Where the Middle Ages Begin
King Richard III faces Henry Tudor in one of the decisive battles of the Wars of the Roses. In this episode of Bow & Blade, Michael and Kelly discuss the Battle of Bosworth and how the identification of its battlefield has offered new insights into how the fighting unfolded.
What everyday objects did people use in the Middle Ages? From clothing and household necessities to tools for work and warfare, these 25 medieval items were essential to daily life and shaped how people lived, ate, and survived.
Delve into the pivotal figures of the Middle Ages whose enduring legacies shaped the course of history. From visionary leaders and profound scholars to prolific writers and formidable warriors, these individuals left an indelible mark on medieval society.
Discover the 50 most significant events of the Middle Ages, spanning the years 500 to 1500.
Here are seven vivid facts about colour in the Middle Ages
In medieval times, many unique jobs, such as Ale-wife and Groom of the Stool, were essential but have since vanished. Discover these obsolete occupations and how historical changes led to their disappearance.
Are you wanting to talk more like someone from the Middle Ages? We have a list of 30 great sayings and proverbs that you can use in your conversations.
Have you wondered what a medieval king did on a typical day? Thanks to Christine de Pizan, we have an account of what daily life was like for King Charles V of France.
Some of our most popular phrases have a long history, including some that go back to the Middle Ages.
Want to know what kind of jobs there were in the Middle Ages? A unique source from the 15th century gives us some beautiful images of medieval people at work.
Ten short-lived medieval states reveal why new powers rose and fell, and how history might have changed had they survived.
Discover ten sayings attributed to Odin in the Hávamál and what they reveal about wisdom, friendship and survival in the medieval Norse world.
Step into a story of historical romance, magic and time travel, moving between the present day and the fifteenth century.
Discover how the Gothic Bible survived religious persecution, imperial plunder, a shipwreck and theft during its turbulent 1,500-year history.
A new anime streaming on Crunchyroll brings medieval Persia and the Mongol Empire to life through the story of a girl who uses knowledge to survive.
Archaeologists have discovered a 1,000-year-old medieval house in northwestern Germany, providing new evidence about the early settlement of Werther.
An examination of gold in Beowulf reveals how treasure, heroic generosity and social status were inseparably tied to warfare, plunder and destruction.
Perhaps the most famous figure of the Viking Age, Harald Hardrada led an eventful life that took him across much of the eleventh-century world. This book recounts his remarkable story while offering insights into the many lands and states through which he travelled.
Medieval records from an English village reveal that Black Death survivors typically needed three or four weeks before returning to work.
Explore how food, imperial feasts and religious fasting shaped faith, health, social status and political power in the Byzantine world.
A medieval astrolabe made in Córdoba in 1026–27 marks its 1,000th anniversary at the National Museum of Scotland.
Discover why medieval scholars believed garlic could weaken a magnet, and how this strange idea survived for centuries despite experimental challenges.
A rare runestone found at a possible medieval chapel in the Faroe Islands may bear the words “Here lies” or “Here rests.”
Were strange creatures believed to inhabit the lands just beyond the known world? Could an illness be cured by a plant or a magic spell? As this book reveals, people in medieval England grappled with questions such as these.
Dark underground dungeons are closely associated with medieval castles, but historical evidence reveals a very different story about imprisonment in the Middle Ages.
A Byzantine shipwreck off Croatia has revealed gold belt sets, imperial coins and a rare ring linked to the empire’s highest-ranking officials.
David Bachrach challenges the idea that the milites of pre-Crusade Germany were vassals, revealing a diverse class of professional soldiers.
Explore how Byzantine ideas of kingship helped Roger II legitimise his authority and unite the culturally diverse Norman Kingdom of Sicily.
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A 10th- or 11th-century Norse cross has returned to the Royal Chapel of St John on the Isle of Man following conservation work.
Discover ten open-access medieval studies articles published in July 2026, covering the Voynich Manuscript, King Arthur, bear-bating, archaeology and more.
How medieval London’s civic authorities regulated sexual misconduct to defend the city’s honour and promote ideals of Christian government.
This book revives the debate over who King Arthur was and whether he was a historical figure. It also examines his portrayal in medieval Welsh and English literature and the ways modern scholars have interpreted those traditions.
Discover how medieval merchants helped shape literacy, mathematics, law, mapmaking, art and urban culture across medieval Europe.
The 14th-century writer Geoffrey Chaucer included many episodes of “violence, victimhood, and overwhelming grief or loss” in his works. The nine papers in this collection explore how he presents these traumatic experiences and what they reveal about both the writer and his medieval world.
King Richard III faces Henry Tudor in one of the decisive battles of the Wars of the Roses. In this episode of Bow & Blade, Michael and Kelly discuss the Battle of Bosworth and how the identification of its battlefield has offered new insights into how the fighting unfolded.
As the Hundred Years’ War entered its final chapter, England and France fought for control of Normandy. In this episode of Bow & Blade, Michael and Kelly examine the road to the Battle of Formigny and its decisive impact on the war.
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.
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.
In the latest Q&A episode of Bow & Blade, Michael and Kelly answer questions about infantry vs cavalry in late medieval battles, will there be archaeological excavations at Hundred Years’ War battlefields, favourite centuries and what our hosts will be doing this summer.
A conversation with Jeremy Swist on the emperor Julian (361-363 AD) and how he tried to combine his love of philosophy with ruling the Roman Empire. We talk about why Julian continues to excite such passions, how in some ways he may have been more Roman than Greek, and how he read Roman history in light of the theurgical Neoplatonism that he espoused.