Medieval Manuscripts: The Lorsch Gospels
This week, Facsimile Finder unveils one of the richest manuscripts of Carolingian art – the Lorsch Gospels – a volume that Charlemagne himself may have held in his hands.
Publishing about the Middle Ages with Richard Barber
This week, Danièle speaks with Boydell and Brewer’s Richard Barber about how the field has changed over the last fifty years, current trends in medieval publishing, and what Richard’s best tips are for up-and-coming authors.
How to make medieval soap
A detailed recipe for making white soap from fourteenth-century England.
How Richard the Lionheart Got His Name (The epic version)
As historical figures go, Richard’s life had everything a storyteller could want. And yet, it wasn’t epic enough.
Diplomacy, bribery, trickery and ‘other means’: Defending the Byzantine Empire
I will try to figure out the delicate equilibrium between the appetite of the Byzantines for war, and their willingness to negotiate by ‘other means’, i.e diplomacy, or the employment of stratagems, craft, and bribery.
Medieval Manuscripts: The Hours of Jeanne d’Evreux
The personal prayer book of Jeanne d’Evreux, Queen consort of France and Navarre, did not just provide spiritual support to the King’s wife: it is also a masterpiece of Gothic illumination. Let’s take a peek at some of its features in this video by Facsimile Finder.
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
It may be the most famous medieval movie of all time. This week, Danièle talks with Peter Konieczny about Monty Python and the Holy Grail, its legacy, and some of their favourite moments.
Augustine in print: leaving the Middle Ages behind?
Does the reception of Augustine fundamentally change when it is no longer the scribe, but the printer who holds the reins?
Medieval Reads: The Hound and the Falcon Trilogy, by Judith Tarr
What is so special about the Medievalist trilogy?
How well do you know these Viking-age artefacts?
We have many remains from the Viking-age that offer insights into the Norse world. Here are ten artefacts – do you know what they are?
Medieval Manuscripts: The Bedford Hours
This week, our friends at Facsimile Finder give us a taste of the Bedford Hours, considered by scholars to be one of the most astonishing examples of manuscript illumination from the late medieval period. Its countless, gorgeous illustrations and bilingual text were produced in several stages as the book passed from hand to hand throughout the decades.
The Emergence of the English – a new interpretation and an old conundrum
In the past decade or so a number of works have taken a fresh look at post-Roman Britain, in particular at the arrival of the Anglo-Saxons in what is now England
Education in the Middle Ages
It’s the most wonderful time of the year – time to go back to school! This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle takes a quick look at medieval education.
Six Medieval Rules for Healthy Living
If you are looking for advice on healthy living, perhaps you should try reading the medieval text The Theatre of Health. It offers six rules ‘for the daily maintenance of health,’ five of which sound very modern.
Pennsic, Or What I Did on My Summer Vacation
For the past 48 years, around 10,000 people have been gathering every summer for a festival that’s been described as ‘medieval Burning Man.’
The Assassination of Ahmad Ibn Ismail: Power Struggles in the Samanid Empire
The emir Ahmad ibn Ismail was assassinated in the year 914. This is the story of why he was killed and the power struggle that took place in the aftermath of his death.
What was it like to travel during the Middle Ages? Part 1: Going by Road
Road travel in the Middle Ages was basically awful.
The Holy Spirit in Female Form: Medieval Tales of Faith and Heresy
The stories of Guglielma of Milan and Na Prous Boneta of Montpelier – how they became associated with the Holy Spirit – and how the Catholic Church responded to them.
The Middle Ages and the Modern State
Did the modern state emerge in the seventeenth century or in the thirteenth century?
Robin Hood in Sherwood Forest: Or should it be in Barnsdale?
The legend of Robin Hood has him and his Merry Men based in Sherwood Forest. But a closer look at the medieval tales suggests his hiding place was in a different forest.
The Beowulf Manuscript
Beowulf may be one of the world’s most famous poems, but there’s a lot more to its manuscript than this poem alone. This week, Danièle looks into the other content of the Beowulf manuscript, its history, and what makes it both unique and special.
The Complicated Case of Medieval Crime Fiction
What makes the job of being a medieval detective so difficult, and also makes the medieval crime fiction genre so good?
Join our Book of the Month Club!
You can now join our Book of the Month Club! We have partnered with Boydell and Brewer to offer our patrons books from their outstanding collection.
Why battles could be so decisive in the Middle Ages
I just wrote a book about the Middle Ages viewed through the lens of the most potent and dramatic aspect of war – battle.
