Holidaying in the Middle Ages
Have you wanted to escape into the medieval past?
Seven videos on making medieval manuscripts
What goes into making a medieval manuscript? Here are seven videos from The British Library where Patricia Lovett, a professional calligrapher and illuminator explains the process, tools and techniques used in designing an illuminated page.
Heaven on Earth: How to Build a Cathedral
Emma Wells delves into the triumphs and tragedies of the people who built and used Europe’s Gothic cathedrals.
Preaching Christianity in the Muslim Ilkhanate
The current paper tries to offer a new perspective by examining two Bible translations or arrangements into Persian that can be proved to have originated in this milieu, currently held in manuscript collections in Istanbul.
Dis/ability and Byzantine Hagiography
I will discuss first the differences in the narrative teatments of disability by various hagiographers, and their attempts at explaining its source or reason depending on their religious and moral agendas.
People and Place in the Kingdom of Northumbria: New project and fieldwork perspectives
People and Place in the Kingdom of Northumbria: New project and fieldwork perspectives Lecture by Sarah Semple Given at the University of Exeter…
What’s So Great About Albert the Great? His Life, Times, and Contributions to Western Civilization
He was not only an important church leader and accomplished theologian, but he was also the central figure in the medieval scientific revolution that gave rise to the tradition of experimental research that continues today.
Ibn Hamdis of Sicily: A Medieval Life in Modern Circumstances
Ibn Hamdis is the only Muslim Sicilian whose voice we hear from in medieval times. His poetry – about 370 poems survive – is autobiographical and tells us much about his life and experiences.
Astrology in Mongol Iran: foreign fascination or popular pastime?
In this discussion, I want to explore the popularity of astrology in the eastern Islamic world at the time of the Mongol invasion to ask the question of whether the Mongols were bringing anything new to the region or simply drawing on a deep and rich indigenous belief in the power of stars over mundane life.
Visualizing Persian History: The Illustration of Persian Manuscript Histories
How did medieval chroniclers writing in Persian narrate their past and present history and – the main focus of this paper – how were the historical events depicted in the manuscripts in which their work was written?
Contracts as Weapons: Notarial Power and Jewish Agency in the Late Medieval Crown of Aragon
Contracts as Weapons: Notarial Power and Jewish Agency in the Late Medieval Crown of Aragon Paper by Sarah Ifft Decker Given at The…
Violence as Global Practice in the Early Medieval Western Mediterranean
I challenge the assumption that violence involving Muslims and Christians was necessarily religious. Moreover, I propose that normative texts concerning maritime violence impede rather than illuminate our understanding of that violence, particularly in cases adjacent to religious rhetoric.
The early Vikings of Dublin and why some of them moved to Wirral
Clare Downham talls about why Vikings came to the Wirral and why the area would have been attractive to them.
Religion, Politics, and Identities in Byzantium: Aspects of Medieval Greek Homilies
Homilies, or church sermons, formed an indispensable part of European medieval rhetoric, East and West. Throughout the millennial existence of the Byzantine Empire (AD 330–1453), they carried the burden of the classical Greek tradition of rhetoric, which they continued in varying forms.
Abraham ibn Ezra: A Medieval Philosopher and Poet’s Words for Today
He left behind a legacy of poetry, humor, original biblical scholarship in Hebrew, works on grammar, scientific oeuvres and more meditational works, all of which are imbued with his philosophy.
Studying Medieval Animals: The Case Of The Panther
Using numerous images and literary references, this lecture will work towards constructing a cultural history of the medieval panther which takes account of both traditional and contemporary scholarly approaches.
Changing his tune: Robert Bruce, Ireland, and the Papacy
Robert Bruce had been on a mission for over a decade by 1318, intent on forcing a peace treaty out of England acknowledging Scottish independence and his own rights as king.
The Mysterious Fate of Edward II: The deposed king, the Mortimer, and the murder mystery
This talk presents the evidence that Edward II did die in 1327 and the evidence that he did not, and reveals that the ultimate fate of this most unsuccessful of kings is far more intriguing than usually supposed.
Glaurung, Heir of Fáfnir: Tolkien’s Reading of Old Norse Dragon Myth
In Old Norse legend and literature, Fáfnir is the quintessential dragon, present in numerous sources through the ages, influencing all other narratives. This paper looks at that influence on Tolkien as he created the dragon Glaurung in his fictional world of Middle Earth.
Monsters Traveling from Map to Book: An Unexpected Journey
In this talk I will examine three cases in which information traveled in the other direction: the authors of books used maps as their sources for monsters.
Collaborative Research in the Digital Age: Crowdsourcing the Get to Know Medieval Londoners Project
Delving into the collaborative possibilities that advanced technology offers, this seminar will showcase a unique partnership between historians and a group of volunteers unrestricted by geography or traditional academic structures.
‘Holy Inappropriate’: Secular uses of the Medieval Parish Church
While the church was of course the holiest of places, ecclesiastical property was not often considered an entirely separate and sacred world—but rather a domain where the secular and sacred crossed paths.
Searching for comets in Late Medieval manuscripts
The observation and representation of comets has intertwined the history of art and science since ancient times.
The 9 herb charm – an archaeological approach
By focusing and reassessing the plants that form the 9 charm herb and comparing to archaeological evidence can new conclusions be made about early medieval herbal remedies?
What did Gutenberg invent?
But what exactly did Gutenberg invent, and what was it good for?