Where the Middle Ages Begin
The 14th-century writer Geoffrey Chaucer included many episodes of “violence, victimhood, and overwhelming grief or loss” in his works. The nine papers in this collection explore how he presents these traumatic experiences and what they reveal about both the writer and his medieval world.
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.
Four fifteenth-century paintings by Antonello da Messina were stolen from a museum in Sicily, although two were abandoned during the thieves’ escape.
The 14th-century writer Geoffrey Chaucer included many episodes of “violence, victimhood, and overwhelming grief or loss” in his works. The nine papers in this collection explore how he presents these traumatic experiences and what they reveal about both the writer and his medieval world.
Discover 50 medieval sayings about friendship, fortune, animals and everyday life, and learn what these strange and funny proverbs really mean.
For the English kings Henry II, Richard I, John and Henry III, one rival repeatedly gained the upper hand. This book examines a crucial period in the rivalry between England and France, revealing how Philip Augustus became such a formidable opponent.
Trees held deep meaning in medieval life, appearing in religion, mythology, literature, political gatherings and even the food served at wealthy tables.
A lunar eclipse allowed two medieval scholars working 1,500 kilometres apart to calculate the longitude difference between Baghdad and Khwarezm.
Medieval accounts may help identify Castle Hill in Devon as the long-lost site of the Battle of Cynuit, where Anglo-Saxon forces defeated a Viking army in 878.
Giovanni Boccaccio uses the tale of the rise and fall of King Arthur to teach the fickleness of fortune and the peril of pridefulness. Christopher Berard and Morris Tichenor provide a new translation of this once influential but now overlooked medieval retelling of Arthur’s downfall.
A study of Japan’s early female emperors challenges the idea that they served merely as temporary rulers preserving the throne for male heirs.
The world’s largest Byzantine studies congress comes to Vienna this August, bringing together scholars from more than 50 countries.
It is often said that every object tells a story. This book brings that idea to life through fifty items from the Middle Ages, ranging from spoons to shields.
Gaza became a Crusader fortress that isolated Fatimid-held Ascalon and reshaped the medieval struggle between the Kingdom of Jerusalem and Egypt.
Meet five famous horses from medieval legends, including Bucephalus, Grani and the remarkable steeds associated with King Arthur.
How did Carolingian and Ottonian rulers manage fighting men who owed military service to more than one lord?
A lost papal letter suggests Pope Alexander II backed William’s invasion because King Harold supported a rival pope.
An analysis of loyalty, courage and wisdom in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, from the symbolism of the hunts to Nature and Fortune.
This four-week course begins Saturday, August 15th, with live sessions 12:00 – 2:00pm Eastern U.S. time.
How many people did medieval inquisitor Bernard Gui condemn to death? His surviving judicial records reveal a more complex picture than popular culture suggests.
A previously unpublished translation by J. R. R. Tolkien sheds new light on his extensive study of medieval English literature and language.
This biography tells the story of how Æthelstan rose from King of the Anglo-Saxons to King of the English. In doing so, he became a central figure in the creation of a new nation during the tenth century
How medieval Normandy’s carefully managed forests supplied the timber needed to build warships, repair castles and produce weapons during the Hundred Years’ War.
A late-thirteenth-century icon reveals the medieval origins, religious traditions and enduring cultural importance of Kyiv’s famous Caves Monastery.
Ten short-lived medieval states reveal why new powers rose and fell, and how history might have changed had they survived.
Discover ten sayings attributed to Odin in the Hávamál and what they reveal about wisdom, friendship and survival in the medieval Norse world.
The 14th-century writer Geoffrey Chaucer included many episodes of “violence, victimhood, and overwhelming grief or loss” in his works. The nine papers in this collection explore how he presents these traumatic experiences and what they reveal about both the writer and his medieval world.
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.