The Medieval Order of Assassins with Steve Tibble
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Steve Tibble about who the Assassins were, what tactics they used in the Middle Ages, and what this legendary order stood for.
The First Bible Map Turns 500 – And It Helped Shape How We See Borders Today
The 1525 Holy Land map, the first ever printed in a Bible, not only revolutionised biblical illustration but helped shape early modern concepts of territory and nationhood, a new study finds.
Medieval Genealogical Roll Goes Online
A richly illustrated medieval genealogical roll of Edward IV has been digitised and translated for the first time, offering high-resolution images, annotations, and new insights into fifteenth-century political propaganda through the Digital Mappa platform.
Medieval Castle of Old Wick Reopens to Visitors
The Castle of Old Wick in northern Scotland has reopened to the public following a round of high-level masonry inspections and minor repairs completed by Historic Environment Scotland (HES).
The Best Medieval Insults
Explore authentic medieval insults—witty, crude, and revealing—from chronicles, court records, and literary texts across the Middle Ages.
Best Medieval Books of 2025
It’s the most wonderful time of the year: time to celebrate the best medieval books of 2025. This week, Danièle speaks with Peter Konieczny, editor of Medievalists.net, about their favourite reads this year – and she announces some exciting news about the future of The Medieval Podcast.
Online Medieval Courses: Black Friday Sale
Interested in taking an online course about the Middle Ages? Now is the time, as we are having our Black Friday sale.
Why the Death Penalty Was Rare in Medieval Europe
Discover why the death penalty was rare in medieval Europe, as courts relied on fines, banishment, and royal pardons instead of routine execution.
The Two Millennia of Roman History, with Ed Watts
A conversation with Ed Watts about his recent book, The Romans: A 2,000 Year History, which covers two millennia of Roman history, down to 1204 AD.
The Medieval Moon with Ayoush Lazikani
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Ayoush Lazikani about what – and who – medieval people across the world believed the moon to be.
All for the Want of a Warhorse: Horse Breeding and Royal Warfare in Thirteenth-Century England
Edward I responded to England’s medieval warhorse shortage with export bans, foreign purchases, and an expanded royal stud system. His policies show how crucial trained warhorses were to military campaigns in Wales, Scotland, and on the Continent.
Viking Age Woman’s Grave with Mysterious Scallop Ritual Unearthed in Norway
Archaeologists in Norway have uncovered a rare and well-preserved Viking Age grave containing the remains of a woman buried with jewellery, clothing accessories and an unexplained ritual involving two scallop shells.
Online Course: The Art of the Middle Ages in Europe
Beginning Tuesday, November 18th, this four-week online course explores the architecture, paintings, and decorative arts from different nations during the medieval period using a multicultural and intersectional approach.
The Most Unusual Names in Medieval London
Looking for a medieval name for your child? Discover twenty of the most unusual names recorded in medieval London — rare, beautiful choices that once graced the city’s streets.
Medieval England’s Coin-Clipping Scandal: The 1279 Mass Execution of Jews
Discover how a medieval panic over coin-clipping in 1278–79 sparked mass arrests, harsh trials, and the execution of hundreds of Jews in Edward I’s England. The article traces the commissions, procedures, and consequences that followed.
What Do Economists and Assassins Have in Common?
An examination of the economic pressures behind the medieval Assassins, from costly fortresses to the financial realities that influenced their role as hired killers.
How Carpenters Built Medieval England
New research on medieval carpenters shows how they lived, worked, travelled, and transformed building practices in later medieval England.
Coping with earthquakes in the churches of Constantinople, with Mark Roosien
A conversation with Mark Roosien about the earthquakes that struck Constantinople in late antiquity and about how emperors and the people of the City reacted to them in the moment. We focus on the church liturgies that commemorated and tried to make sense of them.
The Language of Heresy with Erin Wagner
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Erin Wagner about what late medieval people meant when they used the word heresy, how the usage evolved, and how medieval people applied ideas of heresy beyond the borders of Christianity.
Could the Crusades Have Started Decades Earlier?
New research suggests that the Crusades may have begun far earlier than 1095. A study of a 1062 Byzantine embassy reveals Emperor Constantine X Doukas may have sought Western aid—and even invoked Jerusalem—decades before the First Crusade.
The Unusual Status of the Unborn Child in Medieval Valais
Medieval Valais developed distinctive laws on the unborn child, combining Roman legal traditions and Christian beliefs to shape inheritance rights, baptismal requirements, and ideas of life before birth.
The Assassination of Duke Béla of Macsó: Forensic Science Reveals a Medieval Murder
Forensic and genetic analysis of bones found on Margaret Island has confirmed they belong to Duke Béla of Macsó—revealing his royal lineage, diet, and the brutal details of his 1272 assassination.
Music and Musicians in the Medieval Persianate World
Explore how medieval Persian musicians blended art, theory, and performance through two remarkable texts that reveal the sounds and social world of music.
How a Medieval Sect Built a Mountain Stronghold in Syria
Discover how a persecuted sect known as the Assassins transformed remote Syrian fortresses into the centre of a medieval mountain state—blending diplomacy, strategy, and fortification to secure their survival.
