The Origins of the Gunpowder Age
A look at the invention and innovations of gunpowder weapons in China and Europe during the Middle Ages
Latest Posts
The Origins of the Gunpowder Age
A look at the invention and innovations of gunpowder weapons in China and Europe during the Middle Ages
The Assassins in Fact and Fiction
Perhaps no other group from the Middle Ages has sparked modern-day imaginations like the Assassins. Viewed as mystical and deadly, they were said to be led in Syria by a charismatic figure known as the Old Man of the Mountain. What can we really know about them?
A Gift Guide for Medievalists
As the holiday season approaches, many of us are looking for gifts for the history lovers in our lives, or worthy historical causes to donate to. This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle shares some ideas for the medieval history enthusiasts on your list, no matter what your budget.
Ukrainian security forces raid medieval monastery
The home of a monastery dating back to the 11th century was raided by Ukrainian security services yesterday. The monks inside were accused of supporting the Russian invasion of the country.
Unique Danish axe was a weapon for war, study finds
In the collections of the National Museum of Denmark sits a 13th-century axe with unusual features. A new study suggests that it was an attempt to create a versatile medieval weapon.
The beauty of medieval artwork revealed by restoration
Centuries of dirt and damage have obscured art from the Middle Ages. When the Toledo Museum of Art restored some of their works, they revealed much about how this art originally looked.
The Siege of Jerusalem (1099)
It was a city that was besieged 20 times during the medieval period, including its (in)famous capture during the First Crusade. John Hosler joins Michael Livingston and Kelly DeVries to talk about his new book Jerusalem Falls: Seven Centuries of War and Peace. This episode focuses on the siege of 1099
Five Maps to Explore Medieval Britain
These five interactive maps offer us a lot of ways to look back on Britain during the Middle Ages.
True Crusader Crime: The Mysterious ‘Lord S’
Who killed William of Rouen?
The Stirrup Thesis: A transformative technology that wasn’t
Sometimes there is a story that’s just so simple and explanatory that it just must be true … even when it isn’t.
“I hold your faith, hold mine”: 14th-century ring could fetch £40,000 at auction
A medieval ring discovered by a metal detectorist in southwest England is set to go up for auction. It’s estimated that it will be sold for between £30,000-40,000.
The Lance
A colloquial way to invite a knight to joust was to ask him to “break a lance” with you.
New Medieval Books: Splendor Solis
A luxury edition comprising principles of an ancient field of knowledge, the tradition of which is very much alive. Perfect gift for philosophers, stone seekers and art lovers. Readers of Medievalists.net can get 15% off the price.
Surviving the Mongol Storm, with Nicholas Morton
A conversation with Nicholas Morton about the Mongol conquests of the thirteenth century, the terror that they inspired, and the strategies by which its targets tried to survive them. What did the Mongols think they were doing and how did the Byzantines use diplomacy to deflect the danger and even use it to their advantage?
Where you can find Medievalists.net on social media
We thought it would be a good time to let you know where you can find us on social media. Medievalists.net posts at a few different places:
Medieval Manuscript Exhibition comes for Christmas in Switzerland
If you are looking to see some medieval manuscripts this December, the place to go would be Basel, Switzerland. Dr. Jörn Günther Rare Books will be opening the doors to its gallery to exhibit some extremely rare examples of illumination and decoration from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.
The Queen and the Mistress with Gemma Hollman
It’s not that easy being queen, especially when one of your ladies-in-waiting catches the eye of your husband. This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Gemma Hollman about Philippa of Hainault and Alice Perrers, the wife and the mistress of Edward III.
Medieval physicians understood the ‘Placebo Effect’, study finds
Historians have often derided the medical cures found in medieval texts as not effective and being just “mere placebo.” However, a new study points out that the ‘Placebo Effect’, being a real thing, could provide relief to patients, even in the Middle Ages. Moreover, medieval physicians understood how to help their patients achieve these benefits.
Researchers to examine and digitise 15th-century English genealogical roll
Work has begun on examining and analysing a genealogical roll from the 15th century which has not been seen publicly for over 20 years.
Was Feudalism Wasteful?
A look at the economics of feudalism can reveal a major fault of this system – the failure to put surplus earnings to productive uses.
34,000 new digital images of medieval items go online
Seven institutions have come together to create a database of 34,000 new images of medieval manuscripts, books and coins. This includes over 600 manuscripts that are now online.
The Viking Axe
Few weapons were so feared or as evocative as the axe used by the Vikings in their feuds and in battle, as well as on their raids throughout Europe in the eighth and ninth centuries and beyond.
8th-century medical text lost for centuries has been rediscovered
Jianshangren’s Secret Prescription, a text of Chinese Traditional Medicine that was brought to Japan in the 8th century, has long been believed to be lost. However, the text has now been published after being passed down through a family for 52 generations.
New Medieval Books: From Swans to Saxons
Five new books about the Middle Ages, telling you about the Norman Conquest and working in Catalonian cities.
BooksAll posts
New Medieval Books: Splendor Solis
A luxury edition comprising principles of an ancient field of knowledge, the tradition of which is very much alive. Perfect gift for philosophers, stone seekers and art lovers. Readers of Medievalists.net can get 15% off the price.
New Medieval Books: From Swans to Saxons
New Medieval Books: From Chivalry to Gems
Book of the Month: Once She Had Escaped the Tower – Aucassin and Nicolette, and Marie de France’s Gugemer
Book of the Month: The Battle at the Halfway Oak and The Spanish Count
New Medieval Books: Global Medievalism: An Introduction – available for free
New Medieval Books: From Manuscripts to Cathedrals
New Medieval Books: Fiction set in the Middle Ages from 2022
Book of the Month: Consorts of the Caliphs: Women and the Court of Baghdad
Places to SeeAll posts
Örebro Castle: History, Secrets, and Romance
For anyone who visits Örebro, it is hard to miss its castle – an ancient-looking fortress made of weathered grey stones that stands on an islet in the middle of the city centre.
The Vasa: Gustav II Adolf’s Glorious and Doomed Warship
On the 10th of August 1628, the Vasa sank in Stockholm harbour, thus ending the career of the most powerful warship that Sweden had ever seen.
Uppsala Slott: 5 Things You Ought to Know About One of Sweden’s Greatest Castles
This strategic location not only makes the castle a majestic sight, but also earns it the reputation as the most modern defence fortress in its time. But, as all ancient buildings, there is always more than meets the eye. Here are the five things that you may not know about Uppsala Castle.
Making Your Mark: Medieval Masons’ Marks at Tarascon
How do you operate a business when you can’t read and your knowledge of math is extremely limited? Making your mark on the…
The Weird, the Wonderful, and the Macabre in the Cathedral of Narbonne
Narbonne is one of those European cities with evidence of its past on every street.
Medieval English Embroidery on Display for the Last Time at the V&A’s Opus Anglicanum Exhibit
The V&A Museum opened its latest medieval exhibit exhibit on Saturday: Opus Anglicanum: Masterpieces of English Medieval Embroidery. I had the opportunity to see it opening day and it was spectacular.