battles, invasions by external invaders - the Hungarians and Saracens. It was during this era that what is now commonly called feudalism was born in agony. Against this background, the author talks about the fate of five Italian kings, on whose decisions and actions the future fate of Italy depended. On the pages of the book five different characters appear, five personalities that differ from each other in emotional intensity, abilities and power. Narrating about the rulers of Italy, G. Fasoli paints a wide and colorful panorama of medieval Italy - the state structure and institutions of power, everyday life and the military system, relations with neighboring states.