The Reverent Irreverence of Mardi Gras
How, you may have wondered, is the beginning of a time of deprivation related to such wild festivity?
Ye Ol’ Bed & Breakfast: A Look at the Medieval Inn
What were medieval English inns really like?
This Week in Medieval Manuscript Images
Headless men, birdmen and just plain birds – over 30 images from Twitter to share with you this week.
Medieval Manuscripts: The Isabella Breviary
Within its pages lie some of the finest illuminations ever painted during the late Middle Ages and early Renaissance.
What Century Do You Belong In?
Ever wonder if you were born in the right time? Find out if you were or weren’t here!
The Random Historical Figure Personality Test
You know how history is big, long, and filled with all sorts of personalities? Well this test will surely give you a result that you probably wouldn’t expect. Just answer the questions and you will definitely get a historical persona that matches your distinct traits; Will it be a person that you will like though? Will it be someone that you have even heard of?
How to restore virginity – advice from Caterina Sforza
If you follow the advice of Caterina Sforza, ‘you will see that thing become so narrow that you yourself will be in admiration.’
Three Fairy Tale Romances for Valentine’s Day
What is Valentine’s Day without a little fairy tale romance? For your Valentine’s Day enjoyment, here are three medieval romances involving fairies.
What Was Your Medieval Punishment?
How were you tortured in your medieval past life?
10 Creepy Things to See at the Louvre That Are Better Than the Mona Lisa
If you’re an ancient historian, a medievalist, or early modernist, there are so many other amazing pieces and works of art a the Louvre other than these two tourist staples. Here is my list of cool, creepy, unusual and better than the Mona Lisa at the Louvre in Paris.
This Week in Medieval Manuscript Images
From Magna Carta to #LeftShark – 44 images from the Middle Ages found on Twitter this week.
Medieval Manuscripts: The Universal Atlas of Fernão Vaz Dourado
Vaz Dourado authored at least four different nautical atlases, each of them including 20 maps, painted between 1568 and 1580, which is to say at the pinnacle of Portuguese cartography.
Medieval Maps of Britain
How did people depict England, Scotland and Wales in the Middle Ages? Here are 15 images of maps created between the 11th and 16th centuries, which shows how maps developed over history.
The Great Wind of 1362
Some of the most vivid accounts we have from the Middle Ages are those that detail calamities and natural disasters. Such was the case when a massive winter storm struck northwestern Europe on January 15, 1362. In England this event would be called ‘The Great Wind’.
Canterbury Cathedral by the Numbers
From 1 to 1,001,266, the story of the Canterbury Cathedral.
The Troubadours, Part II: Ladies in Love
Like many people – if not most – I had heard about the troubadours, but I had no idea that the tradition included women.
10 Cool Medieval Things to See at the Musée de Cluny
I just visited Muée de Cluny this week while in Paris and picked out a few fabulous items you might want to check out on your next visit to this amazing medieval museum!
Which Epic Battle Would You Have Fought In?
Cannae, Hastings or Waterloo – some of the great battles of history. After answering these five questions, you will learn what would have been your fight.
This Week in Medieval Manuscript Images
From a Lobster Knight to the murder of Charles the Good – here are nearly 50 medieval manuscript images we found on Twitter this week
Medieval Manuscripts: The Great Canterbury Psalter
One manuscript, created in two countries by two different workshops, over a hundred years apart.
Which Deadly Warrior Are You?
Throughout the ages, civilizations have risen and fallen on the backs of elite fighters. Which legendary sect do you belong to?
Can You Guess Which Animal This Is?
Here are 25 images of animals from the Middle Ages – can you figure out which creature they are?
Ten Strange Medieval Animals You Might Not Have Heard Of
A fish that can stop a ship and a bull that passes gas to defend itself – these and more strange animals from the Middle Ages!
The Troubadours, Part I: Sad Songs Say So Much
The height of their popularity was in the 12th-13th Centuries, and they wrote songs about people, politics, and religion, but most of all, love. Let’s take five minutes to talk about troubadours.