Why the Middle Ages Matter: Medieval Light on Modern Injustice
Why the Middle Ages Matter refreshes our thinking about this historical era, and our own, by looking at some pressing concerns from today’s world, asking how these issues were really handled in the medieval period, and showing why the past matters now.
Oar walking, underwater wrestling and horse fighting – historian examines the sports and games of the Vikings
Playing ball games is an activity played by children around the world. But while parents might worry that their sons and daughters might get scrapes and bruises, in the Viking world such a game could end with an axe being driven into an opponents head.
Women and the Transmission of Power in Medieval Byzantium
Information about Byzantine women of power and influence who lived in the eastern capital during its long history from AD 330-1453 is often concealed in references that either minimize or demonize women (a familiar problem).
“Those who give are not all generous”: Tips and Bribes at the Sixteenth-Century Papal Court
Ambassadors in early modern Europe were frequent disbursers of tips, rewards and bribes, and usually expected something in return for their liberality.
The Importance of Being English: A Look at French and Latin Loanwords in English
This essay examines twenty six synonym pairs in English, looks at their etymology and briefly explains where they come from and how they work in a sentence.
Transmission of Kings and Texts in Medieval Irish Tradition
The Irish king is a vexed issue which, for a long time, was chiefly discussed by historians. The bulk of mediaeval king-tales in the Irish tradition have traditionally been named ‘the Historical cycle’, which reveals the perception of them as historical documents.
Honor, Verbal Duels, and the New Testament in Medieval Iceland
Honor and shame are considered pivotal values of both early Mediterranean and medieval Scandinavian society.
The Kalamazoo Diaries – new play takes on the crazy world of the International Congress on Medieval Studies
Medievalists might be cringing or laughing until they cry soon, as a new play is in the works that takes a look at one of their most famous gatherings: the International Congress on Medieval Studies.
The legend of Saint Anastasia in medieval Spanish literature
This MA by Research looks into the legend of Saint Anastasia, a virgin martyr who forms part of the Legenda aurea, a thirteenth century hagiographic compilation composed by Jacobus de Voragine.
Saturday Morning Medieval: Medievalisms and Children’s television programming
This paper could alternately be called medieval puns, or how many ways can you replace the word night with knight.