New Medieval Books: Annals of Margam
This book presents a translation of the annals compiled at Margam Abbey in southern Wales, covering the years 1066 to 1231. While primarily focused on English and Welsh events, it also includes some material on broader international affairs.
Earrings and Infamy: The Male Ear in the Medieval Imagination
Explore how male earrings were viewed in the Middle Ages—from symbols of infamy and foreignness to fashionable adornments—through art, religion, and cultural transformation.
Medieval Rules for Jousting
Explore the medieval rules of jousting established by King Alfonso XI of Castile in 1330, offering a rare glimpse into how knights were judged in tournament combat.
New Medieval Books: Balthild of Francia
In the seventh century, Balthild rose from servitude to become queen of Neustria and Burgundy through her marriage to Clovis II. Following his death, she served as queen regent for their son, Chlothar III, and earned a reputation as a capable and reform-minded ruler—particularly noted for her efforts to end the practice of slavery. This book explores her remarkable life and legacy.
Uncovering Margaret Paston’s Hidden Voice: How Forensic Linguistics Revealed a Medieval Woman’s Authentic Words Through 500-Year-Old Letters
Using computational analysis to solve a 15th-century mystery: Did scribes silence Margaret Paston’s true voice?
The Hours of Jean de Montauban: Apocrypha and Devotion in a Medieval Manuscript
Discover how a 15th-century Book of Hours uses vivid imagery from the Vita Adae et Evae to explore apocryphal stories of Adam and Eve, spiritual struggle, and medieval views on sin and redemption.
Fencing with Exclusion: How Medievalists Are Defending Trans Inclusion in Sword Sports
After a fencing controversy sparked an American debate over transgender participation, medievalist communities like HEMA and the SCA are standing firm in support of inclusion and trans rights in sword sports.
Mysterious Manuscripts with Garry Shaw
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Garry Shaw about who was encrypting their manuscripts, the codes they used, and the centuries of attempts to crack the Voynich Manuscript.
The Medieval Church as a Military Power
Discover how the medieval Church emerged as a major military power, mobilizing secular armies, launching crusades, and creating unique warrior-monks through the military religious orders.
The Medieval Sleeping Beauty
Perceforest: a medieval tale with a sleeping princess.
New Medieval Books: Global Ships
Global Ships: Seafaring, Shipwrecks, and Boatbuilding in the Global Middle Ages By Amanda Respess Cambridge University Press ISBN: 9781009343398 From the sturdy cogs…
Online Course: Tolkien and his Medieval Sources
Tolkien and his Medieval Sources is a six-week online course starting on July 3rd, with live sessions each Thursday from 3:00 to 5:00pm EST.
Did Medieval People Discover Dinosaurs? Rethinking Fossils in the Middle Ages
Could medieval people have found dinosaur bones? This article explores how fossils may have shaped medieval legends, religious relics, and monstrous beasts long before science named them.
“I Shall Tell You of Fair Grace”: John Page and the Siege of Rouen
The harrowing events of the 1418 Siege of Rouen, as depicted in a medieval eyewitness poem, serve as the inspiration for the Soldier of Fortune novels, where John Page becomes a soldier, outlaw, and reluctant hero.
From Troy to Camelot: The Classical Origins of King Arthur
Explore how the Historia Brittonum and classical literature shaped the legends of King Arthur, from Trojan ancestry to medieval political identity in Wales and beyond.
New Medieval Books: Documenting Warfare
Administrative records offer a lot of insights into the Hundred Years’ War. This collection of 18 articles tells us about a wide range of topics, from ransoms to crimes on campaign.
The Bees of Byzantium: A 10th-Century Guide to Medieval Beekeeping
Discover how medieval Byzantines kept bees with practical advice from the 10th-century Geoponika, a rare farming manual that covers hives, honey, and the remarkable nature of bees.
New Medieval Books: Realms of the Round Table
This collection retells thirty stories from Arthurian literature, drawn from lesser-known medieval sources that reveal the rich and varied legacy of the Arthurian legend.
What Summer Was Like in the Middle Ages
Discover how people in the Middle Ages endured the heat, managed harvests, treated sunburns, and found ways to keep cool during the summer months.
Shoes in the Middle Ages
From turn shoes to poulaines, learn how medieval shoes reflected fashion, status, and politics in the Middle Ages.
New Medieval Books: History of the Arab Invasions: The Conquest of the Lands
Futuh al-Buldan is one of the most important primary sources for the early history of Islam. Written around the year 867, it chronicles the era of the Prophet Muhammad, and Muslim expansion into Syria, Egypt and Iraq.
An Introduction to Monastic Orders in the Middle Ages
Discover the major monastic orders that shaped medieval Europe, from Benedictines and Cistercians to Franciscans and Templars. This guide explores their origins, ideals, and lasting influence.
Johannes Gutenberg with Eric White
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Eric White about Johannes Gutenberg’s life, his early entrepreneurship, and the invention that changed the world.
Hildegard of Bingen’s Most Cryptic Creation: Her Unknown Language and Unknown Letters
Discover the mysterious language and alphabet created by Hildegard of Bingen—an extraordinary 12th-century mystic who claimed her “Unknown Language” and “Unknown Letters” came to her in visions.
