To See with the Eyes of the Soul: Memory and Visual Culture in Medieval Europe
In this article I shall therefore take a closer look at how people thought about the subject of memory and why memory was considered so important in the Middle Ages.
Infidel Dogs: Hunting Crusaders with Usama ibn Munqidh
Few works of medieval Arabic literature are as valuable to the student of Islamic perspectives on the Crusades as the Kitab al-I tibar or Book of Learning by Example by the Syrian warrior and man-of-letters Usama ibn Munqidh (1095–1188).
Medievalism and Exoticism in the Music of Dead Can Dance
In 1991, the alternative rock band Dead Can Dance released an album that caught the attention of music reviewers by constructing an aural allegiance to the Middle Ages.
Medieval Horse Stable: The Results of Multi Proxy Interdisciplinary Research
A multi proxy approach was applied in the reconstruction of the architecture of Medieval horse stable architecture, the maintenance practices associated with that structure as well as horse alimentation at the beginning of 13th century in Central Europe.
Which Of These Foods Were Available In 15th Century England?
Some of these foods were available when King Richard III was on the throne, others were not. Can you guess what might have been on your shopping list back in 15th century England?
Reality x Fiction: The Image of the Tiger in the Bestiaries of Medieval England
The present article intends to make an analysis of the way that how the tiger, an animal native from Asia, was represented in the bestiaries of the Medieval English literature (XIIth to XVth centuries), in a time that the European knowledge about Asia still was very loose.
The Anglo Saxons and their gods (still) among us
In this paper, I want to consider the arrival of Saxon culture in Britain, a culture which appeared before the Romans departed from Britain and continued after the arrival of Christianity which appropriated some Saxon traditions and practices.
Do You Remember Braveheart?
Were you paying attention when you saw this Scottish adventure from 1995?
How secret was the Templar admission ceremony? Evidence from the proceedings in the British Isles
I have argued in my introduction to the proceedings against the Templars in the British Isles that we cannot believe any of the evidence given by the Templars during the proceedings against them.
Top 10 Strange Weapons of the Middle Ages
What were some of the more unusual weapons used by medieval armies? We put together a list of the strangest weapons that were ever used (or even designed) in the Middle Ages.
Priests and the Black Death
As news of outbreaks of disease continues to swirl around the world, I keep being reminded of the bravery of the caregivers who bring comfort and aid to the sick and the dying.
Obscenity Out of the Margins: Mysterious Imagery Within the Cent nouvelles nouvelles, MS Hunter 252
The blatant portrayal of male genitalia is reminiscent of fourteenth-century marginalia, but here is located front and centre. Unlike marginalia, which was either allegorically related or not related at all to the text, these images are a direct portrayal of events recounted in the tales which they accompany. How can we explain where the inspiration for these images came from and how they fit into the ideas and conventions of the context in which they were created?
How an Early Medieval Historian Worked: Methodology and Sources in Bede’s Narrative of the Gregorian Mission to Kent
This dissertation examines the methods and sources employed by Bede in the construction of his account of the Gregorian mission, thereby providing an insight into how an early medieval historian worked.
How Well Do You Know the Sixth Century?
The sixth century was time time of Justinian the Great, the Merovingians and supposedly King Arthur. Here are ten questions about the people and events of this century – how many can you answer?
Castle for Sale: Château de Vigny
A beautiful French Renaissance castle on sale for 5.7 million euros.
Sea Monsters on Medieval and Renaissance Maps
Chet Van Duzer, author of the recent book Sea Monsters on Medieval and Renaissance Maps, will trace the history of sea monsters on European maps, beginning with the earliest mappaemundi on which they appear in the tenth century and continuing to the end of the sixteenth century.
14th century English church awarded funds for conservation project
St Mary’s Church in the English village of Cowbit has received £8,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) for a project to conserve and communicate the heritage of the 14th-century building and its clock.
Rowallan Castle in Scotland to be turned into a hotel
Historic Scotland is transferring control of Rowallan Castle, which dates back to the Middle Ages, back to its owner, who who will be converting it into a hotel as part of a golf course development.
How Climate Change in Asia brought the Black Death to Europe
A group of Norwegian and Swiss researchers have uncovered links between climatic changes in central Asia and repeated outbreaks of the Bubonic plague in Europe, starting with the Black Death in the 14th century.
This Week in Medieval Manuscript Images
More than just words on a page – over thirty medieval manuscript images from Twitter to share with you this week.
Danish Ferocity and Abandoned Monasteries: the Twelfth-century View
This article tries to explain why twelfth-century authors found it so important to invent stories of Viking brutality towards monks and nuns and what ideas and material they used to create their stories.
How Would You Die In The Middle Ages?
Which famous death from the Medieval times would you suffer?
Medieval Manuscripts: The Apocalypse of 1313
Signed and dated in 1313 by its illuminator, Colin Chadewe, this manuscript is a one-of-a-kind creation. It contains a cycle of illustrations (one of the most extensive ones) that is unprecedented in its richness and eccentric iconography, designed exclusively to suit the demands of its patron.
With All For All: The Life of Simon de Montfort
This biography follows his life from his birth and upbringing in France until his defeat and death at the hands of the future Edward I.