10 Jobs That Kept a Medieval City Running: Inside 14th-Century London
Discover how medieval London was governed with this look at 10 city jobs—from mayors and sheriffs to scavengers and ale-conners—based on a rare 14th-century manuscript known as the Jubilee Book.
Timur the Lame’s Pyramids of Skulls: Terror as a Medieval Imperial Strategy
Discover how Timur the Lame used pyramids of human skulls to instil fear, crush resistance, and build a brutal medieval empire.
New Medieval Books: Bastions of the Cross
This book sheds light on several lesser-known medieval churches in northern Ethiopia. It offers fresh insights into the region’s architectural and artistic heritage.
The Mythological Ancestry of England’s Medieval Kings
What do a pagan war god and a serpent-tailed fairy have in common? Both were claimed as ancestors by England’s medieval kings, who used myth and legend to elevate their status and reinforce their right to rule.
The Wolf of Gubbio: How a Man-Eating Beast Became a Saint’s Brother
Discover the medieval legend of the Wolf of Gubbio, a fearsome beast tamed by Saint Francis of Assisi. Was it a miracle, a metaphor, or a message about peace and power?
New Medieval Books: The Sagas of Icelanders
This book offers an introduction to the Icelandic sagas, detailing various aspects of the genre. It then provides mini-descriptions of 40 sagas, explaining their content, dating, and transmission.
Female Spy Network Uncovered in Medieval Ypres, Study Finds
New research uncovers a hidden network of female spies and messengers in medieval Ypres, revealing how women played a crucial role in wartime intelligence during the Flemish revolt against Maximilian of Austria.
New Medieval Books: Laywomen and the Crusade in England, 1150-1300
The Crusades enjoyed widespread support in Western Europe, and efforts on the home front were focused on mobilizing fighters for the Holy Land. This book explores the role of women in England in encouraging men to take up the Cross.
Habent sua fata libelli: How the Middle English Dictionary Came to Be
Discover the forgotten story behind the Middle English Dictionary and the scholar who started it all—Ewald Flügel, a German philologist whose ambitious vision helped shape Middle English studies.
Saint Thomas Becket with Michael Staunton
This week, Danièle speaks with Michael Staunton about Thomas’ rapid rise to the highest positions in England, his epic feud with Henry II – including what part Henry might have played in Thomas’ martyrdom – and the aftermath of the infamous murder in the cathedral.
Vegetables in the Middle Ages: From Cabbages to Cardoons
Discover the surprising history of medieval vegetables—from carrots and peas to artichokes and cabbages—and how they were grown, eaten, and understood in the Middle Ages.
How Medieval Thinkers Justified War: From Augustine to Aquinas
Explore how war was understood in the Middle Ages through the ideas of Augustine and Aquinas, including just war theory, public vs. private violence, and the role of sin and political authority.
New Medieval Books: Discovered but Forgotten
Situated in the Indian Ocean, the Maldives played a key role in medieval trade networks. This book explores Chinese engagement with the islands, focusing on a two-century period during which they became an important outpost for China’s expanding maritime influence.
10 Medieval Studies’ Articles Published Last Month
What’s new in medieval studies? Here are ten open-access articles published in May, which range from female spies to sea voyages.
New Medieval Books: Muhammad’s Military Expeditions
Between 622 and 632, the early Muslim community became involved in a series of military conflicts with rival Arabian groups and the Byzantine Empire. This book examines the military history of these encounters, “emphasizing them as a series of tribal incursions rather than religious missions.”
10 Cities That Fell Into Ruin During the Middle Ages
From Crusader strongholds to Silk Road capitals, discover 10 cities that fell from greatness during the Middle Ages, lost to time, disaster, and war.
New Online Course: Medieval Warfare in the Middle East, Europe, and Central Asia
Explore the development of land warfare from 1000 to 1300. From the Eurasian Steppe to the Middle East and the kingdom of England, this course offers a sweeping panorama of military history during a crucial period in global history.
New Medieval Books: The Magic Books
Medieval people were interested in accessing secret knowledge like magic, divination and astrology. This book examines over 20 works from the period that deals with these topics, revealing what they say (and what they show) about these topics.
The Copper Guardian: A Medieval Tale of Treasure Hunters and Curses
In a tale preserved from the 10th century, a man from Cairo sets out in search of treasure hidden deep in the mountains.…
Daily Life in the Medieval Home
Explore daily life inside a medieval home, from kitchens and chambers to workshops and power dynamics, based on records from late medieval York.
Medieval Infancy with Julie Singer
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Julie Singer about what medieval people thought about infancy in general, how literary children could be vehicles for truth and justice, and how even in the Middle Ages kids were known to say the darnedest things.
New Online Course: Introduction to Medieval Music
Step into the soundscape of the Middle Ages with our online course, Introduction to Medieval Music. Learn about chants and their use in the medieval mass, developments in musical notation and texture, instruments, styles, and composers.
Swim in the Sea Yourself: Twelfth-Century Insights on Experiential Learning
Discover how the 12th-century philosophical tale Hayy Ibn Yaqzan by Ibn Tufayl explores self-guided learning, critical thinking, and the power of experience—insights still relevant in modern education
Ancient Inequality: New Study Measures Wealth Gaps from Rome to Medieval Era
A new study compares income inequality in the Roman, Han, and Aztec empires—revealing that ancient societies were as unequal as today’s most divided nations.
