Medieval Books for Christmas
It’s that time of year again – the mad scramble for the perfect Christmas gift for the historian, nerd, avid reader on your list. Here are a few suggestions for you – new releases for December and January!
Norse Elements in the work of J.R.R. Tolkien
The books of J.R.R. Tolkien contain multiple Characters, Places and Plots that remind the reader of Old Norse Poetry. This essay gives a short and incomplete overview on the most obvious elements.
Cheers! New medieval finds at Radcliffe Tower
A new report has confirmed the finding of previously unknown medieval remains next to Radcliffe Tower, located near the English city of Manchester.
The Earliest Christmas Tree
One of the most iconic traditions of Christmas is having a tree in your house, decorating it and placing the presents underneath. How early did this tradition begin?
The oldest Onion in Denmark
A 1300-year-old onion has been discovered as part of a woman’s grave in Denmark.
Medievalism and the Fantasy Heroine
While the reliance of the fantasy market on medieval motifs – its reliance on medievalism, to be more precise – is not news, there remain a few thoughts to be articulated about the means by which so many popular female protagonists continue to have staying power and high market value within particular systems of power, systems familiar to the medievalist even when decontextualized, displaced and relocated elsewhere in the space–time continuum of the imagination.
The Taste of Medieval Food
When speaking of medieval foods, most people think of one or two things: drab, tasteless foods, or the historically inaccurate meals served at medieval reenactments where patrons eat sans utensils while watching some sort of entertaining reenactment. Both conceptions couldn’t be further from the truth.
The Foxes of Venice
This paper will focus on the process that led to the professionalization of ambassadorial relations and dispatches as a means to display the shift in the Venetian Senate’s political priorities, as it necessitated and enforced a constant and regular influx of foreign knowledge.
Which Medieval Monarch of England Are You?
England during the Middle Ages has been said to have been a magical place much like the Renaissance Faire. But the real history of the kingdom is filled with conspiracies, battles, and kings and queens. So which king/queen would you have been?
Small Talk: A New Reading of Marco Polo’s Il milione
It is perhaps not that surprising that we find the narrative pattern reflected in Il milione conforms nicely to the expectations of the Chinese genre of small talk.
Netflix goes epic with Marco Polo
Netflix is making a bold gamble – reportedly a $90 million (US) gamble – with their newest series, Marco Polo. The ten-episode first season is being released to their subscribers Friday.
How to protect yourself against the Plague: Remedies from Renaissance Italy
‘Rue tops, one clove of garlic, a walnut, a grain of salt, and eat on an empty stomach everyday for up to a month, and you must be cheerful, and this recipe, it’s good against vermin and it’s perfect.
Truth, Contradiction and Harmony in Medieval Japan: Emperor Hanazono (1297-1348) and Buddhism
The philosophical world of medieval Japan (here the 12th through 16th centuries, though other periodizations are possible) was a rich and multifaceted one.
Change in Northern Winds: A Modern Review of the Viking Siege of Paris 845
Paris has been besieged many times throughout history, yet the Siege of Paris by the Vikings in 845 remains a significant episode in this larger chronology.
This Week in Medieval Manuscript Images
We go from Labyrinths to Snowballs – over forty images found on Twitter this week!
The Medieval Globe launches with special issue on the Black Death
Pandemic Disease in the Medieval World: Rethinking the Black Death is the theme for the inaugural issue of The Medieval Globe.
Call for Papers. Place and Space in the Medieval World Conference
Conference taking place at the University of York from May 29th-31st, 2015
Where Should You Time Travel To?
Fire up the DeLorean because we’re going way back in time. Fasten your seat belts and get ready for the ride!
Norse loanwords in Old and Middle Irish
It is my objective to detect what the semantic development of Norse loanwords in Old and Middle Irish can tell us about the language and social contact situation of the Irish and the Norse raiders and settlers during the Viking Age.
Adversus paganos: Disaster, Dragons, and Episcopal Authority in Gregory of Tours
In 589, a great flood of the Tiber river sent a torrent of water rushing through the city of Rome
Dervorguilla of Galloway: ‘Daughter of the Oath’
Dervorguilla is a familiar figure in Scottish history, a lady of wealth, substance and impeccable pedigree. She is mentioned because she is the great grand-daughter of King David I, the mother of King John Balliol and she confirmed the foundation of a college at the University of Oxford, creating an endowment to ensure its future.
Viking Hall discovered in Sweden
A Viking feasting hall measuring about 47.5 metres in length has been identified near Vadstena in central Sweden.
The Pied Piper of Hamelin: A Medieval Mass Abduction?
What really happened on June 26, 1284, in the German town of Hamelin?
How well do you know Britain’s castles?
Test your knowledge with our quiz on Britain’s finest castles. The pass mark is 6/10.