Medieval Wolves with Elizabeth Marshall
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Elizabeth Marshall about where we find wolves in medieval sources, how early English writers saw them, and how wolves both add to – and steal – language.
The Trapezuntine Twenty+ Years’ Anarchy: The Least Known Roman Civil War
For twenty years, medieval Trebizond was torn apart by assassinations, coups, and betrayals that set emperor against emperor. This little-known 14th-century civil war shows how chaos and ambition shaped one of the last outposts of Rome.
10 Fun Facts about Medieval Fashion
Discover 10 fun facts about medieval fashion, from straw hats to slipper-socks, revealing the surprising trends that shaped style in the Middle Ages.
New Medieval Books: Al-Qata’i: Ibn Tulun’s City Without Walls
This novel brings to life the rise and fall of the ninth-century Egyptian capital founded by the ambitious governor-turned-ruler Ahmad Ibn Tulun. Blending historical detail with vivid storytelling, Bassiouney explores the city’s architecture, politics, and cultural legacy.
Baptism and Belonging: How Identity Was Shaped in Medieval Europe
Explore how baptism shaped faith, identity, and belonging in medieval Europe, influencing community ties, godparents, and views on the unbaptized.
Uncovering Medieval North Frisia: New Research Unit Explores Human Impact on the Wadden Sea
The TORF Research Unit is uncovering the medieval past of North Frisia’s Wadden Sea—revealing drowned settlements like Rungholt, storm surge disasters, and centuries-old human efforts to shape the coastline.
10 Medieval Weapons That Changed the Course of the Middle Ages
Discover 10 iconic medieval weapons — from swords and longbows to trebuchets and Greek Fire — that shaped battles, toppled castles, and transformed warfare in the Middle Ages.
Fear and Loathing in Lebanon – Assassins, Templars and the World’s Most Toxic Landlord-Tenant Relationship
On the volatile crusader frontier of Tripoli, the Templars became the new “landlords,” taking over castles and villages to defend Christendom. Their unwilling neighbours—the Nizari Assassins—responded with a century of assassinations, raids, and uneasy tribute in one of history’s most toxic landlord-tenant relationships.
10 Medieval Studies’ Articles Published Last Month
What’s new in medieval studies? Here are ten open-access articles published in September, which include pieces focusing on medieval England and Poland.
A Medieval Book Lover Explains Why We Love Books
Discover why a medieval bishop loved books—Richard de Bury’s Philobiblon reveals timeless wisdom and passion for preserving knowledge.
“One Shall Stand, One Shall Fall”: Arthurian Legend Meets Transformers: The Movie
Does Transformers: The Movie offer something for medievalists? A new study reveals how the 1986 film echoes Arthurian legend—from Optimus Prime’s chivalric death to Hot Rod’s rise as a young Arthur figure and the Matrix of Leadership as a Grail-like relic.
A New History of the Fourteenth Century with Helen Carr
The fourteenth-century is one of the most turbulent periods in European history. Famine, war, plague, royal depositions – you name it, this century’s got it. This week, Danièle speaks with Helen Carr about how England fared in these wild times, what her take is on some famous Plantagenets, and why we need to take a fresh look at this calamitous century.
Medieval Manuscripts in Living Colour
Discover how medieval scribes turned manuscripts into vibrant works of art — from rare pigments and gold leaf to enduring brilliance a millennium later.
Writing a World History of Warfare
A behind-the-scenes look at writing Warfare in the Global Middle Ages by one of its co-authors.
Brewing Controversy: How Coffee Sparked Fierce Debate in the 16th-Century
A bitter new drink swept through the holy cities of Mecca and Medina in the early 1500s – and ignited one of the fiercest religious debates of the late-medieval Islamic world.
Sana’i’s Sharp-Tongued Portrait of 12th-Century Ghaznavid Society
Discover how the Persian poet Sana’i captured the splendour and scandals of the Ghaznavid Empire. His verses celebrate kings and mystics yet mercilessly lampoon scholars, courtiers, and even the city itself.
How to Be a Medieval Hitman – What It Took to Be an Assassin Fidais
The medieval Assassin fidais were elite Nizari killers whose fearsome reputation blended myth, legend and the stark reality of their missions.
Medieval Councils to Feature in New Edition of the Denzinger Compendium
A new edition of the Denzinger compendium will spotlight medieval reform councils like the Council of Constance, highlighting their enduring influence on Church governance.
Online Course: Dark Age Britain
A five-week course exploring Britain between the 5th and 8th centuries, traditionally referred to as the ‘Dark Ages’. Discover some of the lesser known aspects, themes, evidence, and figures of this interesting period, which was anything but ‘dark’.
New Medieval Books: Routledge Handbook of Medieval Military Strategy
This collection of 31 essays sheds light on the strategies and tactics of a wide range of medieval states and kingdoms. As a truly global history, it brings attention to subjects often overlooked by military historians.
20 Medieval Riddles: Can You Solve Them All?
Take our quiz of 20 medieval riddles by the monk Claret and test your wits against these centuries-old puzzles.
Medieval Artefacts Discovered in Canadian Thrift Shop
Medieval rings and medallions sold for just $30 at a Canadian thrift shop are now at Simon Fraser University, where experts and students will investigate their origins and mysteries.
Knighthood Before the Crusades: Bishop Gerard of Cambrai’s Vision of Medieval Society
This article examines Bishop Gerard of Cambrai’s vision of medieval society, contrasting it with Georges Duby’s influential model of knighthood and the three orders before the Crusades.
Medieval Wills and Testaments with Robert A. Wood
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Robert A. Wood about medieval wills, funerals, and some memorable bequests
