Which Ancient or Medieval Warrior Are You?
Leonidas of Sparta, Attila the Hun, William Wallace – answer these 10 questions and find which warrior from history you are most like!
The Sophistication of The Consolation
‘In spite of the variety and difference of opinion, still all men agree in loving and pursuing the goal of good.’
The Great Parliament of 1265: Medieval origins of modern democracy
On the eve of the 800th anniversary of the sealing of Magna Carta – the charter recognised as laying the foundations of England’s modern democracy – new research by a medieval historian from the University of Lincoln, reminds us that 2015 also marks 750 years since the earliest forerunner of a modern parliament was held.
10 Things to See at Southwark Cathedral
My 10 favourite things about Southwark Cathedral.
A Medieval Scholasticus and Renaissance Choirmaster: A Portrait of John Hothby at Lucca
John Hothby’s career as cathedral choirmaster at Lucca is one of the longest, best documented, and most exceptional of any Northern musician active in fifteenth-century Italy.
Did Marco Polo go to Alaska?
A set of documents, brought to United States by an Italian immigrant, may reveal new details about Marco Polo’s travels in Asia, including that he possibly explored and mapped Alaska.
Byzantine Monastery discovered in Israel
Archaeologists in Israel have discovered the remains of a Byzantine-era compound near Jerusalem. They believed it is to have once been a monastery and includes an oil press, wine press and mosaics.
A monastic landscape: The Cistercians in medieval Leinster
This study endeavours to discuss the Cistercian monasteries of Leinster with regard to their physical location in the landscape, the agricultural contribution of the monks to the broader social and economic world and the interaction between the cloistered monks and the secular world.
ARTICLES: The Deflation of the Medieval in Joyce’s Ulysses
For James Joyce, Irish nationalism, with its appeal to patriotic emotionality and promotion of interest in the archaic and medieval Irish past, was suspect.
Would You Survive the Middle Ages?
Do you have what it takes to tough out the Medieval era?
This week in Medieval Manuscript Images
We’re back with another round-up of beautiful medieval manuscript images we found this week on the Twitterverse, including images of Stonehenge and the Trojan Horse
Oldest known Jewish prayer book goes on display
An Israeli museum is showcasing a Jewish prayer book that was written in the year 820 – believed to be the oldest known copy of a Siddur.
How Well Do You Know Gandalf?
Let’s see how well you know Middle Earth’s most powerful wizard.
Prevention Strategies and Changes in Sexual Mores in Response to the Outbreak of Syphilis in Europe in the Early Modern Age
Prevention Strategies and Changes in Sexual Mores in Response to the Outbreak of Syphilis in Europe in the Early Modern Age By Eugenia…
How Medieval England looked 200 years ago
Here are fifteen beautiful images of castles, abbeys, cathedrals and other medieval sites around England created around the start of the 19th century
The Viking Age in Ireland – An Overview
The Irish sometimes referred to them as Lochlannach, meaning ‘men from the land of lakes’. This probably refers back to their native Scandinavia and its famous landscape, but it could equally refer to Scotland and northern England where the Vikings had also settled.
The Wages of Sin: Kinship and Forgiveness in the ‘Herlechin’s Hunt’ of Orderic Vitalis
In Book VIII of this lengthy chronicle of Norman affairs, Orderic paused in his description of the political struggles between the sons of William the Conqueror to tell a ghost story.
Robert of Courtenay (1221-1227): an idiot on the throne of Constantinople?
Among scholars who have discussed Robert’s reign – however superficially – there appears to exist a relative consensus, with few exceptions, that the misfortunes that befell the empire of Constantinople during this period are largely to be attributed to his personal and utter incompetence. In this contribution I would like to challenge that view.
Containing Contagion: Perception and Prevention of Plague in the Late Middle Ages
When the Black Death, one of the world’s deadliest epidemics, struck the European continent, the people afflicted with plague looked to those already respected in the medical field.
CONFERENCE: The Historical Novel Society – London 2014
My review of the recent Historical Novel Society conference that took place in London, England.
Medieval couple holding hands for 700 years
In the 14th century a medieval couple were laid to rest holding hands. After 700 years, archaeologists have discovered the pair during a dig to uncover a long lost chapel in Leicestershire, England.
Were medieval monks obese?
The modern image of the medieval monk, as often depicted in Robin Hood’s Friar Tuck, is of the overweight man who indulges in food. How accurate is this stereotype?
New Books in Medieval Studies
Hundreds of books are published each year in the field of medieval studies – we just want to highlight six recent publications that you might be interested in
Odorico from Pordenone and his encounter with China (1318-1330)
Odorico from Pordenone was a Franciscan Friar, who made a journey from Venice to Peking in the first half of the fourteenth century
I Heart Art
What I love about King Arthur stories is that they give authors the opportunity to explore the complexities of kingship and relationship without any of the personal knowledge of actually being king.