The Devil’s Blacksmith: The Legendary Gates of Notre-Dame
Could one of the most extraordinary feats of medieval metalworking have been forged with the help of the devil? The ironwork on the…
Latest Posts
The Devil’s Blacksmith: The Legendary Gates of Notre-Dame
Could one of the most extraordinary feats of medieval metalworking have been forged with the help of the devil? The ironwork on the…
10 Free Medieval Articles from The English Historical Review
Discover ten free medieval articles from The English Historical Review as the journal celebrates the milestone of its 600th issue.
What Do Vikings Mean to You? New Global Survey Seeks Answers
The University of Oslo’s Museum of Cultural History has launched a global study to uncover how people around the world perceive Viking warriors and the enduring legacy of the Viking Age. The Great Viking Survey invites individuals to share their thoughts on these iconic medieval figures and their influence in modern culture.
Chain Linked to Prince Edward V Found in 16th-Century Will
A recent discovery in The National Archives has shed new light on the enduring mystery of the Princes in the Towe
Medieval Pacific City Abandoned Due to Climate Change 600 Years Ago
Known as the “Venice of the Pacific,” Nan Madol is a remarkable site consisting of over 100 artificial islets built with nearly a million tons of basalt and coral. New findings suggest that environmental pressures forced the city’s abandonment 600 years ago, offering important lessons for the modern world.
New Medieval Books: The Latin Lives of St Laurence of Dublin
Lorcán Ua Tuathail, known in English as Laurence O’Toole, was a 12th-century Archbishop of Dublin. This book presents editions of four texts about his life, two of which are also translated into English
Visualizing Camelot: How King Arthur Captured Popular Culture
The recent exhibit Visualizing Camelot examined the enduring influence of King Arthur and his legendary court. What lessons does it offer about how medieval legends continue to shape art, culture, and imagination today?
Why Notre-Dame Was Built for Medieval Music
When you walk into Notre-Dame de Paris, the air feels alive with echoes of the past. This iconic cathedral was more than a masterpiece of Gothic architecture—it was a giant musical instrument designed to bring medieval melodies to life.
New Online Course: The Three Religions of Medieval Spain
We have a new online course: The Three Religions of Medieval Spain introduces nearly 1,000 years of innovation, collaboration, and conflict in the Iberian Peninsula (today’s Spain and Portugal) from 711 to the 17th century
The House of Condulmer with Alan Stahl – The Medieval Podcast, Episode 268
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Alan Stahl about life in one of the richest cities in the medieval world, and the fate and fortunes a family who climbed the social ladder to the very top.
10 Medieval Studies’ Articles Published Last Month
What’s new in medieval studies? Here are ten open-access articles published in November, which tell us about topics including rental disputes in Paris and Chaucer’s use of food.
Vote for Your Favourite Medieval Studies’ Open Access Resource
Princeton’s Middle Ages for Educators (MAFE) team has been working to pull together the MAFE Open Access Resources (OAR) Sweet 16 competition featuring materials about the Middle Ages, and the voting is now open!
Medieval London Skeletons Rewrite Health History
Studying medieval skeletons can help create specific health measures for different populations in the past, according to a recent study published in the journal Science Advances.
New Online Course: Reading Beowulf
We have a new online course: Reading Beowulf – Explore this Old English epic in its entirety through a guided readings course that delves into this monumental work
Medieval Economy Revealed Through Timber Tales
Scientists have reconstructed European socio-economic cycles between 1250 and 1699 in unprecedented detail, by using the power of tree rings to reveal the exact age of more than 54,000 pieces of timber from historical buildings
New Medieval Books: Poet, Mystic, Widow, Wife
This book offers an insightful exploration of the lives of women in medieval Western Europe, delving into the stories of remarkable figures like Marie de France, Julian of Norwich, Christine de Pizan, and Margery Kempe.
Early Medieval Christian Basilica Discovered in Italy
Archaeologists have uncovered a significant early Christian basilica in Aquileia, Italy, shedding new light on the city’s religious and geopolitical role during the Byzantine era.
