Tiny Edens: What Grew in a Medieval Monastery’s Garden
Explore five key elements of medieval monastery gardens, from sacred plants to healing herbs, and learn how they shaped monastic life and worship.
Latest Posts
Restoration Completed on Historic Tudor Gallery at The Vyne
The most elaborately decorated Tudor gallery in Europe—once visited by Henry VIII, Catherine of Aragon, and Anne Boleyn—has been restored after a major conservation effort. The National Trust has completed a six-month project to stabilise and preserve the 500-year-old Oak Gallery at The Vyne in Hampshire, securing its future for generations to come.
Tiny Edens: What Grew in a Medieval Monastery’s Garden
Explore five key elements of medieval monastery gardens, from sacred plants to healing herbs, and learn how they shaped monastic life and worship.
Hellmouths, Rockets, and Feather Pillows: Special Effects in Medieval Theatre
From flaming hellmouths to heavenly ropes and staged miracles, discover the surprising special effects that brought medieval theatre to life.
10 Famous Forgeries from the Middle Ages
Medieval history is full of secrets—and some of its most influential documents were outright fakes. From forged royal charters to fabricated letters from mythical kings, here are 10 famous forgeries that reshaped the Middle Ages.
New Medieval Books: Complete Essentials for the Military Classics
This is a partial translation of Wujing Zongyao, an important 11th-century Chinese military treatise. The section translated in this volume contains examples from Chinese history that serve as examples of good strategies and tactics related to warfare.
Who was Allah before Islam?, with Ahmad Al-Jallad
A conversation with Ahmad Al-Jallad about the languages and inscriptions of pre-Islamic Arabia, our main contemporary source for life, death, and worship before the time of the Prophet Muhammad. We talk about field surveys in search of inscriptions and what they tell us about Allah and other Arabian deities in the early centuries of the first millennium.
Medieval Ladies-in-Waiting with Caroline Dunn
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Caroline Dunn about the lives of ladies in waiting.
New Medieval Books: Story, World and Character in the Late Íslendingasögur
The Icelandic sagas written after the year 1300 tend to get classified as being not as good as the more famous Family Sagas. However, this book explains why these ‘rogue sagas’ are also very interesting, especially their superhero characters and paranormal encounters.
Medieval Posy Ring Discovered in England to be Auctioned
A beautifully preserved medieval gold posy ring, dating from the 13th or 14th century, is set to be auctioned later this month.
The Rise of Gunpowder Weapons in Medieval Korea
One of the key developments in medieval history was the creation of gunpowder weaponry. Throughout the medieval world, it would greatly change how war was waged. The Annals of King T’aejo includes an account of how gunpowder weapons were introduced to Korea.
The Evolution of Papal Authority: Plenitudo Potestatis and Sovereignty in Medieval Canon Law
How did medieval canon law shape the idea of absolute papal authority? This article traces the evolution of key legal concepts—plenitudo potestatis, potestas absoluta, and pro ratione voluntas—from Pope Innocent III to Hostiensis, revealing their lasting impact on theories of sovereignty.
Viking-Era Burials Discovered on French Island
Archaeologists excavating a site on the Île de Ré, off the western coast of France, have uncovered medieval graves that provide new insights into connections between the Nordic world and the Atlantic coast during the early Middle Ages.
Medieval Skeletons Reveal Gendered Health Disparities in London
By Stephanie Godward University of Louisville Assistant Professor of Anthropology Kathryn Marklein recently co-authored a study that produced jarring results contradicting past literature…
The Siege of Belgrade (1521)
The Ottomans launch another siege against the city of Belgrade. In this episode of Bow & Blade, Kelly and Michael explore how Suleiman the Magnificent and his forces ultimately achieved victory.
Restoration Planned for the Palace of the Grand Master in Rhodes
The Greek Ministry of Culture has announced a major initiative to restore and enhance the Palace of the Grand Master on the island of Rhodes, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
New Online Course: The Three Religions of Medieval Spain
Explore nearly 1,000 years of history in this six-part course, tracing the Iberian Peninsula’s dynamic past of innovation, collaboration, and conflict.
