What is Hwæt? The Debate Behind Beowulf’s Opening Line
Discover the meaning of hwæt, the iconic first word of Beowulf, and explore the medieval and modern debates over how it should be translated.
Latest Posts
What is Hwæt? The Debate Behind Beowulf’s Opening Line
Discover the meaning of hwæt, the iconic first word of Beowulf, and explore the medieval and modern debates over how it should be translated.
A Medieval Exchange: Bayeux Tapestry to Visit Britain While UK Treasures Travel to France
Britain and France agree on historic cultural loan involving the Bayeux Tapestry, Sutton Hoo treasures, and Lewis Chessmen.
From Butter Penis to Fairhair: 517 Real Viking Nicknames
Discover 517 real Viking nicknames from the sagas, including bold, funny, and bizarre names like “Butter Penis” and “Fairhair.” Explore what these names reveal about Norse culture and identity.
Marked by Faith: Tattoos and the Christian Body in the Middle Ages
Tattoos in the Middle Ages? While often associated with criminals or pagans, these marks on the skin could also signal Christian devotion, sacred journeys, and personal identity in unexpected ways.
Famous Last Words from the Middle Ages
Discover the final words of medieval kings, popes, saints, and warriors—revealing how people in the Middle Ages faced death with faith, fear, or defiance.
The Roman Girl Rediscovered During the Renaissance
One of the key features of the Renaissance in Italy was a renewed interest in Ancient Rome. So when the perfectly preserved body…
☀️ Summer Sale! Get 20% off all our Online Courses on Medieval History
We are doing our annual Summer Sale on Medievalists.net’s online courses through Thinkific. You can save 20% off all our courses – live and self-paced.
Captivity and Enslavement in the Late Medieval Aegean, with Alasdair Grant
A conversation with Alasdair Grant about the captivity and enslavement that many Greeks (Romaioi) experienced in the late medieval period, a period of state collapse during which they were subject to Italian and Turkish raids and attacks.
Man Seriously Injured in Re-Enactment Accident at English Castle
A man is in serious condition after being injured during a medieval combat re-enactment at Bodiam Castle, a historic site in southern England.
Why Everyone in the Middle Ages Seemed to Have the Same Name
Many people in the Middle Ages shared the same few names—think Margaret, Thomas, or Henry. But why were these names so popular? From…
Royal Grief in Medieval Iberia with Nuria Silleras-Fernandez
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Núria Silleras-Fernández about what grief and widowhood were “supposed” to look like, how grief and madness were thought to be intertwined with love, and how the grieving women in the famous Isabella the Catholic’s family shaped the history of Spain and Portugal.
10 Medieval Studies’ Articles Published Last Month
What’s new in medieval studies? Here are ten open-access articles published in June, which range Byzantine cuisine to Viking-Age dogs.
Top 10 Medieval Castles in Ireland
Discover the top 10 medieval castles in Ireland you can visit today, including Norman fortresses, Gaelic tower houses, and dramatic ruins like the Rock of Dunamase.
When the Groom Paid the Dowry: New Study Rethinks Marriage in Medieval Catalonia
A new study reveals that in 13th- and 14th-century Catalonia, some grooms brought dowries to their brides, challenging long-held assumptions about gender and wealth in medieval marriage
New Study Uncovers the Siberian Origins of the Huns
A new linguistic study reveals that the Huns, including Attila’s dynasty, likely spoke a Palaeo-Siberian language, tracing their origins to Siberia rather than Turkic-speaking Central Asia.
New Medieval Books: The Making of Medieval Central Europe
As the Poles, Czechs, and Hungarians established their medieval states, they became deeply entangled with the Holy Roman Empire and other Western European powers. This book explores the complex politics and state-building processes of Central Europe, a region marked by both cooperation and conflict.
International Conference on Medieval and Renaissance Music Comes to Northern England
MedRen2025, an international conference on medieval and Renaissance music, is taking place this week across three universities in northern England—Northumbria, Newcastle, and Durham—bringing together over 250 scholars and performers from around the world.
