Book Review: Castles: A Fortified History of the World
What can castles tell us about the people who built them and the societies they sought to defend? Nicholas Morton reviews Dan Jones’…
New Medieval Books: A Catalog of Benevolent Items
In 16th-century China, a vast encyclopedia brought together knowledge about medicine and the natural world. This book gives you a taste of this fascinating work and its remarkable range of subjects, from soybeans and dragons to poisons and ice.
New Medieval Books: The Fifth Crusade
The Fifth Crusade is often overlooked, even by those who study the Crusades. This book shows why its story deserves greater attention, offering valuable insights into the politics and warfare of the medieval Near East.
New Medieval Books: The Postal Revolution
Sending a letter in late medieval Italy changed dramatically over the centuries. This book traces how an initially ad hoc system of messengers developed into increasingly organised and professional courier networks, eventually becoming a significant business in its own right.
New Medieval Books: Crusader Principality of Antioch from Bohemond I to Bohemond III (1098-1161)
When it comes to the Crusader States, the Principality of Antioch is often overlooked. This book aims to correct that, offering an in-depth examination of its political history during the first six decades of its existence.
New Medieval Books: The Fatimids
In the early tenth century, a new Islamic movement emerged in North Africa and soon developed into a powerful empire. This book examines the rise and fall of the Fatimids, their expansion across the medieval world, and how their rule helped create a ‘Golden Age’ in Egypt.
New Medieval Books: The Merseburg Charms
In the 10th century, a cleric in Germany wrote down two magical charms rooted in pre-Christian pagan beliefs. This book takes a detailed look at the Merseburg Charms, exploring their origins, meaning, and significance.
New Medieval Books: Letter on the Double Eclipse of the Sun
Wondering how people understood astronomy in the Early Middle Ages? This book offers the text and translation of a letter to Charlemagne prompted by a rare astronomical event that took place in the early ninth century.
New Medieval Books: The Mongol Archive in Late Medieval France
As news reached 13th-century Europe of a new power emerging in the East, the kings of France were among those most eager to learn more about these mysterious newcomers. This book traces their efforts to understand the Mongols, establish connections with them, and explores how these encounters left their mark on medieval France.
New Medieval Books: Cultures of the Medieval Kingdom of Jerusalem
In the aftermath of the First Crusade, a new state emerged in the eastern Mediterranean that was very different from the lands its conquerors had come from. This book examines the social and cultural landscape of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, revealing a remarkably diverse society shaped by peoples of different ethnic, religious, and cultural backgrounds.
New Medieval Books: Craftland
What was work like before industrialisation? This book looks back at Britain before the rise of modern industry, exploring the professions and occupations that once played an important role in people’s everyday lives.
New Medieval Books: Chaucer and Trauma
The 14th-century writer Geoffrey Chaucer included many episodes of “violence, victimhood, and overwhelming grief or loss” in his works. The nine papers in this collection explore how he presents these traumatic experiences and what they reveal about both the writer and his medieval world.
New Medieval Books: Nemesis
For the English kings Henry II, Richard I, John and Henry III, one rival repeatedly gained the upper hand. This book examines a crucial period in the rivalry between England and France, revealing how Philip Augustus became such a formidable opponent.
New Medieval Books: A Medieval Cabinet of Curiosities
It is often said that every object tells a story. This book brings that idea to life through fifty items from the Middle Ages, ranging from spoons to shields.
New Medieval Books: The First King of England
This biography tells the story of how Æthelstan rose from King of the Anglo-Saxons to King of the English. In doing so, he became a central figure in the creation of a new nation during the tenth century
New Medieval Books: Once Upon A (Stolen) Time
Step into a story of historical romance, magic and time travel, moving between the present day and the fifteenth century.
New Medieval Books: Harald Hardrada
Perhaps the most famous figure of the Viking Age, Harald Hardrada led an eventful life that took him across much of the eleventh-century world. This book recounts his remarkable story while offering insights into the many lands and states through which he travelled.
New Medieval Books: Natural and Supernatural in Early Medieval England
Were strange creatures believed to inhabit the lands just beyond the known world? Could an illness be cured by a plant or a magic spell? As this book reveals, people in medieval England grappled with questions such as these.
New Medieval Books: King Arthur
This book revives the debate over who King Arthur was and whether he was a historical figure. It also examines his portrayal in medieval Welsh and English literature and the ways modern scholars have interpreted those traditions.
New Medieval Books: Venice and the Mongols
As two powers expanded, Venice eastward and the Mongol Empire westward, their interests converged around trade. This book explores their diplomacy and commercial ties, revealing how the Black Sea became a centre of medieval globalization.
New Medieval Books: How Genre Governs Creation in the Medieval Icelandic Sagas
Icelandic sagas are a unique form of medieval literature that can be difficult to understand. This book uses ideas about genre, including some drawn from film studies, to offer new ways of reading and interpreting them.
New Medieval Books: Game On!
When most people think of games and sports in the Middle Ages, chess and jousting probably come to mind. This book, and the exhibition on which it is based, reveal that medieval people enjoyed a much wider range of activities, including Snakes and Ladders.
New Medieval Books: Great Kingdoms of Africa
The medieval era features prominently in this edited volume, which examines several of the most important states to emerge in pre-modern Africa. Its nine studies span regions across the continent.
New Medieval Books: People of the Image: Jews and Art
Histories of medieval art usually focus on works made by and for Christians. This book instead explores art created by and for Jewish communities, revealing new perspectives on how people understood and experienced the medieval world.