Lucrezia Borgia and her marriage to Alfonso d’Este
After two failed marriages, one of which had ended in the murder of Alfonso Duke of Bisceglie, Lucrezia Borgia was once more on the marriage market in the year 1500. She was a pawn, a chess piece for her father and brother’s political plans. This time, the Borgia family were looking to tie their family to the Estes of Ferrara – a proud and ancient House.
10 Medieval Things to See in Rome
While it is certainly true that the art and architecture of the Renaissance and later Baroque period dominates Rome, there are many hidden medieval treasures if one knows where to look.
Which Chess Piece Would You Be?
It’s the quintessential medieval game! Do you think you would be a King, a Knight, or just a Pawn?
She-Wolves: Medieval Queens with Helen Castor
From the submissive to the scandalous, medieval queens held a huge amount of influence over the politics of the day. In this episode, Danièle speaks with Dr. Helen Castor about queenship, the challenges of studying even the most prominent medieval women, and how their stories still resonate today.
News Roundup: The Notre-Dame Cathedral Fire
The fire that heavily damaged Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris generated headlines around the world. Here are 10 news stories that are worth a read, plus some podcasts and videos.
How to donate for the restoration of Notre-Dame Cathedral
If you are interested in making a donation for the restoration of Notre-Dame Cathedral, there are several officially-sanctioned options.
Black Metal, Folkish Heathenism, Church Burning, and Medievalism
The revival of ancient religions and the love of powerful, loud music can be used for good, or for ill.
Medieval torture with Larissa ‘Kat’ Tracy
What was torture really like in the Middle Ages? Larissa ‘Kat’ Tracy joins Danièle to talk about iron maidens, dungeons, executions and more on The Medieval Podcast.
Update on the Notre-Dame Cathedral fire – what we know about relics and art work
French officials are providing more details about which items were saved from yesterday’s fire at Notre-Dame de Paris, although some uncertainty exists over the fate of the many relics and art works contained in the cathedral
Massive fire destroys much of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris
One of the great monuments of the Middle Ages – Notre Dame de Paris – has suffered severe damages from a fire that has left the cathedral in ruins.
Fire at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris – special episode of The Medieval Podcast
A special episode of The Medieval Podcast to discuss the tragic fire that has left much of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris destroyed. Danièle talks with Peter Konieczny, Editor of Medievalists.net, to recount what we know about the fire, and our own reactions to this sad disaster
The Boy Who Was a Girl: The Romance of Silence
Suppose girls cannot inherit, but your only child is a daughter and you happen to have an enormous inheritance, what will you do?
Who Owned Augustine’s Bones? The Hermits of St. Augustine
Today we will look at the relics of St. Augustine and the tug-of-war that broke out over them in the fourteenth century.
Which Game of Thrones Character are You?
Which characters are you? Are you Tywin, maybe a Bran, or Jon, or possibly Cersei? Find out now!
How Prepared Are You For The New Season Of Game Of Thrones?
Season 8 of Game of Thrones is about to start, and are you ready for it? Here is a quiz to take you back to previous seasons.
Medieval Geopolitics: The Conflict between Pope Boniface VIII and King Philip IV of France
The clash between Pope Boniface VIII and the King Philip IV of France would lead to a consequential geopolitical question: where did the epicentre of supreme political authority lie in Medieval Latin Christendom?
Saving Souls and Cracking Skulls: Warrior Clerics with Craig Nakashian
Episode 15 of The Medieval Podcast – Although it seems to be a fundamental contradiction, some medieval conflicts saw bishops braving the battlefield.
New Medieval Books: People and ideas on the move
Five new books about the Middle Ages, which look at people and ideas that moved around the medieval world.
Should medievalists be teaching Game of Thrones?
It’s easy to see why we medievalists would hope that Game of Thrones could be a gateway drug to studying the ‘real’ Middle Ages
Slave, Queen, and Mother of Caliphs: The Story of Khayzuran
During her life and career Khayzuran rose from the status of slave to becoming the caliph, al-Mahdi’s (r. 775-785), favorite concubine, and then his legal wife and a queen in her own right who wielded an immense amount of political power and whose wealth was second only to that of her husband’s in the entire caliphate.
How well do you remember the very first ‘Game of Thrones’ episode?
It originally aired on April 17, 2011 – here are fifteen questions to test your knowledge of the episode that began the series.
Melusine, Mary, and Making it as a Historian with Christine Morgan
These days, there are many different ways to be a historian outside of academia. In this episode, Danièle speaks with Christine Morgan, creator of Untitled History Project, about her latest work on the famous fairy Mélusine, Mary Boleyn, and making it as a historian off the tenure track.
The aftermath of the Battle of Manzikert (1071): What really brought the Byzantine Empire to its knees
The real challenge for the Empire in the aftermath of Manzikert lay in the mad scramble for power in Constantinople.
Medieval Geopolitics: Crusades Against Christians
The most notable example of an ecclesiastical war waged against a heretical social movement was that waged against the Cathars or Albigensians in the Languedoc region in what is now southwestern France.
Why is this Knight Different than Other Knights?
Taking a look at where we else can find the Jewish community in the Middle Ages: the heart of battle.