Where the Middle Ages Begin
Discover how early medieval rulers like Charlemagne organized their wars through meticulous planning and record-keeping, revealing a sophisticated logistical system that kept their armies supplied and ready for campaign.
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.
A look at the artist Hans Holbein and the dozens of portraits he created while at the court of King Henry VIII of England. Many of his drawings are explained in depth, revealing Holbein’s technique and style.
Who said these famous quotes from the Middle Ages? Here are ten quotes that a medievalist might know. m
What’s new in medieval studies? Here are ten open-access articles published in July, which tell us about topics including heretical purse-makers and drowned villages.
If we need proof of how wonderful both baldness and beards are, we need only to cast our eyes back to the Middle Ages, where people were writing rhetorical arguments, alliterative poetry, and even learned sermons on the virtues of masculine hair. This week, Danièle speaks with Joseph McAlhany about these hilarious medieval texts, why people wrote them, and how seriously we’re supposed to take them.
The Medievalists.net Monthly Book Selection for August is Beards & Baldness in the Middle Ages: Three Texts, by Joseph McAlhany.
The April 2024 issue of Speculum: A Journal of Medieval Studies, focues on “Race, Race-Thinking, and Identity in the Global Middle Ages.”
For centuries, the Cerne Giant, an enigmatic chalk figure towering 180 feet tall on an English hillside, has captivated imaginations with its imposing presence and mysterious origins. Was it a tribute to Hercules, Saint Eadwold, or a pagan deity misunderstood through time?
The early medieval archaeological site of Tell Umm Amer in Gaza, which includes the Monastery of Saint Hilarion, has been named to UNESCO’s World Heritage List. It was also simultaneously added to its List of World Heritage in Danger.
In the Middle Ages, crusade commanders faced a relentless struggle to maintain order. They knew that minor crimes could quickly spiral into chaos, undermining their authority and jeopardizing the entire campaign.
In a groundbreaking discovery, researchers have unearthed the oldest known inscription of Norse god Odin on a gold bracteate from the Vindelev find. This remarkable find pushes the origins of Norse mythology back to the 4th century, 150 years earlier than previously believed, and could reshape our understanding of ancient runic inscriptions.
The medieval tales involving Reynard the Fox are always a fun read. Here we have translations of three satires from the 13th century, which sees our mischievous protagonist poking fun at politics of the medieval kind.
The Louvre has added to its medieval treasures with the acquisition of two rare paintings by the Italian artist Pietro Lorenzetti.
Now on our Patreon Shop: four more medieval studies’ book from the Arc Humanities Press’ Past Imperfect Series. Here is what you can now buy!
During the Hundred Years’ War, Paris was a city under siege. For sixteen harrowing years, the English ruled, and the streets ran red…
Have you ever wondered how people in the Middle Ages viewed those of different faiths?
Everything you want to know about pigs in medieval Europe. It ranges from how they were farmed in the countryside and city to how they were depicted in literature and art – and of course, how they ended up on people’s dinner plates.
Try these eight questions about the medieval Kings of England.
If you’ve ever had your doubts that King Arthur was a real, living, breathing human being at some point, you’re not alone.
Stonehenge is widely recognized today as a prehistoric site, often linked to the druids and ancient Celts. It was used for religious rituals and believed to be a place of worship for the cult of the dead. But how was it perceived in the Middle Ages? Was it simply abandoned to the passage of time?
The Victoria & Albert Museum has successfully raised £2 million to acquire a rare 12th-century ivory carving of the Deposition of Christ from the Cross. This significant piece, once at risk of leaving the United Kingdom, will now join the V&A’s permanent collection.
Recent advances in machine learning combined with the availability of millions of images of manuscript pages means that we are now able to produce automatic transcriptions of medieval and other manuscripts, with over 99% accuracy in the right circumstances.
In this talk, Clifford Rogers will place the Battle of Pavia in this context, explaining the general tactics of the day and how they related to what were then recent developments in the technology of firearms and of armor.
An early 16th-century text arguing for equality between men and women. Colonna sets out to show that “women are absolutely perfect and wholly capable of attaining all the virtues, and on that account they are not to be barred from public offices and magistracies.”
Dover Castle’s original entrance, along with several lost towers and long-gone defensive walls, has been unveiled for the first time thanks to a state-of-the-art digital model.
Art and artefacts from the Middle Ages offer a vivid window into the values, fears, and imaginations of medieval society. This updated edition explores how these objects reflect beliefs and folklore—both devout and delightfully strange.
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with John Blair about who refused to rest in peace in the Middle Ages, how medieval people attempted to keep the dead buried, and why some hauntings reached epidemic proportions.
A conversation with James Rives on the history of ancient animal sacrifice in the Roman world. We focus on its decline and eventual demise in the third and fourth centuries. Animal sacrifice was caught up in the conflicts between the Roman emperors and the Christian Church, which endowed it with an importance it had not had before.
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Michael Livingston about why the Hundred Years’ War should actually be called the Two Hundred Years’ War, what actually touched off the conflict, and why we should question everything.
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Ben Parsons about what medieval people named their pets and working animals, how we know about them, and which animals are still called by their medieval nicknames.
As the Eternal City’s power waned, enemies closed in. In this episode of Bow & Blade, Michael and Kelly delve into two devastating sieges of Rome — one led by the Goths, the other by the Vandals.
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Elizabeth Marshall about where we find wolves in medieval sources, how early English writers saw them, and how wolves both add to – and steal – language.
