During the tenth to twelfth centuries, the development of Middle (later known as Central and Eastern) Europe was clearly influenced by the neighbouring Christian ‘great powers’, the Holy Roman Empire and Byzantium. Through the adaptation of the models provided by these neighbours, new political dynasties like the Piasts, Přemyslids, Árpádians, and Rurikids formed and expanded their influence ‘in the shade of great powers’. This volume argues that the tenth century marked the early development of this region, during which time no major political or cultural differences are detectable between Central and Eastern Europe; instead, it was during the eleventh and twelfth centuries that their distinct characters were solidified.