Online Conference: Easter in Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages
This online conference takes place on April 1st. It is free to attend.
Latest Posts
Online Conference: Easter in Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages
This online conference takes place on April 1st. It is free to attend.
Medieval Storytime: Dogs
They’ve been our helpers, protectors, and best friends for thousands of years, but what did people in the Middle Ages think about our canine companions? This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle shares some medieval writers’ thoughts about dogs.
New Medieval Books: Women, Dance and Parish Religion in England, 1300-1640
Those interested in how people decide what is immoral or sinful will find this a particularly fascinating case study. It tells the story of how one practice goes from something that people think is good to something that is seen as evil.
True Crusader Crime: Medieval Muggers
Even petty crime was still common, and was enormously difficult to stop.
Thousands of iron staples were used to build Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, study finds
When Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris was constructed in the 12th century, the builders made extensive use of iron to bind stones together. The 2019 fire that significantly damaged the cathedral enabled analyses leading to this discovery, which has been published in PLOS ONE.
New Medieval Books: Medieval Muslim Mirrors for Princes
You can read from nine texts from the medieval Islamic world that fall into the genre ‘Mirrors for Princes’ – political advice for a ruler. Many are translated for the first time, and give their views on topics such as the Nature of Sovereignty, the King’s Character, Royal Authority, and Good Governance.
At the dawn of Byzantine Studies: Martin Crusius (1526-1607), with Richard Calis
A conversation with Richard Calis about Martin Crusius (aka Kraus: 1526-1607 AD), one of the first philologist-historians who tried to reconstruct Byzantine history from the sources. We talk about his interest in the Greek language and the Ottoman empire, in using Byzantine sources to understand antiquity, and his working methods — all in an era before there was much scholarship to guide him.
Emperor Frederick II, Mr. Controversy
Let’s look at the factors that made Frederick important.
The Medievalism of Naruto
Set in a world that is half-medieval, half-modern, the story of Naruto occupies a unique place in medievalism. How much does a story about ninjas borrow from the Middle Ages?
New Medieval Books: Hawking Women: Falconry, Gender, and Control in Medieval Literary Culture
An examination of medieval texts about falconry and other literature and what it can tells us about attitudes towards women, and how women themselves challenged those views.
850th anniversary of the Battle of Fornham to be commemorated this weekend
The 850th anniversary of the Battle of Fornham is taking place this year, and events to commemorate the event will begin this weekend with a re-enactment of the English battle.
Medieval Women’s Letters
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle shares letters written by some of the most iconic women of the Middle Ages, including Empress Matilda, Eleanor of Aquitaine, and Christine de Pizan.
Top 10 Most Iconic Images of the Middle Ages
The medieval world produced countless examples of art, some of which have become iconic – for many, these images have come to represent the Middle Ages.
The Battle of Falkirk (1298)
William Wallace comes up against King Edward I in a fight for Scotland. Will the battle be like what you see in the movie Braveheart? This episode of Bow and Blade has Michael and Kelly looking at the English-Scottish wars of the late 13th century.
A look at 15 beautiful images from one 11th-century manuscript
An important manuscript commissioned by a female patron almost a thousand years ago has been added to the collections of the J. Paul Getty Museum. Known as the Irmengard Codex, it contains 15 full-page illuminations.
New Medieval Books: Erotic Medievalisms: Medieval Pleasures Empowering Marginalized People
The overriding factor on whether or not you want to read this book will probably be how comfortable you are with ‘kinky’ sex.
New Medieval Books: Building Durham Cathedral
How medieval cathedrals were built is a fascinating topic, and there are not enough books like this.
New Medieval Books: Wolves in Beowulf and Other Old English Texts
Wolves rarely get positive depictions in the Middle Ages, and the same is true for Old English texts.
The Once and Future Sex with Eleanor Janega
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Eleanor Janega about medieval womanhood, the ideal feminine body in the Middle Ages, and how past perceptions of women’s roles are still affecting society today.
Medieval treasure trove discovered in the Netherlands
Gold jewellery and silver coins, some dating back to the 11th century, have been discovered in Hoogwoud, a town in The Netherlands. They are now on display at the Dutch National Museum of Antiquities (Rijksmuseum van Oudheden).
Remains of a medieval watermill discovered in England
Archaeologists working in southern England have uncovered the remains of a watermill that dates back to the Middle Ages. The work was done by Cotswold Archaeology as part of the work for the HS2 project.
Archives and Record Keeping in the Medieval Eastern Mediterranean
We present three case-studies which showcase a diverse range of historical actors, exploring state record-keeping, the archival practices of religious scholars, and the preservation of legal documents, to illustrate the rich and complex archival history of this region.
New Medieval Books: The Doctors’ Dinner Party by Ibn Butlan
One does not often see works of satire from the Middle Ages, so this will be of interest to those who want to know more about medieval humour.
1,400 year-old artefacts to go on display at Sutton Hoo
1,400 year-old artefacts, many never before seen by the public, will now be displayed as part of a new exhibition taking place at Sutton Hoo in England. Rendlesham Revealed: The Heart of a Kingdom AD 400-800 opens to the public on 23 March 2023.
BooksAll posts
New Medieval Books: Women, Dance and Parish Religion in England, 1300-1640
Those interested in how people decide what is immoral or sinful will find this a particularly fascinating case study. It tells the story of how one practice goes from something that people think is good to something that is seen as evil.
New Medieval Books: Medieval Muslim Mirrors for Princes
New Medieval Books: Hawking Women: Falconry, Gender, and Control in Medieval Literary Culture
New Medieval Books: Erotic Medievalisms: Medieval Pleasures Empowering Marginalized People
New Medieval Books: Building Durham Cathedral
New Medieval Books: Wolves in Beowulf and Other Old English Texts
New Medieval Books: The Doctors’ Dinner Party by Ibn Butlan
Book of the Month: Smbat Sparapet’s Chronicle
New Medieval Books: Procopius of Caesarea: The Persian Wars: A Historical Commentary
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.