Riddles in the Dark Ages
Latin riddles depended on knowledge of a specific subject in order to be deciphered, while English riddles were often about common things like the weather.
Leicester Cathedral reaches £2.5 million target for Richard III reinterment
Leicester Cathedral has announced that the appeal to cover its share of the costs of the reinterment of King Richard III is now officially closed, having met its target in full.
The Shortest Reigns of the Middle Ages
Reaching the throne was one thing, staying on it another! Here is our list of ten medieval rulers who had very short reigns (as little as one day) and who often came to end by bloody means.
Project to compare health of Londoners from medieval and industrial eras
The Museum of London will be starting a ground-breaking research project to explore the effects of industrialisation on Londoners.
Medieval mysticism or psychosis?
Alison Torn investigates the strange case of Margery Kempe
Katherine of Alexandria: Decline of an Empire
According to hagiographers, (C)Katherine was a princess, the daughter of Roman governor named Constus. She was well educated, beautiful and highly intelligent. She converted to Christianity at the age of 13 or 14 and caught the eye of the Roman Emperor, Maxentius (278-318 AD).
Ten Thoughts on Game of Thrones: High Sparrow
Taking a look at Episode 3 of Season 5 from Game of Thrones:
Review of Wolf Hall, Episode 4: Devil’s Spit
In Episode 4, ‘Devil’s Spit,’ disappointment and fear run through the story.
Why Ireland was like a ‘Garden of Eden’ during the Middle Ages
Tourism officials in Ireland are busy trying to promote the country to the world. If this was the Middle Ages, the would have a much easier time.
The Strategy of Challenges: Two Beheading Games In Medieval Literature
The Middle English poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and its Old Irish ancestor The Feast of Bricriu recount a remarkable stranger’s challenge to the hero, in effect, ‘You can chop off my head if you’ll let me return the blow.’
Who Would Be Your Nemesis In Game Of Thrones?
So many people, so many ways to die. But beware, for this quiz is dark and full of spoilers.
Top Ten Superheroes of the Middle Ages
Even in medieval times they had stories and legends about people with extraordinary gifts – saints and warriors with special powers. Here is our list of ten superheroes from the Middle Ages.
Fifteen Anglo-Saxon Cures for Minor Medical Problems
How did people Anglo-Saxon England treat a headache or indigestion? Here are fifteen cures for minor ailments from the Lacucgna, which include what to do if your finger nail falls off, and how Jesus Christ cured Peter’s toothache.
‘The Halved Heads’: Osteological Evidence for Decapitation in Medieval Ireland
This paper examines the osteological evidence for decapitation from 30 skeletal assemblages dated to the medieval period (6th to 16th century) from Ireland.
The Military Legacy of Richard the Lionheart
Authors look back at the entirety of the reign and reach two common conclusions: 1) he was a neglectful and mostly-absent ruler of England, but 2) he attained spectacular success in war, which was, after all, his primary interest.
The Bayeux Tapestry: Author, Art and Allegory
The Bayeux Tapestry is a complex visual history of the Norman Conquest of England. Its creation and the story it weaves were defined by its dichotomous authorship, its physical form as textile art and its analogous narrative imagery.
Western Civilizations: Ancient and Medieval Europe to be offered by Arizona State University as MOOC
Arizona State University is teaming up with with edX, a nonprofit, open-source education provider, to offer several massive open online courses (MOOCs), including Western Civilizations: Ancient and Medieval Europe.
Be A Part of Chaucer’s Tale
For many people, The Canterbury Tales is not only Geoffrey Chaucer’s great masterwork, but one of the cornerstones of English literature.
Rules of a Medieval Library
No stealing, no talking, no women – the rules you had to follow in a medieval library!
Insults Hurt: Verbal Injury in Late Medieval Frisia
Abba’s wife had told Feye Scroer’s wife that Feye was to die very soon and had also been married to another woman all the while. If he were to die now, she said, he would be damned forever
13th-century Mongol sabre discovered in Russia
While Russian archaeologists were conducting a routine examination of an old sabre unearthed seven years ago in Yaroslavl, they discovered that the weapon dates back to the 13th century, making it to be oldest crucible steel weapon in East Europe.
10 Cool Facts about Saint Catherine
Saint Catherine of Alexandria and her wheel have been well recognized symbols since the beginning of the Middle Ages. Here are 10 interesting tidbits about Saint Catherine:
Lasting Falls and Wishful Recoveries: Crusading in the Black Sea Region after the Fall of Constantinople
This paper examines the Black Sea question in the second half of the 15th century, with special emphasis on crusading and religious questions.
This Week in Medieval Manuscript Images
Flora and Fauna from the Middle Ages – over 25 images we found on Twitter this week…
2015 Toronto Old English Colloquium
The annual Toronto Old English Colloquium will be taking place at the Centre for Medieval Studies in the University of Toronto, on Friday, May 1st, 2015.