New Medieval Books: Authentically Medieval
A collection of ten essays that examines how the Middle Ages is portrayed in novels and modern literature. It aims to answer the question how to bring a true-to-life medieval world in fiction.
The Historiography of a Construct: “Feudalism” and the Medieval Historian
Was medieval Europe truly a “feudal” society, or is feudalism a modern construct imposed on the past? This article explores how historians have debated, redefined, and even rejected the term, shaping our understanding of medieval governance and society.
The Changing Image of Saladin: From Crusader Villain to Chivalric Hero
Few historical figures have undergone as dramatic a transformation as Saladin. Once cast as a ruthless enemy of Christendom, he later became the very model of knightly virtue in Western literature.
20 Essential Tools of a Medieval Scribe
From ink-stained fingers to feline assistants, medieval scribes relied on an eclectic mix of tools to craft their manuscripts—some practical, some unexpected.
New Medieval Books: Chronicle of King Charles VII
An edition and translation of a chronicle by a monk with ties to the French government, offering a detailed account of political and military events in France, particularly those of the Hundred Years’ War.
English Towns Recovered from the Black Death Faster Than Expected, Study Finds
The Black Death devastated English towns, wiping out more than half their populations—but did they ever fully recover? A new study finds that urban centers like Nottingham rebounded much faster than previously believed, with migration and economic shifts driving their revival in the decades after the plague.
Six Medieval States That Merged Peacefully
Not all medieval states were forged through war—some united through diplomacy, marriage, and mutual agreement. These six peaceful mergers strengthened kingdoms, expanded influence, and reshaped the political landscape of Europe.
Medieval Sailors Avoided the Black Sea in Winter, Study Finds
New research by historian Andrei Mirea is shedding light on the challenges of winter navigation in the Black Sea during the Middle Ages. Published in the International Journal of Maritime History, his study reveals that this inland sea was largely impassable during the colder months.
BooksAll posts
New Medieval Books: Complete Essentials for the Military Classics
This is a partial translation of Wujing Zongyao, an important 11th-century Chinese military treatise. The section translated in this volume contains examples from Chinese history that serve as examples of good strategies and tactics related to warfare.
New Medieval Books: Story, World and Character in the Late Íslendingasögur
New Medieval Books: Authentically Medieval
New Medieval Books: Chronicle of King Charles VII
New Medieval Books: The Roads to Rome
One Devoted Woman: An Interview with Kristen Holt-Browning on her debut historical novel
New Medieval Books: Swahili Worlds in Globalism
New Medieval Books: The Romance of Mont St. Michel
New Medieval Books: Cross-dressing in the Middle Ages
Latest Podcast EpisodesAll posts
Who was Allah before Islam?, with Ahmad Al-Jallad
A conversation with Ahmad Al-Jallad about the languages and inscriptions of pre-Islamic Arabia, our main contemporary source for life, death, and worship before the time of the Prophet Muhammad. We talk about field surveys in search of inscriptions and what they tell us about Allah and other Arabian deities in the early centuries of the first millennium.
Medieval Ladies-in-Waiting with Caroline Dunn
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Caroline Dunn about the lives of ladies in waiting.
The Siege of Belgrade (1521)
The Ottomans launch another siege against the city of Belgrade. In this episode of Bow & Blade, Kelly and Michael explore how Suleiman the Magnificent and his forces ultimately achieved victory.
Global Ships with Amanda Respess
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Amanda Respess about ships and shipbuilding in the medieval world, what we know about early global trade routes, and the fascinating bits of archaeology we’re still finding under the sea.
To Miklagarðr and back again: Varangians return from Constantinople, with Sverrir Jakobsson
A conversation with Sverrir Jakobsson about the experiences of Northmen — especially Varangians — who traveled to Constantinople and the south and returned home with stories, swords, riches, and prestige.
Buddhist Poet-Monks in Medieval China with Thomas J. Mazanec
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Thomas J. Mazanec about the Buddhist poet-monks of medieval China, why they chose to write poetry, and why their art was so controversial.