How warm weather led to the rise of Genghis Khan
In the thirteenth-century a Mongol warrior named Genghis Khan took control of the nomadic tribes on the Great Stepee and launched a series of invasions that would see a vast empire being established from China to Eastern Europe. Now a team of researchers have shown that their success can be partly attributed to climate change.
All the King’s Men: Icelandic Skalds at Scandinavian Court
Spanning the gap between Iceland and mainland Scandinavia and sitting somewhere between freemen and nobility on the social scale were Icelandic court skalds, who frequented courts on the mainland throughout the Viking Age.
Accepting Fools as Heroes
What sociocultural attitudes towards the intellectually disabled – commonly referred to as fools – were prevalent during the Viking Age?
Fortified Settlements of the 9th and 10th Centuries ad in Central Europe: Structure, Function and Symbolism
The structure, function(s) and symbolism of early medieval (9th–10th centuries ad) fortified settlements from central Europe, in particular today’s Austria, Hungary, Czech Republic and Slovakia, are examined in this paper.
The Red Sea and the Port of Clysma. A Possible Gate of Justinian’s Plague
The aim of this study is to present the sea and land commercial routes of the Byzantine Egypt and their role in the dissemination of the plague bacteria Yersinia pestis from the Red Sea to Mediterranean ports. The Mediterranean port of Pelusium was considered as the starting point of the first plague pandemic…
New Books on Medieval Women
Five new books that look at women in the Middle Ages, including queens and ogling.
Medieval Friends: Chansons De Geste Ltd. – thematteroffrance.com
This week on Medieval Friends, we’re featuring Thomas Motter’s website, thematteroffrance.com. Thomas is fluent in French, and has lived in Paris and Munich. He’s done extensive research on medieval French history with an emphasis on the Chansons de Gestes.
‘The King of Scottis is now hoom in his land’: James I and Joan Beaufort: A Political Partnership (1424-1436)
James I’s behaviour, during his short reign as an adult king of and in Scotland, was very much influenced by his queen Joan Beaufort.
Enter the Dragon: Legendary Saga Courage and the Birth of the Hero
What is the dragon to Sigurðr? His attitude is interestingly nonchalant. The question arises, Who is Sigurðr the dragon-slayer? Why is he the best person to kill the dragon? And furthermore, why is the dragon important to the hero?
The Battle of Herat (1270): A Case of Inter-Mongol Warfare
When the armies of the Ilkhan Abaqa (r. 1265-1282) met the troops of the Chaghadaid Khan Baraq (r. 1266-1271) in 1270 at Herat in present-day Afghanistan, it was for a full-scale and decisive combat.
Fabrics in Medieval Dress in Pomerania
The use of colour effects – motives of stripes, colour ribbon and string additions as well as pieces of embroidery – is a testament to the decorative character of medieval clothes.
Muslims as Pagan Idolaters in Chronicles of the First Crusade
If the crusade is indeed a working out of God’s will, how does one fit it into the context of divine history?
The Early Effects of Gunpowder on Fortress Design: A Lasting Impact
This essay follows the advancement of gunpowder tactics in late medieval and early Renaissance Europe. In particular, it focuses on Edward III’s employment of primitive ordnance during the Hundred Years’ War, the role of artillery in the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople, and the organizational challenges of effectively implementing gunpowder as late as the end of the fifteenth century.
The Woman who Ruled the Papacy
She was the lover of one Pope, mother to another, and grandmother to a third.
Vikings’ demise on foreign soil – a case of ethnic cleansing?
The discovery of two mass graves in England in 2010 containing the remains of Scandinavian men in their prime from the Viking age against the historical backdrop of Anglo-Saxon England has elicited questions as to whether or not they were victims of ethnic cleansing.
Preaching and Heretics: The Medieval Public Sphere
To counter Habermas’ theory with regards to the medieval public sphere, we look to two scholars and their written works: David D’Avray’s The Preaching of the Friars: Sermons Diffused from Paris before 1300 and R.I. Moore’s book called The War on Heresy and an article written by him called Literacy and the Making of Heresy c. 1000 – c. 1150.
Christine de Pizan: A Feminist Way to Learning
Why this discrepancy between the views of modern critics such as Gaston Paris, Arturo Farinelli, Henri Hauvette, and Marie-Joseph Pinet, who disparage the work, and the praise given it by Christine’s contemporaries?
Women in early towns
What do we know about women’s role in these societies? What did women do and how numerous were they? And did they pay the same role in Viking-Age proto-towns as in more developed medieval urban communities?
The ‘Wiles of Women’ Motif in the Medieval Hebrew Literature of Spain
Most famous of all, perhaps is the tale of the woman whose husband leaves for battle. Her lover then sends his boy to tell her he is coming to her, and she seduces the boy.
Scattering Light and Colours: The Traces of Some Medieval Women Artists
Medieval women devoted a good part of their lives to spinning, weaving and embroidering; in fact, these tasks have been realised by women of all times. It was work that was in the first place utilitarian, but also creative, and from their hands might come real works of art, especially the cloths dedicated to the liturgical vestments and to the ornaments of the churches, or destined for the funeral clothing of relevant personages.
Vikings – Review of Season 2 Episode 2: Invasion
‘Now we are ready and this summer we shall go to England.’
Book Review: An Early Meal: A Viking Age Cookbook and Culinary Odyssey
A book that any non-academic Viking-enthusiast would love to have on their shelf or in their kitchen.
Medieval landmarks in danger from rising sea levels
The Tower of London, the church of Mont-Saint-Michel, and the city of Venice are all in danger of flooding because of rising sea levels, a new study suggests.
Help Wanted: Assistant Director Position at ACMRS
The Arizona Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies (ACMRS) invites applications for an Assistant Administrative Professional position as Assistant Director to begin spring, 2014.