When did the Middle Ages start? When did it end?
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Peter Konieczny joins Danièle to talk about some dates and events that historians have used to define the start and the end of the Middle Ages, and the mysterious few centuries that some people actually believe didn’t exist.
Earning Your Badge: Mementos of Pilgrimage in the Middle Ages
The interesting thing about wearing your pilgrim’s badge on your hat is that you can’t see it yourself: it won’t be a visual reminder for you of your spiritual journey, but it will be a visual reminder for everyone else.
Diet, Prejudice and Non-Verbal Communication: Liutprand of Cremona’s Embassy to Constantinople
Thanks to Liutprand’s sharp (and biased) report, we have the chance to peer into the cultural prejudices which characterized the relationship between the eastern and the western hemispheres of Europe
Explaining why the Phantom Time Hypothesis is all wrong
If one studies the medieval past long enough, they probably have come across ‘Phantom Time Hypothesis’. Here is a simple explanation of what it is, and why it’s wrong.
Favourite Medieval Movies
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Peter Konieczny joins Danièle to talk about medieval movies, bringing you some classic favourites to help you escape to the medieval world.
Medieval Manuscripts: The Morgan’s Crusader Bible
Before setting off to invade Egypt during the Seventh Crusade, King Louis IX of France commissioned the best Parisian book painters to craft a large picture bible with extraordinary battle scenes. The manuscript is now considered a jewel of Gothic illumination.
New Medieval Books: Money and Power in the Middle Ages
Five new books about the Middle Ages, ranging from genealogy to minting coins.
Medieval Manuscripts: The Book of the Hunt, by Gaston Fébus
Did Fébus not have better things to do that day than pick up his pen?
Medieval Manuscripts: A Walk through 16th century Constantinople, Baghdad, and Aleppo
Do you want to see the 16th century Middle East through an illuminator’s eyes? Check out the interactive maps!
Medieval Video Games with Alicia McKenzie
This week on The Medieval Podcast, it’s game on with Alicia McKenzie. Danièle and Alicia talk about the world’s love affair with medieval-themed video games, what some of the ups and downs are, and which games Alicia recommends for medieval fans staying at home.
Medieval Geopolitics: The English Military Revolution
Edward III would embark on an ambitious programme of military transformation that would ultimately give rise to a revolutionary new “English way of war.”
Bastards and The Anarchy
Taking advantage of the confusion and division created by the inheritance crisis following the death of Henry I, his nephew Stephen seized the throne
The Black Death and the Hundred Years’ War
If you asked anyone to name ten disasters of the European Middle Ages, or even five, their list would certainly include the Black Death and the Hundred Years War.
Slave, Soldier, Lord, and Sovereign: The Story of Baybars
Baybars’ story is exemplary of the careers of many slave soldiers of the medieval and early modern Muslim world. He rose from being a refugee and slave to become a soldier, officer, and then a ruler.
Cannibalism in the Icelandic Sagas: a bad habit or an ancient magical practice?
In Icelandic sagas, giants are described as awkward, evil and uncivilized, and curiously their diet mainly consists of two elements: horse meat and human flesh.
The Middle Ages for Kids – Questions and Answers
Kids have many questions about the Middle Ages. In this video, Danièle Cybulskie answers 16 questions that kids are asking about the medieval world.
Missing out on medieval conferences? The Medieval Academy of America comes to the rescue with Virtual Meeting
The Medieval Academy of America’s Annual Meeting is taking place online from March 27-29 – and it’s free and open to all.
The Black Death and COVID-19 with Winston Black
This week on The Medieval Podcast, with headlines turning once again to stories of the plague, Danièle catches up with Winston Black to talk about The Black Death and COVID-19, what’s different about them, and what we can learn today from looking back on the biggest pandemic in human history.
Coping with Pandemics in the Middle Ages
Medieval people differed from us in their ways of coping with a pandemic, but they felt similar helplessness.
The Medieval Invention of Toilet Paper
With toilet paper, or rather the sometimes frenzied demand for toilet paper, being in the news recently, it is a good time to look at the medieval origins of this very useful product.
Sacred Marginalia: The Gargoyles and Buttresses of Gothic Cathedrals
There are few things which signal medieval architecture quite like buttresses. Those long, arching supports that give cathedrals like Notre Dame de Paris their distinctive silhouettes appeared on many medieval cathedrals across Europe from the twelfth century on
Wara Wara and Apocalypto: Films set in Medieval Central and South America
Mel Gibson’s Apocalypto is a fascinating, if controversial and flawed, film depicting the indigenous peoples of South America just prior to their contact with European conquerors.
Vikings Versus Neo-Nazis: Documentary on confronting racism and misappropriation of history
Medievalists have become increasingly concerned in recent years about the misappropriation of medieval history by Neo-Nazis and far-right groups. A documentary has just been released that shows how medieval-history lovers are confronting these groups, taking place in Sweden.
The Uncanny Face of the Mystic Lamb
A recent art restoration has left people baffled. This is the uncovering of the original face of Hubert and Jan van Eyck’s Mystic Lamb.
Anchorites: Life in Spiritual Self-Isolation
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle talks about anchorites, men and women who enclosed themselves for life to contemplate their religious beliefs. She also explores some of the work of Julian of Norwich, perhaps the most famous anchorite of the Middle Ages.