The Meaning of the Middle Ages: Fans, Authors, and Industry
This was a very enjoyable paper given on the topic of medievalism and the predominance of a European perspective in almost all fantasy literature. Young examined three authors who were moving away from the traditional telling of fantasy by subverting the typical pseudo-medieval narrative or by moving away from European cultures towards embracing Eastern, Aztec and other non-European worlds.
Religion, Raids and Ragnar(ök): Series One of ‘Vikings’
Other than how gorgeous it looks–the rugged landscape of Ireland doubling convincingly for early medieval Scandinavia–the most initially striking facet of Vikings is how deliciously weird it is.
The Jerusalem Conquest of 492/1099 in the Medieval Arabic Historiography of the Crusades: From Regional Plurality to Islamic Narrative
A number of contemporary or near-contemporary Arabic texts leave no doubt that a massacre did take place, but they contain no evidence of large-scale carnage of the town’s population that was any greater than that which took place in cities and towns such as Antioch, Caesarea or Maʿarrat al-Nuʿmān.
George R. R. Martin’s Quest for Realism in A Song of Ice and Fire
This was my last session of KZOO this year and it was the perfect way to end a great conference. This series was dedicated to examining medievalism in fantasy literature with the dominant topic being George R. R. Martin and Tolkien.
Are We Post-Queer? A Roundtable on the Present and Future of Queer Theory in Medieval Studies
This was part of an excellent panel discussion on the future Queer Theory, pedagogy, gender and the cross over between Queer Studies and politics.
Plague of Justinian was caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, scientists confirm
The Black Death, which caused the deaths of tens of millions of people in the fourteenth century, was caused bacterium Yersinia pestis. New evidence now shows that the same microscopic bacterium also caused the Plague of Justinian in the sixth century.
Medieval Academy of America rocked by resignations of Executive Directors
After interviewing various people, including Gardiner and Musto and Academy President Richard Unger, two narratives have emerged – one that suggests that personality clashes emerged between the Executive Directors and some of the members of the academy’s council; while another seems to show that a serious disagreement emerged over the structure of the academy and how much freedom the Executive Directors should have in running the organization.
Chivalry and Public Disorder in Thirteenth-Century Florence
The was the second of two fabulous papers given at the my first session on Medieval violence. Whereas the first paper in this series looked at violence in the university setting, this one tackled violence in an elite sphere – Florentine knights and their retinues.
The Medieval Archaeology Masters program at the University of York
Danielle Trynoski reviews the Master of Arts in Medieval Archaeology program at the University of York
Game of Thrones – Review of Season 3 Episode 7: The Bear and the Maiden Fair
This week, we get a special treat: George R. R. Martin wrote this episode. If you’re expecting another Battle of Blackwater, you’re not going to find it. This is a slower episode with basic storyline movement and few exciting scenes.
The Borgias – Review of Season 3 Episode 5 The Wolf and the Lamb
On this week’s episode of The Borgias, Lucrezia tearfully gives up Giovanni to Rodrigo and Vanozza. Forces against the Borgias gather at Forli, Cesare makes friends with the French and Rodrigo invites new scandal into his bed.
The Hundred Years War as a Siege War
Kelly DeVries aims to correct some misperceptions about the Hundred Years War, and argues that war between England and France, fought from 1337 to 1453, was mostly a war of sieges.
Student Violence at the University of Oxford
My first foray of KZOO 2013 couldn’t have been off to a better start with, “I just don’t want to die without a few scars”: Medieval Fight Clubs, Masculine Identity, and Public (Dis)order. There were only two papers in this session and both were riveting. I felt like I couldn’t type fast enough to get it all in! The first paper was given by Professor Andrew Larsen of Marquette University. Professor Larsen published a book on high and late medieval student violence and the Saint Scholastica’s Day Riot at Oxford university.
Female brewers in Holland and England
I also want to know why women worked in those professions, what the background of these women was and if changes occurred over time.
Human Monstrosity in Terminator II: Judgement Day, Beowulf and The Passion of St Christopher
The idea of a humanoid monster that can be reluctantly empathized with can be traced back to various source texts. For example, Grendel in the Anglo-Saxon epic poem Beowulf is a bloodthirsty savage, however upon a close reading of the poem he appears more human.
The Borgias – Review of Season 3 Episode 4: The Banquet of Chestnuts
‘So the King of Naples is to watch me in bed for the good of the family…the act may be done in a night, but I will have blood for this’ ~ Lucrezia
Game of Thrones – Review of Season 3 Episode 6: The Climb
This week on Game of Thrones, there are plots a plenty in King’s Landing, danger and daring North of the Wall and negotiating and pleading at Riverrun.
Networking Scribes
This was the keynote paper given at the Celtic Studies Association of North America Annual Conference at the University of Toronto April 18 – 21, 2013.
Welsh Poetry and the War of the Roses
This is a brief summary of a paper on Welsh poetry, patronage and politics. It was given at the Celtic Studies Association of North America Annual Conference at the University of Toronto April 18 – 21, 2013.
The Crusades: A Modern Perspective on the 900th Anniversary of the Event
The Crusades were not wars between states or nations but a great ideological conflict between two cultures: Christian Europe and the Islamic Near East.
Book Review: Shadow on the Crown
A review of Patricia Bracewell’s book: Shadow on the Crown.
The Erotic Paternoster
The word paternoster has been applied in a variety of senses. In the Middle ages paternoster became a synonym for lovemaking.
Acquiring, Flaunting and Destroying Silk In Late Anglo-Saxon England
This paper will argue that vibrantly coloured silks and other elaborate textiles were ubiquitous in England in the late Anglo-Saxon period.
Charity in the Middle Ages
Lecture by Valerie L. Garver, given at Northern Illinois University on April 3, 2013