New Medieval Books: Annals of Margam
This book presents a translation of the annals compiled at Margam Abbey in southern Wales, covering the years 1066 to 1231. While primarily focused on English and Welsh events, it also includes some material on broader international affairs.
Earrings and Infamy: The Male Ear in the Medieval Imagination
Explore how male earrings were viewed in the Middle Ages—from symbols of infamy and foreignness to fashionable adornments—through art, religion, and cultural transformation.
Medieval Rules for Jousting
Explore the medieval rules of jousting established by King Alfonso XI of Castile in 1330, offering a rare glimpse into how knights were judged in tournament combat.
New Medieval Books: Balthild of Francia
In the seventh century, Balthild rose from servitude to become queen of Neustria and Burgundy through her marriage to Clovis II. Following his death, she served as queen regent for their son, Chlothar III, and earned a reputation as a capable and reform-minded ruler—particularly noted for her efforts to end the practice of slavery. This book explores her remarkable life and legacy.
Uncovering Margaret Paston’s Hidden Voice: How Forensic Linguistics Revealed a Medieval Woman’s Authentic Words Through 500-Year-Old Letters
Using computational analysis to solve a 15th-century mystery: Did scribes silence Margaret Paston’s true voice?
The Hours of Jean de Montauban: Apocrypha and Devotion in a Medieval Manuscript
Discover how a 15th-century Book of Hours uses vivid imagery from the Vita Adae et Evae to explore apocryphal stories of Adam and Eve, spiritual struggle, and medieval views on sin and redemption.
Fencing with Exclusion: How Medievalists Are Defending Trans Inclusion in Sword Sports
After a fencing controversy sparked an American debate over transgender participation, medievalist communities like HEMA and the SCA are standing firm in support of inclusion and trans rights in sword sports.
BooksAll posts
New Medieval Books: The Making of Medieval Central Europe
As the Poles, Czechs, and Hungarians established their medieval states, they became deeply entangled with the Holy Roman Empire and other Western European powers. This book explores the complex politics and state-building processes of Central Europe, a region marked by both cooperation and conflict.
New Medieval Books: Annals of Margam
New Medieval Books: Balthild of Francia
New Medieval Books: Global Ships
New Medieval Books: Documenting Warfare
New Medieval Books: Realms of the Round Table
New Medieval Books: History of the Arab Invasions: The Conquest of the Lands
New Medieval Books: The Science of Music
New Medieval Books: Shortage and Famine in the Late Medieval Crown of Aragon
Latest Podcast EpisodesAll posts
Captivity and Enslavement in the Late Medieval Aegean, with Alasdair Grant
A conversation with Alasdair Grant about the captivity and enslavement that many Greeks (Romaioi) experienced in the late medieval period, a period of state collapse during which they were subject to Italian and Turkish raids and attacks.
Royal Grief in Medieval Iberia with Nuria Silleras-Fernandez
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Núria Silleras-Fernández about what grief and widowhood were “supposed” to look like, how grief and madness were thought to be intertwined with love, and how the grieving women in the famous Isabella the Catholic’s family shaped the history of Spain and Portugal.
Mysterious Manuscripts with Garry Shaw
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Garry Shaw about who was encrypting their manuscripts, the codes they used, and the centuries of attempts to crack the Voynich Manuscript.
Romeyka, a parallel branch of Greek surviving in northeastern Turkey, with Ioanna Sitaridou
A conversation with Ioanna Sitaridou about a Greek language (Romeyka) still spoken in northwestern Turkey, though now endangered, whose grammar retains interesting archaic features.
Johannes Gutenberg with Eric White
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Eric White about Johannes Gutenberg’s life, his early entrepreneurship, and the invention that changed the world.
Inventing the Renaissance with Ada Palmer
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Ada Palmer about Petrarch, Machiavelli, atheism, and how we should look at the period formerly known as the Renaissance.