For some were shoemakers in their own shires, some swineherds, and the man has yet to be found who would couple a girl of such noble birth to a man of ignoble origins.
5 Things to Pack in Your Medieval First Aid Kit
December 5, 2015 By
Here are five things that would have been a handy part of a medieval ‘first aid kit’ and that (incidentally) science is slowly proving can still be counted on to work in a pinch.
7 Things One Should Know When Dealing with Kings: The Icelander’s Version
November 29, 2015 By
Here is MaryAnn R. Adams’ winning advice on how to deal with Norse kings.
In Search of Guinevere
November 28, 2015 By
As a lifelong lover of Arthurian stories, I have always had a love/hate relationship with Guinevere. In some stories, she is the well-mannered and generous ideal queen; in others she is a jealous and spiteful adulteress. How can she be both? When did she change?
The Snow Baby: A Cautionary Tale
November 22, 2015 By
Most of the time, fabliaux are lighthearted and lusty, but occasionally they stray into dark humour, like ‘The Snow Baby’.
Last Words from a Medieval Mother to her Son
November 19, 2015 By
Yesterday, I stumbled across a passage from the Liber Manualis, written by a ninth-century Frankish woman named Dhuoda to her fifteen-year-old son.
How to Tell if Your 12th-Century Lover is Just Not That Into You
November 14, 2015 By
In the twelfth century, courtly love was all the rage with the French nobility. To participate in this trendiest of trends, though, you actually needed to know the rules.
Gargoyles: Mysterious Monsters of the Middle Ages
October 31, 2015 By
I love gargoyles. While there are so many beautiful pieces of sculpture that have survived the Middle Ages, like so many people, I’m drawn to those strange and ugly funny faces, not least of all because I can’t figure out what they’re for.
‘One Thing I Know’: Werewolves Are a Thing
October 30, 2015 By
In his Otia Imperialia, Gervase of Tilbury tells of many strange creatures he knows all about. One of these creatures is the werewolf.
Meet the Real Ulrich von Liechtenstein
October 24, 2015 By
If you’ve ever seen A Knight’s Tale, you’ll know that the titular knight takes on the name of Ulrich von Liechtenstein in order to joust on the tournament circuit and win the hand of his lady fair. What you may not have known is that there seems to have been a real thirteenth-century knight named Ulrich von Liechtenstein, who spent his youth jousting to win the heart (and body) of a capricious lady, and then wrote a book about it.
Why was the Longbow so effective?
October 18, 2015 By
One of the most feared military weapons of the Middle Ages was the longbow, used to legendary effect by the English in The Hundred Years’ War. While the longbow has gone down in history as a mighty weapon, what exactly was it and why was it so effective?
Five Fun Facts About Medieval Archery
October 17, 2015 By
Here are five fun facts about medieval archery which you can use to impress your friends
Music for a Captured King: Richard the Lionheart and Blondel
October 8, 2015 By
Love him or hate him, one thing you can say about England’s Richard the Lionheart is that there are some great stories about him.
Five Medieval Minutes with Steven Muhlberger
September 24, 2015 By
Formal deeds of arms were an opportunity for one group of people to show off their skills – particularly their horsemanship – and for other people to appreciate how bold and daring they were.
Five Reasons We’re Still Fascinated by the Templars
September 17, 2015 By
What is it about the Templars that makes them so fascinating?
Medieval Back-to-School Shopping List
September 3, 2015 By
In the Middle Ages, students entering university had to gather together materials, too, before they headed off to places sometimes very far from home like Oxford University, the University of Salerno, or the University of Paris. Here’s a list of five things that would be on a medieval back-to-school shopping list.
Consider the Source
August 30, 2015 By
I followed the link I was given and found a website that goes on and on about how brutal the medieval justice system was (with gory examples of limb-lopping and eyeball-gouging), and that people lived in fear of becoming the next victim of it. That’s when I started to get upset.
Medieval Pilgrimages: It’s All About the Journey
August 20, 2015 By
For medieval people, faith was more than just an abstract idea, it was tangible in the works they made to glorify God, and the relics they could see with their own eyes. An integral part of this tangible form of faith was the pilgrimage: a spiritual journey to visit a holy site.
What is a Psalter?
August 13, 2015 By
Because they didn’t contain the entire Bible, psalters were nice and portable, making good girdle books for the devout – or those concerned with showing off – to carry with them.
Liber Monstrorum: The Book of Monsters
August 9, 2015 By
If there’s anything we have in common with our medieval ancestors, it’s our love of monsters.
Five Ways Gawain Kicks Lancelot’s Ass
July 23, 2015 By
Here are five ways in which Gawain shows Lancelot who’s boss!
Book Review: The Iron King, by Maurice Druon
July 16, 2015 By
Touted by George R.R. Martin as the original Game of Thrones, Druon’s series has enjoyed a resurgence in popularity recently, and can be found in major bookstores.
10 Fun Fashion Facts from the Middle Ages
June 28, 2015 By
Here are ten fascinating fashion facts for your enjoyment (I’ve saved my favourites for last).
The Medieval Sleeping Beauty
June 18, 2015 By
I’ve since read an early version of the Sleeping Beauty story from the actual fourteenth century, and it’s much darker than the modern version, although it does hold an interesting secret for those who love the stories of the Round Table.
Book Review: Drout’s Quick and Easy Old English
June 17, 2015 By
It may seem a little incredible that anyone would need a textbook to learn an older version of his or her mother tongue, but learning Old English (Anglo-Saxon) takes some time and effort – and a good textbook.
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