Features Archive
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The Impalings of Vlad the Impaler
Posted on January 11, 2015 | No CommentsOne of the most infamous chararacters from the Middle Ages was Vlad III Dracula, the prince of Wallachia. Here is the story of how he gained the name of 'the Impaler'. -
How Well Do You Know The Travels of Marco Polo?
Posted on January 10, 2015 | No CommentsIt is one of the most famous works of the Middle Ages, but how well do you know this book? -
Intersex in the Middle Ages
Posted on January 9, 2015 | No CommentsA brief look at how the medieval world viewed the Intersex individual. -
Tacuinum Sanitatis: A Way of Life
Posted on January 8, 2015 | No CommentsHow to maintain one's health in the Middle Ages - the advice from the Tacuinum Sanitatis -
Lost in the Mail
Posted on January 8, 2015 | No CommentsRecently, I picked up a new hobby in this vein: making chain mail. -
Medieval Rules for Jousting
Posted on January 7, 2015 | No CommentsHere is a set of rules for jousting created by Alfonso XI, King of Castile, in 1330. -
Trolls in the Middle Ages
Posted on January 6, 2015 | No CommentsWhere did trolls come from? What did medieval and early modern people think of trolls? How did the concept of the modern day troll evolve? -
This Week in Medieval Manuscript Images
Posted on January 5, 2015 | No CommentsFrom the Tower of Wisdom to attacking strawberries - over 50 images from medieval manuscripts to share with you this week! -
Which Famous Explorer Are You Most Like?
Posted on January 4, 2015 | No CommentsLeif Erikson, Marco Polo, or perhaps someone from more recent times? Find out what drives you to discover the next great frontier... -
Medieval Black Magic
Posted on January 4, 2015 | No CommentsSins of evil black magic, as listed by the medieval theologian Burchard of Worms in the 11th century. -
Castle for Sale: Goudourville Castle in Southern France
Posted on January 3, 2015 | No CommentsThis eleventh-century castle, located about an hour away from the city of Toulouse, is now a hotel and tourist attraction. -
Which Member Of The Fellowship Are You?
Posted on January 3, 2015 | No CommentsHappy twelvety-third birthday to J.R.R. Tolkien! Let's go back to the Lord of the Rings and find out which of the brave companions are you? -
Move over Milan! Late Medieval and Renaissance Fashion in Venice
Posted on January 3, 2015 | No CommentsMilan may be Italy's current fashion capital, but Venice had an important role to play in the development of the Italian fashion and textile industry since the late middle ages and renaissance period. -
2015 and Medieval Anniversaries
Posted on January 2, 2015 | No CommentsHistorians like to look back at what happened exactly 100, 500 or even 1000 years ago – it makes for a good reason to re-evaluate and study these events. We at Medievalists.net also want to note the anniversary of these events from the Middle Ages. -
Who Would You Have Been In Feudal Era Japan?
Posted on January 2, 2015 | No CommentsEver watched Akira Kurosawa's movies or Inuyasha, or maybe some other Japanese entertainment, and wondered who you would have been during the Feudal Era? -
The Sounds that Animals Make – the Medieval Version
Posted on January 1, 2015 | No CommentsIt seems that every parent at one time or another teaches their children the sounds that animals make. They did it in the Middle Ages too. -
Which Marauding Barbarian Horde are you?
Posted on January 1, 2015 | No CommentsYour people have wandered the vast steppes of Eurasia for generations. Suddenly glittering before you are the spires and domes of great cities, filled with people soft from wine and not having to ride in a saddle for 12 hours a day. Which barbarian horde are you? -
The Year in Review: 1014
Posted on December 31, 2014 | No CommentsWe take a look back at the year that was - but we go back a thousand years to 1014. It was an eventful year, with the death of kings, the crowning of an emperor, two major battles and a tsunami hitting parts of Europe. -
Netflix’s Marco Polo – Review of Season 1
Posted on December 30, 2014 | No CommentsThe Netflix original series Marco Polo premiered on December 12th to mostly negative reviews. Here is why you should ignore them and give it a try. -
This Week in Medieval Manuscript Images
Posted on December 29, 2014 | No CommentsWe begin with several images depicting the martyrdom of Thomas Becket, which took place of December 29, 1170, followed by another 30 interesting medieval manuscript images that have been tweeted out in the last seven days. -
Flying over the Middle Ages
Posted on December 28, 2014 | No CommentsThe growing popularity of unmanned aerial vehicles, such as quadcopters, is leading to some spectacular videos of medieval sites. -
The Best of Medievalists.net for 2014
Posted on December 28, 2014 | No CommentsThe most popular features of the year on Medievalists.net - and some of our personal favourites... -
Top 10 Medieval News Stories of 2014
Posted on December 27, 2014 | No CommentsThis year offered medievalists many interesting stories, with scholars starting to unlock the secrets of medieval artifacts. -
From St. Nicholas to Santa Claus
Posted on December 25, 2014 | No CommentsHow did a 4th century bishop become the jolly man who comes down the chimney with gifts for children on Christmas? -
Bah! Humbug! Complaining about holiday gifts 1600 years ago
Posted on December 24, 2014 | No CommentsChristmas has long been associated with gift giving, but one suspects that Asterius of Amasea would not like seeing all those presents under the Christmas tree!
