What is Hwæt? The Debate Behind Beowulf’s Opening Line
Discover the meaning of hwæt, the iconic first word of Beowulf, and explore the medieval and modern debates over how it should be translated.
Latest Posts
The Book of Leinster Returns to the Public Eye After Major Conservation Work
Pages from the 12th-century Book of Leinster are now on display at Trinity College Dublin following a major conservation project, offering visitors a rare look at one of the most important medieval Irish manuscripts.
Hildegard of Bingen’s Most Cryptic Creation: Her Unknown Language and Unknown Letters
Discover the mysterious language and alphabet created by Hildegard of Bingen—an extraordinary 12th-century mystic who claimed her “Unknown Language” and “Unknown Letters” came to her in visions.
Were there Conspiracy Theories in the Middle Ages?
Did conspiracy theories exist in the Middle Ages? Exploring how medieval plots, suspicions, and scapegoating gave rise to early forms of conspiratorial thinking.
How “German” Was the Holy Roman Empire? New Research Rethinks Medieval Nationhood
New research reveals how the decentralized Holy Roman Empire helped shape early German identity, challenging traditional views of medieval nationhood.
New Medieval Books: The Science of Music
Did you know there was a vibrant music scene in 13th-century Baghdad, even during the time of the Mongol conquest? This book traces the life of a prominent musical scholar and explores what his works reveal about education and intellectual life in the medieval Islamic world.
Newly Discovered Pictish Stone Goes on Display in Scotland
A newly discovered Pictish stone from Ulbster has been restored and unveiled in Caithness, offering new insights into Scotland’s early medieval past.
Can You Solve These Medieval Labyrinths?
Explore a dozen medieval manuscript labyrinths and uncover surprising facts about their origins, meanings, and hidden designs. Can you find your way through?
Castle for Sale in France: Fief des Epoisses
Dating back to the 13th century, Fief des Epoisses is a fortified manor near Paris. The asking price is 1 590 000 €.
New Medieval Books: Shortage and Famine in the Late Medieval Crown of Aragon
Food security was a major concern for any medieval society. This book examines how individuals and communities responded to this challenge, particularly during periods of famine.
Evolving English Strategies during the Viking Wars
Alfred’s success was based on his ability to plan strategically on a grand scale, and that Æthelred II’s failure was due, at least in part, to his and his advisors’ inability to develop a coherent strategy against a similar threat.
A Viking Age Masterpiece Revealed: Oseberg Ship’s Original Serpent Head Makes Its Debut
After more than a century in storage, a remarkable Viking artefact is finally revealed
New Medieval Books: Madrid
This book traces the history of Madrid from prehistoric settlements to the present day, charting its rise to become the heart of one of the largest empires of the early modern world.
Can You Solve These Medieval Riddles?
Test your wit with 10 medieval riddles by Saint Aldhelm, a 7th-century English bishop and poet. Can you solve these ancient brainteasers?
How to Grow Organic Food like Medieval Farmers
Discover how medieval farmers protected their crops using natural pesticides, prayers, and even insect excommunications—early organic farming at its finest.
Viking Warriors Set to Storm Dumbarton Castle This Weekend
Visitors to Dumbarton Castle this weekend can expect to see more than just ancient stone walls and stunning views—they’ll be greeted by Viking warriors.
The Medieval Church as a Political Power
Discover how the medieval Church operated as a political power—ruling territories, collecting taxes, and challenging kings across Latin Christendom.
New Online Course: The Normans in Europe
Explore the development of the Normans in Normandy, England, and the Mediterranean and learn about their political and cultural achievements. The five-week course starts June 13th.
Inventing the Renaissance with Ada Palmer
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Ada Palmer about Petrarch, Machiavelli, atheism, and how we should look at the period formerly known as the Renaissance.
The Most Popular Girls’ Names in Tudor England
Discover the top girls’ names in 16th-century England, based on parish records. See how names like Elizabeth, Joan, and Mary rose and fell in popularity.
The Sword in the Stone and Other Legendary Blades of the Middle Ages
Explore medieval swords like Excalibur, Joyeuse, and Durendal, where legend, miracle, and history meet in tales of power and mystery.
10 Jobs That Kept a Medieval City Running: Inside 14th-Century London
Discover how medieval London was governed with this look at 10 city jobs—from mayors and sheriffs to scavengers and ale-conners—based on a rare 14th-century manuscript known as the Jubilee Book.
Timur the Lame’s Pyramids of Skulls: Terror as a Medieval Imperial Strategy
Discover how Timur the Lame used pyramids of human skulls to instil fear, crush resistance, and build a brutal medieval empire.
New Medieval Books: Bastions of the Cross
This book sheds light on several lesser-known medieval churches in northern Ethiopia. It offers fresh insights into the region’s architectural and artistic heritage.
Medieval Scots Believed Britain Could Be Scottish, Study Reveals
New research by Professor Dauvit Broun reveals that medieval Scots once saw Britain as fundamentally Scottish—challenging modern ideas of British identity and independence.
BooksAll posts
New Medieval Books: The Making of Medieval Central Europe
As the Poles, Czechs, and Hungarians established their medieval states, they became deeply entangled with the Holy Roman Empire and other Western European powers. This book explores the complex politics and state-building processes of Central Europe, a region marked by both cooperation and conflict.
New Medieval Books: Annals of Margam
New Medieval Books: Balthild of Francia
New Medieval Books: Global Ships
New Medieval Books: Documenting Warfare
New Medieval Books: Realms of the Round Table
New Medieval Books: History of the Arab Invasions: The Conquest of the Lands
New Medieval Books: The Science of Music
New Medieval Books: Shortage and Famine in the Late Medieval Crown of Aragon
Latest Podcast EpisodesAll posts
Captivity and Enslavement in the Late Medieval Aegean, with Alasdair Grant
A conversation with Alasdair Grant about the captivity and enslavement that many Greeks (Romaioi) experienced in the late medieval period, a period of state collapse during which they were subject to Italian and Turkish raids and attacks.
Royal Grief in Medieval Iberia with Nuria Silleras-Fernandez
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Núria Silleras-Fernández about what grief and widowhood were “supposed” to look like, how grief and madness were thought to be intertwined with love, and how the grieving women in the famous Isabella the Catholic’s family shaped the history of Spain and Portugal.
Mysterious Manuscripts with Garry Shaw
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Garry Shaw about who was encrypting their manuscripts, the codes they used, and the centuries of attempts to crack the Voynich Manuscript.
Romeyka, a parallel branch of Greek surviving in northeastern Turkey, with Ioanna Sitaridou
A conversation with Ioanna Sitaridou about a Greek language (Romeyka) still spoken in northwestern Turkey, though now endangered, whose grammar retains interesting archaic features.
Johannes Gutenberg with Eric White
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Eric White about Johannes Gutenberg’s life, his early entrepreneurship, and the invention that changed the world.
Inventing the Renaissance with Ada Palmer
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Ada Palmer about Petrarch, Machiavelli, atheism, and how we should look at the period formerly known as the Renaissance.