Female Spy Network Uncovered in Medieval Ypres, Study Finds
New research uncovers a hidden network of female spies and messengers in medieval Ypres, revealing how women played a crucial role in wartime intelligence during the Flemish revolt against Maximilian of Austria.
A Medieval Brothel, a Baby’s Grave, and a New Perspective on Motherhood
A new archaeological study sheds light on the personal lives of medieval sex workers, revealing a moving and unexpected act of maternal care…
What Ancient DNA Reveals About the Medieval Population of the Low Countries
A new DNA study reveals that the medieval male population of the Low Countries remained remarkably stable over 1,500 years, with local lineages shaped more by genetic drift and patrilocal traditions than by large-scale migration.
Medieval Dye Plants Discovered in Belgium for the First Time
Archaeologists in Belgium have uncovered traces of weld, madder, and woad—the three primary dye plants used in medieval textile production—during excavations in Brussels and Mechelen.
Archaeologists Find Floor Made of Bones in The Netherlands
Archaeologists in The Netherlands have made a rare and intriguing discovery: a floor constructed entirely from animal bones.
Medieval Bruges Unveils Evidence of Ancient Parasites
A McMaster University researcher has uncovered evidence of intestinal parasites in a 500-year-old latrine from Bruges, Belgium. While the findings might make some queasy, they offer vital scientific insight into the historical spread of infectious diseases through travel and trade.
Viking Sword Fragment Discovered in The Netherlands
A fragment of a 10th-century Viking sword, the first of its kind discovered in the Netherlands, has been unearthed near the Frisian town of Witmarsum. This remarkable find, a pommel cap that once adorned the hilt of a sword, offers new insights into the Viking Age and the pivotal role Frisia played as a hub in the Norse world.
Who Lived in Early Medieval Flanders? DNA Reveals the Answer
Who lived in Flanders during the 7th century, and where did they come from? New DNA research from Merovingian graves in Koksijde has uncovered surprising insights into the region’s diverse ancestral origins.
Amazing Detail: The Gothic Boxwood Miniatures
When you look at these objects, which were made 500 years ago, you cannot help but ask: How could anyone create this?
Norfolk Soldiers Serving in the Count of Holland’s Friesland Campaign of 1396
John Alban discusses the involvement of English soldiers from Norfolk in a 1396 military campaign led by Albert of Bavaria, also known as the Count of Holland, against the Frisians in the Netherlands.
The Invention of Homicide: Crime, Honor, and Spectacular Justice in Late Medieval Flanders
How people thought about homicide in fifteenth-century Flanders, and how changes in the perception of killing over time impacted judicial practice.
New Medieval Exhibition at Dutch museum to focus on the year 1000
This month, the Dutch National Museum of Antiquities (Rijksmuseum van Oudheden in Leiden) is going back in time over a thousand years with the exhibition ‘The Year 1000’. Over 400 items from the Netherlands and beyond will be on display.
The Battle of Othée (1408)
When the citizens of Liege go into revolt, they believe that they can fend off the armies of the nobles. Then they go up against John the Fearless and his professionally-trained Burgundian forces.
Siege of Tournai (1340)
After his victory at the Battle of Sluys, Edward III leads a coalition of England, Flanders, Hainaut, Brabant and the Holy Roman Empire against the French city of Tournai. In this episode of Bow & Blade, Michael Livingston and Kelly DeVries tell us about a siege involving complex alliances, starvation and the money problems of a medieval ruler.
Medieval treasure trove discovered in the Netherlands
Gold jewellery and silver coins, some dating back to the 11th century, have been discovered in Hoogwoud, a town in The Netherlands. They are now on display at the Dutch National Museum of Antiquities (Rijksmuseum van Oudheden).
New Medieval Books: The Fabric of the City: A Social History of Cloth Manufacture in Medieval Ypres
This is a very interesting book if you want to know more about how business and trade worked in the Middle Ages. It covers a full range of individuals and groups involved in this industry, from the owners to the workers, including some case studies.
Old Barrels and Networks of Trade
How urban and marine archaeology allows us to dive into medieval international commerce.
The Battle of Courtrai (1302)
Also known as the Battle of the Golden Spurs, it would see the people of Flanders defeat a French army in the year 1302. In this episode of Bow and Blade, Michael and Kelly look at the battle and war behind it, and how the Flemish infantry could stand up to the French cavalry.
Commoners at War: The Flemings against medieval knights
The Flemings and their wars offer a useful case study of commoners at war.
‘The Worthiest Man’: The story of Count Philip I of Flanders
Philip I Count of Flanders was one of the most controversial nobles in twelfth-century France. His choleric temperament was equaled only by his reputation in many historical and literary works. Where he went, trouble and greatness followed.
Why did Bruges get a porpoise each year?
For about three centuries, the coastal town of Blankenberge would send to the nearby city of Bruges a porpoise. A new study examines this tradition and why it happened.
Uncovering the people who lived in medieval Ypres
Unique research into skeletons from the 13th century aims to determine health status, origin and lifestyle
213 medieval manuscripts now online, thanks to KBR
You can now browse through 213 medieval manuscripts, including Roman de Girart de Nevers, the Peterborough Psalter and the Chroniques de Hainaut, thanks to the Royal Library of Belgium, which is now known as KBR.
Filthy and indecent words: Insults, defamation, and urban politics in the southern Low Countries (1300-1550)
In 1527, the Bruges fishmonger Thomas Haghebaert shouted at the governors of his guild: ‘I will have nothing to do with you or the magistracy. I sh*t on you and on the aldermen and on all those who think they can harm me!’
