Jewish Law and Litigation in the Secular Courts of the Late Medieval Mediterranean
Although medieval rabbinic law generally forbade Jews from suing their co-religionists in state courts, this practice was widely accepted among some Mediterranean Jewish communities.
Enforcing contracts for Valencian commerce: the institutional foundations of international trade in the first half of the fifteenth century
This paper tries to explore how contract enforcement was handled in the cross-religious environment of late medieval Christian Valencia, Muslim Granada and North Africa, given the fact that each religious community has usually been assumed to apply their own set of rules through their own community courts.
Ælla and the Descendants of Ivar: Politics and Legend in the Viking Age
In March 867 the Northumbrian king Ælla died at York during a battle against the Scandinavian ‘Great Army’. Two years later, further south, the same force dealt a similar end to the ruler of East Anglia.
New Database of 45,600 Family Names Dating Back to the Middle Ages
A new book and database of family names has been released this month, allowing users to learn about over 45,600 of the most frequent surnames in Great Britain and Ireland, many of which date back to the Middle Ages.
Autumn of the Middle Ages: A Century Later
Taking a look at the influence of Johan Huizinga’s Autumn of the Middle Ages.
Get ready for medieval zombies on film!
Horror just got medieval! An Australian filmmaker is set to expand a short film about crusaders fighting zombies, hoping to create a web series. A fundraising campaign is now underway to give Black Crusade the chance to unleash its undead horde.
Basileos Anglorum: a study of the life and reign of King Athelstan of England, 924-939
The reign of Athelstan of England is of central importance to Anglo-Saxon history and has unexpected significance for contemporary continental history.
The Making of a Missionary King: The Medieval Accounts of Olaf Tryggvason and the Conversion of Norway
The following article examines the oldest extant accounts of the conversion of Norway, from the Latin works of the late twelfth century until Snorri Sturluson’s Heimskringla from around 1230.
Unknowing the Middle Ages: How Middle English Poetics Rewrote Literary History
The concept of the unknown captivated medieval theologians, mystics, lovers, and travelers for centuries, and yet literary scholars too readily reduce this topos to a romance trope.
30 Medieval Texts Translated in 2016
From biographies of the leading warriors to the grumbling of a government official, here are thirty medieval texts that have been translated in 2016.
Medieval Magazine: Kings and Queens Special
Are you interested in royalty in the Middle Ages? Try our five-issue theme pack from The Medieval Magazine. For $7.99 (US) get these five digital issues of the magazine
Medieval Magazine: Science and Medicine Special
Are you interested in science and medicine in the Middle Ages? Try our five-issue theme pack from The Medieval Magazine. For $7.99 (US)…
Historical Oddity: The Birth of a Commonwealth in Medieval Iceland
Iceland is an odd place with an odd history. Despite being ranked among the wealthiest nations today, for much of its history it was left out of the growth and development of culture and technology throughout the Medieval period. It has never been a particularly hospitable environment for human habitation. Wind-blasted, cold, and rocky, it was an island left unsettled by humans long after it was discovered.
Viking Faroes: Settlement, Paleoeconomy, and Chronology
The paper presents a synopsis of the current evidence for the settlement chronology and Viking Age to Early Medieval paleoeconomy of the Faroe Islands.
Two Medieval Games and What They Say About Society
In the painting Kinderspiel (“Children’s Games”), the 1560 painting by Peter Bruegel the Elder chronicles about 80 different games that were played at that time.
You think today’s Christmas is stressful? Try organizing a medieval one!
York’s historic Barley Hall is hosting a special exhibition this winter, exploring the lost Christmas celebrations of ordinary citizens of the city in the Middle Ages.
What Happened to the Grandsons and Great-grandsons of the House of York?
The Tudors, according to Tudor propaganda, brought an end to 30 years of civil war between the Houses of York and Lancaster, merging the two families through Henry VII’s marriage to Elizabeth of York, the eldest daughter of the Yorkist King Edward IV, the son of Duke Richard.
The Vaults of Santa Maria Novella and the Creation of Florentine Gothic
Historians of Gothic architecture, among them Louis Grodecki, have noted that Santa Maria Novella is one of the most beautiful examples of Italian Gothic without attempting to specify just what it is that sets Santa Maria Novella apart.
The early history of glaucoma: the glaucous eye (800 BC to 1050 AD)
To the ancient Greeks, glaukos occasionally described diseased eyes, but more typically described healthy irides, which were glaucous (light blue, gray, or green).
The Medieval Magazine: Manuscripts (Volume 2 Issue 29)
November is here! Manuscripts are leaping off the parchment and onto your screen, squirrels are suffering from leprosy, and we’ve got plenty of book reviews for your holiday season!
BOOK REVIEW: The Norman Conquest: William the Conqueror’s Subjugation of England by Teresa Cole
October marked the 950th anniversary of the Battle of Hastings. Author Teresa Cole’s latest book, The Norman Conquest: William the Conqueror’s Subjugation of England, looks at the events, key figures, and sources that brought Harold Godwinson (1022-1066) and William I (1028-1087) to this pivotal turning point in English history.
Cesare Borgia in a Nutshell: Book Tour and Giveaway!
This is an exciting week for book lovers at Medievalists.net. We’re hosting two book tours and giveaways! Today, we’re featuring author Samantha Morris’ Cesare Borgia in a Nutshell, and running an international contest to give away a copy of the book.
Nothing to Fear but Fear Itself
When I was younger, I thought that Roosevelt’s words meant that if we only have our own fear to fear, then there is nothing at all to be afraid of. Now, it seems clear to me that this means something very different…
Blink and You’ll Miss it: Medieval Warfare in Victor Davis Hanson’s Carnage and Culture
To prove his thesis, Hanson analyses nine significant battles fought between “western” and “eastern” armies, broadly construed. These battles, he states, were selected “for what they tell us about culture, specifically the core elements of Western civilization.”
The First Crusade: Pope Urban II and Jerusalem vs. Diplomatic Unification
The First Crusade: Pope Urban II and Jerusalem vs. Diplomatic Unification By Alexandra Wurglics Adelphi Honors College Student Journal of Ideas, Vol.15 (2015) Introduction: Pope Urban…