William of Ockham’s Early Theory of Property Rights: Sources, Texts, and Contexts
This thesis is nominally about William of Ockham, a theologian who did not care to read potentially damning papal constitutions until tapped to do so by a superior (superiore mandate). Following a suggestion of R. G. Collingwood, a proper first question we should ask, is what was this supposedly unwilling theologian trying to do by composing the longest defense of Franciscan poverty ever written?
A medieval Arabic analysis of motion at an instant : the Avicennan sources to the forma fluens/fluxus formae debate
The first and foremost topic of classical and medieval physics is the concept of motion
(Grk. kine ̄sis, Arb. h ̇ araka, Lat. motio). Within the complex of issues and problems associated with motion, the question ‘in which category does motion itself belong?’ occupied a position of considerable importance in scholastic natural philosophy.
The Borgias – Review SE02 EP02: Paolo
Review of Season 2, Episode 2: Paolo from The Borgias
Game of Thrones Review SE02 EP03: What Is Dead May Never Die
Review of the third episode of Season 2 from Game of Thrones
Alfred the Great: a diagnosis
King Alfred, ‘England’s Darling’ (849 – 900) suffered from a painful illness for much of his life, the nature of which has been the source of some speculation among Anglo-Saxonists.
Men for all seasons? The Strathbogie earls of Atholl and the Wars of Independence, c.1290-c.1335
When Edward Balliol died without direct heirs in 1364, the dynastic rivalry between the Bruce and Balliol families that existed since 1290 came to an end.
Oda: An Extraordinary Example of a Medieval Woman’s Religious Authority and Economic Power
hristianity posed as a shackle for many women in the early Middle Ages. Though sexism and female subordination were prevalent prior to the emergence of this monotheistic religion, Christianity established its own justifications for continuing in the male domination.
Women and Marriage in Medieval Society
The feudal world was a face-to-face society in which women participated in important activities and were expected to submit to social discipline like their men.
Flowers for the Book-binder’s Wife: An Investigation of Florilegia and Early Modern Women’s Writing
To an early modern, nothing could be fully learned through a “hands off” approach. Heidi Brayman Hackel corroborates this with her book, Reading Material. Critical to early modern thoughts on comprehension was “taking note,” a phrasing that carried the double implication of both noticing and annotating…
Libraries and Book Culture of the Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire supported literary life at a time when many other parts of the western world were in a state of literary darkness.
Factionalism and noble power in English Ireland, c 1361-1423
Ireland in the late middle ages was a conflicted land. The most obvious manifestation of this was the schism between the English colonists, whose acquisitive ancestors had invaded Ireland in the late twelfth century, and the native Gaelic population.
Between Apathy and Antipathy: The Vikings in Irish and Scandinavian History
… during the seventies there was a veritable boom in specialised studies of the Vikings in Ireland.
Links
Here are some links to other medieval sites and to the other history sites we run
An Inconvenient Princess
On November 11th, 1480, a child was baptized in the Palace of Eltham with all solemnity and grandeur, as was fitting for a royal princess of the House of York. The child was named Bridget, after the 14th century Swedish saint who wrote of personal visions of Christ and founded a religious order.
The Stealing of the “Apple of Eve” from the 13th century Synagogue of Winchester
In January 1252, King Henry III sent a remarkable writ to the sheriff of Hampshire.
Medieval treasures discovered in English abbey
An archaeological investigation at Furness Abbey in northwest England has uncovered the grave of an abbot, which includes an extremely rare medieval silver-gilt crozier and bejewelled ring.
A Sultan of Paradox: Mehmed the Conqueror as a Patron of the Arts
Was there not a paradox in a Muslim prince patronising an Italian medallist?
Full Metal Jousting – Review of Episode 3
The most dangerous sport in history has been reborn!
The Personal Letters of Heloise and Abelard – Manifestations of Cultural Influences on Patterns of Love, Desire and Gender Inequality
I shall attempt to analyze the love shared by Heloise and Abelard. They desired each other, yet in their own ways they attempted to manipulate each other, during and after their time together.
Impact of crusader castles upon European western castles in the Middle Ages
What was the order in which certain types of castle defense came to be during the middle ages and how do we first see them in the archaeological record from the time?
British Library purchases the St Cuthbert Gospel for £9 million
The British Library has announced that it has successfully acquired the St Cuthbert Gospel, a miraculously well-preserved 7th century manuscript that is the oldest European book to survive fully intact and therefore one of the world’s most important books.
Lollard Theology: A Soteriological Analysis of the English Wycliffite Sermon Cycle
Prototestant ideas are evident throughout Wyclif’s later works and the flood of Wycliffite tracts and writings
which were published in the late 1370’s and 80’s; but they are most clearly and systematically communicated in the collection of English Wycliffite sermons which were compiled, one sermon for each of the services in the church calendar year, sometime near, or soon after, the end of Wyclif’s life.
A historiographical and artistic survey of confraternities from the later Middle Ages to the early Renaissance
Overall, the analysis will allow for a closer examination of not just the culture of a particular confraternity, but also the cultural values, ideals, and practices of an entire community in one period of time. Furthermore, the examination of confraternal artwork will prove important, as it will demonstrate the unique power of confraternities.
A survey of the scholarship of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
A survey of the major themes of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (SGGK) reveals both the poem’s complexity and the poet’s artistry. A general examination of the poem permits commentary upon the work’s historical background, thematic unity, and narrative structure.
The female body, animal imagery, and authoritarian discourse in the Ancrene Riwle
Through close reading and rhetorical analysis of numerous passages in the guide, this dissertation re-examines the importance of the body and authority in this work and notes the points at which the discourse of the Ancrene Riwle tends to place restrictions on its audience of medieval women religious.