40 Cities That Had Different Names in Medieval Times
Discover 40 cities that went by different names in medieval times, from Constantinople to Istanbul and Danzig to Gdańsk. Explore why their names changed and how history shaped them.
New Medieval Books: The Elder Futhark
At the dawn of the Middle Ages, one of Europe’s most important writing systems was the Elder Futhark. This book introduces this runic alphabet, exploring its symbols and how they were inscribed on rune stones and everyday objects.
Back to School Sale: Save 15% on All Our Online Courses in Medieval Studies
As the school year begins, it’s the perfect time to sharpen your knowledge of the Middle Ages! Medievalists.net is offering a Back to School discount of 15% off all our online courses.
Medieval Wisdom for Modern Politics
Explore 20 pieces of political wisdom from Francesco Guicciardini, a medieval statesman whose sharp maxims on power, ambition, and human nature remain strikingly relevant today.
New Medieval Books: The Unruly Tongue
How free should speech be? And what limits, if any, should restrain it? This question echoes across centuries—from modern debates to the turbulent politics of medieval Italy. This book examines the latter, revealing how words shaped power, conflict, and society in the city-states of medieval Italy.
Archbishop Albero of Trier: Master of Siege Warfare in Medieval Germany
Learn how Archbishop Albero of Trier used siege warfare to secure independence and reshape power in medieval Germany.
Ten Medieval Kings Who Died While Hunting
Discover ten medieval kings who met their end while hunting, from fatal falls to arrows gone astray, revealing the deadly risks of royal sport.
Medieval Fashion: How Clothing Defined Status and Power
Discover how medieval fashion reflected power and status in 13th-century England, from the luxurious wardrobes of queens to the livery of their servants.
The Age of Bede: How a Monk Shaped Early Medieval England
Discover how the Venerable Bede, a Northumbrian monk, shaped the history of early medieval England through his Ecclesiastical History and lasting influence.
Joan of Arc with Deborah McGrady
Maid, hero, heretic, saint – Joan of Arc is one of the most fascinating figures of the Middle Ages. This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Deborah McGrady about Joan’s incredible life and death, her voice, and her complex and enduring legacy.
Farewell to the ‘Cathar Castles’: Languedoc’s Fortresses Seek UNESCO Recognition
The rebranded Royal Fortresses of Languedoc—long known as the ‘Cathar Castles’—highlight France’s medieval military heritage in a new UNESCO bid.
Sir Gowther: The Demon Knight
Discover the medieval tale of Sir Gowther — a knight born of demonic origins whose violent youth gives way to a powerful story of repentance and redemption.
How the Council of Nicaea Shaped the Medieval Church
Discover how the Council of Nicaea not only defined early Christian doctrine but also laid the foundations for the medieval Church’s authority, canon law, and institutional structure, shaping the course of European history for centuries.
New Medieval Books: Black Knights
Medieval Arabic literature frequently included Black African characters, offering valuable insight into contemporary ideas about race and race relations. This book examines those sources to uncover how such concepts developed in the Middle Ages and how they have continued to influence perceptions of race up to the present day.
Fighting the Vikings: The Rhine Delta Raids of 1006–1007
This article examines the Viking raids of 1006 and 1007 in the Rhine Delta region and shows how local militias in the early German kingdom defended towns such as Utrecht and Tiel, highlighting the importance of leadership and local military institutions.
Pola of Rome: The Remarkable Story of a Medieval Jewish Scribe
Pola of Rome defied expectations in more ways than one: not only was she a professional scribe in the late thirteenth century, she was a Jewish woman working in a field dominated by male Christian clerics. Her surviving colophons offer a rare glimpse into the intellectual life, family networks, and self-perception of a medieval woman who made her living through the written word.
Five Game-Changers in Medieval English Castle-Building
Here are five changes in English castle design that had a big impact on history.
From Liberation to Loss: The Early Crusades to the Holy Land
Explore the first phase of the Crusades to the Holy Land, from the capture of Jerusalem in 1099 to the fall of Edessa and the failed Second Crusade.
Telling Uganda’s Medieval Stories
A new Fulbright project in Uganda is preserving traditional orature and connecting it to the Global Middle Ages, expanding the scope of medieval studies beyond Europe.
New Medieval Books: The Wilted Lily
Les Grandes Chroniques de France, one of the most important sources for French medieval history, was first compiled in the 13th century and continued until 1461. This book explores not only its value as a historical record but also its role in shaping the ideals and lessons intended for French kings.
Medieval Love Letters with Ad Putter and Myra Stokes
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Myra Stokes and Ad Putter about where we find love letters, and the way people wrote and sent them, along with a couple of spicy – and hilarious – examples.
Faith Tibble and the Crown of Thorns: Rethinking a Medieval Icon
Faith Tibble’s new book, The Crown of Thorns: Humble Gods and Humiliated Kings, challenges centuries of assumptions about one of Christianity’s most iconic symbols. Drawing on meticulous research and a storyteller’s touch, she invites readers to look again at the medieval art they thought they knew.
Twelve Medieval Types of Drunk, According to Oswald von Wolkenstein
Medieval poet Oswald von Wolkenstein knew his way around a wine jug—and the many personalities it could unleash. In one lively poem, he catalogued twelve all-too-recognisable types of drunk, from the swaggering braggart to the repentant sinner.
Medieval Thieves: How They Worked – and How to Outsmart Them
Discover the clever tricks used by medieval thieves—from sticky cakes for guard dogs to candle-carrying turtles—and the inventive methods used to catch them, as revealed in The Book of Charlatans.
