Where the Middle Ages Begin
This book revives the debate over who King Arthur was and whether he was a historical figure. It also examines his portrayal in medieval Welsh and English literature and the ways modern scholars have interpreted those traditions.
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.
This book revives the debate over who King Arthur was and whether he was a historical figure. It also examines his portrayal in medieval Welsh and English literature and the ways modern scholars have interpreted those traditions.
Discover how medieval merchants helped shape literacy, mathematics, law, mapmaking, art and urban culture across medieval Europe.
Discover ten open-access medieval studies articles published in June 2026, exploring Tolkien, the Black Death, Viking coins, medieval Sufism, and more.
A rare 13th-century hair-styling tool found at Eilean Donan Castle offers new insights into fashion and daily life in medieval Scotland.
A new study examines the careful medieval burial of two premature infants, possibly twins, within an abandoned Roman latrine at Ephesos.
Italian fleets, sailors and siege engineers played an overlooked role in capturing the fortified coastal cities of the medieval Holy Land.
The Vatican Museums have launched a five-year project to restore Raphael’s Loggia, using laser technology to conserve 1,300 square metres of Renaissance paintings and stucco.
As two powers expanded, Venice eastward and the Mongol Empire westward, their interests converged around trade. This book explores their diplomacy and commercial ties, revealing how the Black Sea became a centre of medieval globalization.
With temperatures rising, which medieval saint should we call upon for protection from the summer heat?
Explore how poverty shaped politics, religious authority and social power in the Middle Ages, and why medieval attitudes towards the poor began to change.
Explore how medieval manuscripts were made in a new Getty exhibition featuring works from across several cultures.
Read a translation of a medieval Latin account of King Arthur, including the Sword in the Stone, his conquests and his final battle.
Icelandic sagas are a unique form of medieval literature that can be difficult to understand. This book uses ideas about genre, including some drawn from film studies, to offer new ways of reading and interpreting them.
Crime, corruption and conflict shaped Normandy’s medieval forests as peasants, monasteries, merchants and royal officials competed over valuable resources.
In a new assessment of Empress Matilda, Elisabeth van Houts argues that she should be remembered not for a failed coronation, but for a lifetime of political achievement.
Discover ten medieval works once believed lost, from forgotten chronicles and heroic poems to manuscripts found in caves, libraries and book bindings.
Discover how the Combat of the Thirty became a celebrated yet violent expression of medieval chivalry during the Hundred Years’ War.
A medieval metalworking stamp found in Denmark may reveal where the Sutton Hoo helmet was made and reshape views of power in seventh-century Europe.
When most people think of games and sports in the Middle Ages, chess and jousting probably come to mind. This book, and the exhibition on which it is based, reveal that medieval people enjoyed a much wider range of activities, including Snakes and Ladders.
Two rare medieval coins minted to seek divine protection against Viking raids have been found in Denmark, where Vikings once wore them as jewellery.
Visitor numbers at Caerphilly Castle have risen following an £8 million restoration, as Cadw continues conservation work at Wales’ largest castle.
The medieval era features prominently in this edited volume, which examines several of the most important states to emerge in pre-modern Africa. Its nine studies span regions across the continent.
Discover the most popular names in medieval England, from William and Alice to Hugh and Cecilia, and learn about their origins and meanings.
Explore nearly two centuries of warfare between the Normans and the Byzantine Empire, from southern Italy to the Balkans.
This book revives the debate over who King Arthur was and whether he was a historical figure. It also examines his portrayal in medieval Welsh and English literature and the ways modern scholars have interpreted those traditions.
As the Hundred Years’ War entered its final chapter, England and France fought for control of Normandy. In this episode of Bow & Blade, Michael and Kelly examine the road to the Battle of Formigny and its decisive impact on the war.
A conversation with Christopher Bonura about the apocalyptic tradition of identifying the Four Kingdoms prophesied in the Book of Daniel. Which one was the Roman empire? The fourth, scheduled to fall with the others, or something that came afterward (a tradition sometimes called imperial eschatology)? Among other topics we discuss Eusebios of Caesarea and the reign of Herakleios as possible turning points in this tradition.
One of the pivotal battles of the Crusades, the Battle of Hattin was shaped by both brilliant strategy and disastrous decisions. In this episode of Bow & Blade, Michael and Kelly explore how Saladin orchestrated a crushing defeat of the Crusader army, while also sharing insights into the film Kingdom of Heaven.
In the latest Q&A episode of Bow & Blade, Michael and Kelly answer questions about infantry vs cavalry in late medieval battles, will there be archaeological excavations at Hundred Years’ War battlefields, favourite centuries and what our hosts will be doing this summer.
A conversation with Jeremy Swist on the emperor Julian (361-363 AD) and how he tried to combine his love of philosophy with ruling the Roman Empire. We talk about why Julian continues to excite such passions, how in some ways he may have been more Roman than Greek, and how he read Roman history in light of the theurgical Neoplatonism that he espoused.
Charles the Bold was building his Duchy of Burgundy into a European power when he faced the Old Swiss Confederacy. In this episode of Bow & Blade, Michael and Kelly talk about the Battle of Grandson, a key event of the Burgundian Wars.