Poetry, Patronage, and Politics: Epic Saints’ Lives in Western Francia, 800-1000
t: Monastic authors in western Francia during the central Middle Ages composed and exchanged Latin verse saints’ lives (vitae metricae) to create communities of saints, emperors, bishops, teachers, and students
Military Strategy in the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem: The Crusader Fortification at Caesarea
Caesarea was a fortified city along the coast of Palestine, conquered and held by the Crusaders from 1101 to 1265. This study takes the reader to the archaeological remains of the site and provides a thorough examination of the defensive structures constructed throughout the history of the Crusader period
Frosts, Floods, and Famines – Climate in Relation to Hunger in North-East Europe A.D. 1100–1550
This Master’s thesis examines the relation between climatic conditions and hunger in Northeast Europe in A.D. 1100–1550.
Two historical riddles of the Old English Exeter Book
Exeter Cathedral Library MS. 3501, known as Codex Exoniensis or, more commonly, the Exeter Book, is perhaps the most important surviving literary manuscript from the Anglo-Saxon period of roughly 600–1066 AD
Vlad Dracula and Coeval Armatura
The famous/infamous European hero, crusader and voivod, Vlad “Tepes” Dracula III (1431-1476), was actually (for better or for worse) one of knightly peers of European Chivalry.
Human/non-human: Gender dynamics and the female/animal condition in medieval culture
This paper will analyze some of the medieval representations of the female element in its proximity to the animal nature in order to reflect on the relationship between the social construction of women and the oppression of animals.
Mystics, Demoniacs, and the Physiology of Spirit Possession in Medieval Europe
Casting aside even the simple clothes she now wore, Ida wrapped herself in a dirty rag and draped a mat over her shoulders for warmth. Aggressively seeking out the most crowded plazas and market places, she preened and ‘strutted about if mad or a fool, offering a monstrous spectacle of herself to the people.’
Whodunnit? Grave-robbery in early medieval northern and western Europe
This thesis brings together all that is currently known of early medieval grave reopening in northern and western Europe.
How to Swing a Mouse: Intersections of Female and Feline in Medieval Europe
Though not persuasive enough by itself to forge a decisive affinity, similarity of physiology and temperament between women and cats did not escape notice in the Middle Ages.
Islamic History galleries to reopen at The Met
New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art will be reopening 15 new galleries dedicated to the history of Islamic art – one of the…
Is it necessary to assume an apartheid-like social structure in Early Anglo-Saxon England?
Is it necessary to assume an apartheid-like social structure in Early Anglo-Saxon England? By John E Pattison Proceedings of the Royal Society B:…
Footnotes on Life: Marginalia in Three Medieval Icelandic Manuscripts
This project investigates what paratextual material—specifically marginalia—can tell us about the way medieval Icelandic readers felt about their books, and how they participated in the creation of the reading experience for future readers through the marks they left on the page.
Symbolism and Iconography of the Hawk in the Main Panel of the Bayeux Tapestry
Symbolism and Iconography of the Hawk in the Main Panel of the Bayeux Tapestry By Makra Péter Published Online (2001) Introduction: The main…
Interview with Sharon Kay Penman
Best-selling author Sharon Kay Penman has published her twelfth novel, Lionheart, which focuses on King Richard I and his crusade to the Holy…
Lionheart by Sharon Kay Penman
Lionheart By Sharon Kay Penman Penguin Books, 2011 ISBN: 978039915785 Publisher’s Description: From the New York Times-bestselling novelist, a stunning story of a…
Shipwreck from Mongol Invasion fleet discovered off Japan
Archaeologists from the University of the Ryukyus in Japan have discovered large parts of a Mongolian/Chinese ship that was likely part of the…
The Land of the Dead – International Motifs in the Oldest Work of Japanese Literature
The Land of the Dead – International Motifs in the Oldest Work of Japanese Literature By Danijela Vasić Trans, No.9 (2009) Introduction: The…
The Ghost in Early Modern Protestant Culture: Shifting perceptions of the afterlife, 1450-1700
The Ghost in Early Modern Protestant Culture:Shifting perceptions of the afterlife, 1450-1700 McKeever, Amanda Jane PhD Thesis, Philosophy, University of Sussex, September 27,…
Battle Castle set to invade TV screens in 2012
Battle Castle, a new Canadian television series airing in 2012, promises to reveal the military engineering behind six medieval castles – detail the…
Couple were buried holding hands 1500 years ago, archaeologists find
Italian archaeologists have discovered a pair of skeletons still holding hands after being buried about 1,500 years ago. The man and woman were…
Scholars explore Viking fortress in Ireland
Viking scholars from around the world came to the Irish communities of Dundalk and Annagassan last week to take part in a conference…
The contribution of the English mints to government revenue, 1158-1544
The contribution of the English mints to government revenue, 1158-1544 By Martin Allen Paper given at Economic History Society Annual Conference, University of…
William Marshal: A Relic of Chivalry
William Marshal, hailed at his death as the ‘greatest knight in the world’ by the Knights Templar and the Archbishop of Canterbury, certainly lived up to those claims.
Utopia Pre-Empted: Kett’s Rebellion, Commoning, and the Hysterical Sublime
Utopia Pre-Empted: Kett’s Rebellion, Commoning, and the Hysterical Sublime Holstun, Jim (State University of New York, Buffalo) Historical Materialism, 16 (2008) Abstract In…
The uses of luxury: some examples from the Portuguese courts from 1480 to 1580
Whereas women accumulated objects in direct relation with their spirituality (with the exception of Queen Catarina), men favoured the possession of religious objects as a strategy in order to reinforce political power and authority.