Cyber Monday Sale on Online Medieval Studies’ Courses
Looking to dive into the Middle Ages? Explore our online courses on medieval studies, now available at a special Black Friday / Cyber Monday discount! Save 25% on all courses by using the code ‘BlackFriday’ at checkout.
The Battle of Neville’s Cross (1346), according to the Lanercost Chronicle
The year 1346 is remembered in England mostly for the Battle of Crécy, where King Edward III defeated the French forces in one…
Peasant Heroes and Troll Ancestors: A New Look at Icelandic Sagas
A new study by Valerie Broustin, a Scandinavian Studies expert from the University of Bonn, sheds fresh light on a lesser-known collection of Icelandic sagas. Her work on the Hrafnistumannasögur reveals a unique twist: ordinary farmers rise to heroic status, overturning traditional saga narratives that focus on kings and gods. Broustin’s findings could reshape how scholars approach this medieval literary genre.
New Medieval Books: What is Medieval?
What is Medieval?: Decoding Approaches to the Medieval and Medievalism in the 21st Century Edited by Claire Kennan & Emma J. Wells Brepols…
Training Royal Horses for Warfare: A Medieval Mastery
Their journey from colts to combat-ready mounts showcases the remarkable fusion of science, tradition, and skill in medieval horse training.
A Window into the Middle Ages: The Sketchbook of Villard de Honnecourt
Rediscovered in the 19th century, the sketchbook of Villard de Honnecourt quickly captivated historians and art enthusiasts as one of the most fascinating…
Weapons, Violence, and the Crusades: A Medieval Arms Race
The sword and shield of medieval Europe weren’t just tools of war—they were catalysts of chaos, reshaping societies and escalating crime rates. From Christendom to the Crusader States, weapons played a dual role: defence and destruction.
BooksAll posts
New Medieval Books: The Latin Lives of St Laurence of Dublin
Lorcán Ua Tuathail, known in English as Laurence O’Toole, was a 12th-century Archbishop of Dublin. This book presents editions of four texts about his life, two of which are also translated into English
Latest Podcast EpisodesAll posts
The House of Condulmer with Alan Stahl – The Medieval Podcast, Episode 268
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Alan Stahl about life in one of the richest cities in the medieval world, and the fate and fortunes a family who climbed the social ladder to the very top.
Shadow Empires, with Thomas Barfield – Byzantium & Friends, Episode 124
A conversation with Thomas Barfield about a distinctive category of empires that he has proposed in a new book, Shadow Empires: An Alternative Imperial History.
A Holy Blueprint with Karl Kinsella – The Medieval Podcast, Episode 267
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Karl Kinsella about the great twelfth-century scholar Richard of St. Victor, his efforts to make the vision of Ezekiel clear, and why this set of biblical blueprints is such an important contribution to the history of architecture.
The Battle of Lewes (1264) – Bow & Blade, Episode 56
King Henry III faces Simon de Montfort as England falls into civil war. In this episode of Bow & Blade, Michael and Kelly talk about the Second Barons’ War, and why Henry and his son Edward lost a battle they should have won.
Ibn Sina and Biruni with S. Frederick Starr – The Medieval Podcast, Episode 266
Experimenting, translating, and philosophizing about physics and metaphysics, biology and geology, two great thinkers from Central Asia stand out both for their achievements, and their completely opposite points of view. This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with S. Frederick Starr about the work and the lives of Ibn Sina (aka Avicenna) and Biruni, their contributions to science and culture, and the reason they outright despised each other.
The Fall of Constantinople, Pope Pius II, and the Birth of Europe, with Nancy Bisaha
A conversation with Nancy Bisaha about the origins of the idea of “Europe” as a place of identity and not just geography. One of its first theorists was the Italian humanist Aeneas Piccolomini (later Pope Pius II), who was in part reacting to the fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Turks. The problem of whom to include and exclude as Europeans was there from the start. We talk about Aeneas himself and the siege of the City.