How People Sent Messages in the Middle Ages
Discover how people sent messages in the Middle Ages, from trusted messengers and written letters to seals, scribes, and carrier pigeons.
The Ladder to Heaven: Understanding a Medieval Masterpiece
What do a ladder, a group of monks, and a host of angels and demons reveal about medieval spirituality? Alice Isabella Sullivan explains the icon of The Ladder of Divine Ascent, one of the most influential images of the Byzantine Middle Ages.
Offa the Great: The Mercian King Who Reshaped England
Offa was one of the most powerful rulers of early medieval England, transforming Mercia into the dominant kingdom south of the Humber. In this article, Rory Naismith examines his reign, from the construction of Offa’s Dyke to the remarkable coinage and political ambitions that reshaped the English landscape.
New Medieval Books: Saint Benedict, Montecassino, and the Crisis of Ninth-Century Southern Lombards in Early Medieval Cassinese Memory
Southern Italy in the ninth century was beset by warfare, political rivalry, and frequent Muslim raids. The monks of Montecassino Abbey witnessed these turbulent times and left behind a valuable account, translated here.
Johana’s Flight: Domestic Violence, Madness and Family Conflict in Medieval Perpignan
In 1450, Johana Descamps fled an abusive marriage in Perpignan. Her ordeal led to a legal battle that reveals medieval attitudes toward domestic violence, mental illness, and family conflict.
15 Medieval Warrior Women Who Led Armies and Defended Kingdoms
Meet 15 medieval warrior women who led armies, defended kingdoms, and resisted invaders during the Middle Ages, from England and France to Persia, China, and Japan.
From Sin to Capitalism: Jacques Le Goff on Usury in the Middle Ages
Nearly forty years after its publication, Jacques Le Goff’s Your Money or Your Life remains a key work on medieval religion, usury, and the origins of capitalism.
10 Toxic Friends According to a Medieval Writer
Discover 10 types of toxic friends described by the medieval writer Boncompagno da Signa, from fair-weather companions to opportunists and false friends.
The Book of Daniel, the Four Kingdoms, and Imperial Eschatology, with Chris Bonura
A conversation with Christopher Bonura about the apocalyptic tradition of identifying the Four Kingdoms prophesied in the Book of Daniel. Which one was the Roman empire? The fourth, scheduled to fall with the others, or something that came afterward (a tradition sometimes called imperial eschatology)? Among other topics we discuss Eusebios of Caesarea and the reign of Herakleios as possible turning points in this tradition.
10 Open-Access Medieval Studies Articles from May 2026
From the lead used in Notre-Dame de Paris to the age at which fosterage began in medieval Ireland, scholars continue to uncover new insights into the medieval world. Here are ten open-access articles published in May 2026 that medievalists can read for free.
Online Course: The Viking Age
This six-week course begins June 12th, with live sessions each Friday from 5:00 to 7:00 pm EST.
Effeminate Greeks or Sophisticated Romans? The Western View of Byzantium
Western Europeans often portrayed the Byzantines as deceitful, weak, and overly luxurious, dismissing them as “Greeks” rather than true Romans. Michael Goodyear writes on how behind these stereotypes stood one of the Middle Ages’ most sophisticated and resilient empires — a civilization that preserved ancient knowledge, amassed immense wealth, and defended Europe for centuries.
The Battle of Hattin (1187)
One of the pivotal battles of the Crusades, the Battle of Hattin was shaped by both brilliant strategy and disastrous decisions. In this episode of Bow & Blade, Michael and Kelly explore how Saladin orchestrated a crushing defeat of the Crusader army, while also sharing insights into the film Kingdom of Heaven.
Online Course: Tolkien and his Medieval Sources
Tolkien and his Medieval Sources is a six-week online course starting on June 11th, with live sessions each Thursday from 5:00 to 7:00 pm EST.
A Guide to Teaching and Learning Medieval Latin
Teachers and students of Medieval Latin often struggle to find the same range of learning materials available for Classical Latin. In this guide, Brigid Ehrmantraut highlights textbooks, anthologies, apps, and online resources that can help learners at every level engage more directly with medieval texts.
New Online Course: Norse Myth and Legend in The Saga of the Volsungs
This three-week course begins June 10th, with live sessions each Wednesday from 2:00 – 3:30 pm EST.
New Medieval Books: Medieval Mining and Power in Thirteenth-Century Europe
Silver mines, flooded tunnels, and fierce political rivalries lay at the heart of a medieval struggle for wealth and power in the Alps. This book reveals how controlling water and underground resources helped reshape society, technology, and economic life in thirteenth-century Europe.
New Online Course: The Art of War in Byzantium
This six-week course, beginning June 2nd, has live sessions each Tuesday from 12:00 – 2:00 pm EST.
How Medieval Craft Guilds Worked
Discover how medieval craft guilds regulated trade, trained apprentices, enforced quality standards, and shaped urban life across Europe during the Middle Ages.
The Medieval Anti-War Satire You’ve Never Heard Of
Medieval literature is often filled with heroic battles and noble knights. But one fourteenth-century poem turned war into absurd comedy, mocking the very idea of military glory.
New Medieval Books: The Philokalia
This collection of texts may date from the eighteenth century, but the works it contains are all medieval in origin. Together, they offer a diverse glimpse into the Eastern Orthodox tradition that shaped the religious life of the Byzantine world.
Meet Caritas Pirckheimer: Scholar, Abbess, and Renaissance Writer
When the Protestant Reformation swept through Nuremberg, one abbess refused to surrender her convent. Caritas Pirckheimer used scholarship, political connections, and years of literary experience to defend her community against reformers and city officials.
Sumptuary Laws in Medieval Florence: The Fashion Rules Women Had to Follow
Medieval Florence enforced strict sumptuary laws that regulated women’s clothing, jewellery, fur, and luxury fashion in an effort to control status and behaviour.
New Medieval Books: The Genius of Invective
Have you ever watched a deep dive into a movie where someone explains all the hidden details and Easter eggs? This is the medieval equivalent: a famous eleventh-century letter that later inspired one particularly detailed analysis written three hundred years afterward.