Where the Middle Ages Begin
MGM+’s new Robin Hood series reimagines the medieval legend for 2025. In its first episode, “I See Him,” Saxons rise against Norman rule, a new hero emerges—and a surprising frog hops into the story.
What everyday objects did people use in the Middle Ages? From clothing and household necessities to tools for work and warfare, these 25 medieval items were essential to daily life and shaped how people lived, ate, and survived.
Delve into the pivotal figures of the Middle Ages whose enduring legacies shaped the course of history. From visionary leaders and profound scholars to prolific writers and formidable warriors, these individuals left an indelible mark on medieval society.
Discover the 50 most significant events of the Middle Ages, spanning the years 500 to 1500.
Here are seven vivid facts about colour in the Middle Ages
In medieval times, many unique jobs, such as Ale-wife and Groom of the Stool, were essential but have since vanished. Discover these obsolete occupations and how historical changes led to their disappearance.
Are you wanting to talk more like someone from the Middle Ages? We have a list of 30 great sayings and proverbs that you can use in your conversations.
Have you wondered what a medieval king did on a typical day? Thanks to Christine de Pizan, we have an account of what daily life was like for King Charles V of France.
Some of our most popular phrases have a long history, including some that go back to the Middle Ages.
Want to know what kind of jobs there were in the Middle Ages? A unique source from the 15th century gives us some beautiful images of medieval people at work.
Explore ten medieval math riddles written by Alcuin of York, the great scholar of Charlemagne’s court. These clever puzzles from the early Middle Ages reveal how medieval students learned logic, numbers, and reasoning — and they’re still fun to solve today.
Can a historian from over 600 years ago still guide us today? This book explores Ibn Khaldun’s groundbreaking ideas on global history and reveals how his insights continue to inform modern historical thinking.
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Elizabeth Marshall about where we find wolves in medieval sources, how early English writers saw them, and how wolves both add to – and steal – language.
This book presents a translation of a 15th-century chronicle, a key primary source for the study of the Wars of the Roses.
This book explores the rise of the Kingdom of Mercia, focusing on the reigns of Æthelbald (716–757) and Offa (757–796). It shows how Mercia became a dominant power in early medieval Britain, laying crucial foundations for the emergence of England.
For twenty years, medieval Trebizond was torn apart by assassinations, coups, and betrayals that set emperor against emperor. This little-known 14th-century civil war shows how chaos and ambition shaped one of the last outposts of Rome.
Discover 10 fun facts about medieval fashion, from straw hats to slipper-socks, revealing the surprising trends that shaped style in the Middle Ages.
This collection of 22 short stories from the early Ming Dynasty holds the distinction of being the first work of fiction ever banned in China. Fortunately, these tales—ranging from tender romances to eerie encounters with the supernatural—have survived for us to enjoy today.
This novel brings to life the rise and fall of the ninth-century Egyptian capital founded by the ambitious governor-turned-ruler Ahmad Ibn Tulun. Blending historical detail with vivid storytelling, Bassiouney explores the city’s architecture, politics, and cultural legacy.
Explore how baptism shaped faith, identity, and belonging in medieval Europe, influencing community ties, godparents, and views on the unbaptized.
The TORF Research Unit is uncovering the medieval past of North Frisia’s Wadden Sea—revealing drowned settlements like Rungholt, storm surge disasters, and centuries-old human efforts to shape the coastline.
Discover 10 iconic medieval weapons — from swords and longbows to trebuchets and Greek Fire — that shaped battles, toppled castles, and transformed warfare in the Middle Ages.
On the volatile crusader frontier of Tripoli, the Templars became the new “landlords,” taking over castles and villages to defend Christendom. Their unwilling neighbours—the Nizari Assassins—responded with a century of assassinations, raids, and uneasy tribute in one of history’s most toxic landlord-tenant relationships.
What’s new in medieval studies? Here are ten open-access articles published in September, which include pieces focusing on medieval England and Poland.
Discover why a medieval bishop loved books—Richard de Bury’s Philobiblon reveals timeless wisdom and passion for preserving knowledge.
Does Transformers: The Movie offer something for medievalists? A new study reveals how the 1986 film echoes Arthurian legend—from Optimus Prime’s chivalric death to Hot Rod’s rise as a young Arthur figure and the Matrix of Leadership as a Grail-like relic.
The fourteenth-century is one of the most turbulent periods in European history. Famine, war, plague, royal depositions – you name it, this century’s got it. This week, Danièle speaks with Helen Carr about how England fared in these wild times, what her take is on some famous Plantagenets, and why we need to take a fresh look at this calamitous century.
Discover how medieval scribes turned manuscripts into vibrant works of art — from rare pigments and gold leaf to enduring brilliance a millennium later.
A behind-the-scenes look at writing Warfare in the Global Middle Ages by one of its co-authors.
A bitter new drink swept through the holy cities of Mecca and Medina in the early 1500s – and ignited one of the fiercest religious debates of the late-medieval Islamic world.
Discover how the Persian poet Sana’i captured the splendour and scandals of the Ghaznavid Empire. His verses celebrate kings and mystics yet mercilessly lampoon scholars, courtiers, and even the city itself.
The medieval Assassin fidais were elite Nizari killers whose fearsome reputation blended myth, legend and the stark reality of their missions.
A new edition of the Denzinger compendium will spotlight medieval reform councils like the Council of Constance, highlighting their enduring influence on Church governance.
A five-week course exploring Britain between the 5th and 8th centuries, traditionally referred to as the ‘Dark Ages’. Discover some of the lesser known aspects, themes, evidence, and figures of this interesting period, which was anything but ‘dark’.
Art and artefacts from the Middle Ages offer a vivid window into the values, fears, and imaginations of medieval society. This updated edition explores how these objects reflect beliefs and folklore—both devout and delightfully strange.
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Isabel Moreira about Queen Balthild of Francia, her influence, and her lasting legacy.
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with John Blair about who refused to rest in peace in the Middle Ages, how medieval people attempted to keep the dead buried, and why some hauntings reached epidemic proportions.
A conversation with James Rives on the history of ancient animal sacrifice in the Roman world. We focus on its decline and eventual demise in the third and fourth centuries. Animal sacrifice was caught up in the conflicts between the Roman emperors and the Christian Church, which endowed it with an importance it had not had before.
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Michael Livingston about why the Hundred Years’ War should actually be called the Two Hundred Years’ War, what actually touched off the conflict, and why we should question everything.
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Ben Parsons about what medieval people named their pets and working animals, how we know about them, and which animals are still called by their medieval nicknames.
As the Eternal City’s power waned, enemies closed in. In this episode of Bow & Blade, Michael and Kelly delve into two devastating sieges of Rome — one led by the Goths, the other by the Vandals.
