Renaissance Woman: The Life of Vittoria Colonna
Ramie Targoff’s Renaissance Woman tells of the most remarkable woman of the Italian Renaissance: Vittoria Colonna, Marchesa of Pescara.
Prisoners of War in the Albigensian Crusade, 1209-1229
The Albigensian Crusade is generally considered a brutal war because of the manner in which both sides treated the enemy, especially the prisoners. This article analyzes the causes of this apparent absence of war conventions.
New Medieval Books: War, Politics and Beauty
From battles and wars to manuscripts and castles, here are five medieval books to explore.
Send Medieval e-cards this Christmas
Wish your relatives and friends a Merry Christmas with a selection of inspiring e-Cards with images from the most exquisite illuminated Books of Hours from our friends at Moleiro Editor.
Castle for Sale: Montaiguillon
The ruins of this thirteenth-century castle in northern France are available for €280 000.
Intercession and Motherhood: The Queenships of Philippa of Hainault and Anne of Bohemia
In this post, author Conor Byrne discusses the rule of two medieval queens: Anne of Bohemia and Philippa of Hainault.
Queenship in England: 1308-1485 Gender and Power in the Late Middle Ages: Book Tour and Giveaway!
Medieval Readers! Today, we’re hosting day 3 of Conor Byrne’s Book Tour and running an international contest to give away a copy of his latest novel: Queenship in England: 1308-1485 Gender and Power in the Late Middle Ages Want a chance to win it?
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.
Epistolae: Letters of Medieval Women
Like a lot of historians, I’m hugely interested in reading primary sources – the words of medieval people themselves – but it can often be difficult to find them. Lucky for us, Dr. Joan Ferrante and her team have made a website that features letters to and from medieval women, all translated into English, all for free.
Seven Myths of the Crusades: An Interview with Alfred J. Andrea and Andrew Holt
Seven Myths of the Crusades examines the many misconceptions that are associated with one of the most fascinating episodes of the Middle Ages.
Anne Boleyn’s Songbook
Now for the first time in 500 years much of the music included in Anne Boleyn’s songbook has been recorded by the Alamire Consort, under the direction of Dr. David Skinner of Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge University.
Study reveals size of livestock were at their lowest in Early Middle Ages
A new study, covering the last 2000 years of livestock animals such as cattle, pigs, sheep and goats, has revealed that in Spain these animals were at their smallest size during the 8th and 9th centuries.
The Crusades: A Very Brief History, 1095-1500
In this chapter, I trace the contours of the specific types of violent religious conflict always immanent within the historical structure of medieval war.
Shaping a Saint’s Identity: The Imagery of Thomas Becket in Medieval Italy
This article sets out to trace the visual responses to the sainthood of Thomas of Canterbury outside of his original cultural context, namely in Italy, where his cult was readily received, integrated and modified.
Vikings and the Dark Ages seen through Continental comics
Medieval ink-heroes from France!
Edward II and his Children
Kathryn Warner, author of Edward II: The Unconventional King, takes a look at the English king’s three sons and two daughters.
Who were ‘The Great’ Rulers of the Middle Ages?
Thirteen medieval rulers who were named ‘The Great’. What did they do to deserve that title?
Ten Medieval Kingdoms and States that No Longer Exist
The map of the medieval world was constantly changing, as various kingdoms, principalities and states fought each other and redrew borders.
Alfonso the Slobberer and Ivar the Boneless: Worst Nicknames for Medieval Rulers
Our top 10 list of worst medieval nicknames
Madeleine of Valois, Queen of Scotland
At the time of James’ visit to court, Madeleine was sixteen and back at court. It seems the two fell in love with each other.
Converso Identities in Late Medieval Spain: Intermediacy and Indeterminacy
In late medieval Spain, Christian leaders and missionaries developed conversion campaigns to bring Jews into Christianity. Some converts appear to have fully assimilated with their new religion. Those who did not effectively assimilate are known as conversos, members of a group whose beliefs and actions grew increasingly suspect. Historians disagree about conversos. Did conversos want to become Christian despite continued Jewish practices, or were they ‘secret Jews’ who knowingly engaged in the practice of their former religion?
The Borgias – Review of Season 3 Episode 5 The Wolf and the Lamb
On this week’s episode of The Borgias, Lucrezia tearfully gives up Giovanni to Rodrigo and Vanozza. Forces against the Borgias gather at Forli, Cesare makes friends with the French and Rodrigo invites new scandal into his bed.
Delivering stability: Primogeniture and autocratic survival in European monarchies 1000-1800
Although the dominating position of primogeniture at the end of the period might seem natural given primogeniture’s many advantages for the monarch and the ruling elite it was first rather late in history that the principle came to dominate Europe.
Thieves of Pleasure: A vicious fraternal war rewards Alfonso VI with the artistic and poetic treasures of al-Andalus
As the balance of power began to shift from Muslim to Christian, a power struggle erupted among Christian rulers that would continue for generations, even as the light of Arabic poetry burned bright enough to influences centuries of Western verse.
Communities and sustainability in medieval and early modern Aragon, 1200-1600
This paper examines the case of sheep raising in Aragon from the thirteenth to the seventeenth century to explore the political dynamics and social criteria that rural communities used to manage their common land, and their role in larger economic and political frameworks.