10 Peace Treaties That Shaped the Middle Ages
Ten major peace treaties from the Middle Ages that reshaped kingdoms, ended wars, and changed the course of medieval diplomacy and history.
Latest Posts
Construction Methods and Models of Cistercian Abbeys in North-Western Italy between XII and XIII Century
Studies on the so-called bernardine plan (plan bernardin, bernhardinischer Grundtypus), a rigid layout without bending elements (transept with squared chapels on the eastern and western sides, and a rectangular pro- jecting church), and the diffusion of this planning choice in the multiform world of the Cistercian architecture made remarkable progress in recent years, thanks to fine job of collecting and classifying examples of this in different European countries
Construction evolution of medieval tuscan monasteries: The case of badia San Savino in Cascina (Pisa)
The most important stage of this preliminary study has been the historical analysis: the history of the
S. Savino complex is marked by many alterations and modifications to the original structures, presumably
carried out to adapt them to the demands of different (Ceccarelli Lemut and Garzella, 1996 -Pazzagli, 1985- Redi, 1984).
ages and different functions
The Virtues of Balm in the Late Medieval Period
The nature of balsam and its qualities, especially the ability to act as an extraordinarily effective preservative, demands further inquiry. Is this Lydgate’s invention, or instead a reflection of late medieval ideas about a particular natural substance?
The Sufi Influence on Spanish Jews
By reintroducing true stories of positive interactions between Muslims and Jews, we can begin to change the contemporary dialogue away from the schoolyard “you’re either with us or against us” attitude of this young millennia, towards a more Gandhian approach, where a just peace for everyone involved is the only true option…
How Great Was the Great Famine of 1314-22: Between Ecology and Institutions
The first aspect to be examined is the extent of harvest failures within different crop sectors. The second issue is to what degree was the Great Famine of 1314-22 a subsistence crisis…My project is based on over 3,000 manorial and monastic accounts compiled between c.1310 and 1350.
A Model of the monetary system of Medieval Europe
In this paper we build a model of a commodity money system with a limited number of types of coins and show how the choices of coin type influences economic welfare through the distribution of wealth and output.
Of Milk and Blood: Innocent III and the Jews, revisited
Much of the past century of scholarship devoted to the history of Medieval European Jewry has attempted to trace and explain the waning of Christian tolerance and the rise of anti-Jewish prejudice and violence, as measured by a number of macabre indices
The Emperor Heraclius: investigations into the image of an emperor
This thesis is an investigation into the image of the emperor Heraclius as depicted by the ancient sources who cover his reign (610-641 A. D.).
The Jews in England, 1272-1290
Edward I’s Jewish policy attempted to curb usury and transform the lives and financial practices of the Jews. Historians have claimed that the policy, which is embodied in the Statutum de Judeismo of 1275, was a failure and resulted in the Expulsion of 1290.
The cult of saints in the early Welsh March: aspects of cultural transmission in a time of political conflict
The last mark of subjection … touched the realm of sentiment merely and yet was none the less keenly felt by a people so imaginative as the Welsh.
Slave girls under the early Abbasids
Every one in Abbasid society who could compose poetry, good or bad, composed about slave-girls or at least made mention of them.
Castle for Sale: Ballyfinboy Castle, Ireland
This Irish fortress was built around 1480, and comes with two-and-a-half acres of land, with the Ballyfinboy river forming the boundary to the north.
Anthropologist compares medieval lives, pre- and post-Black Death
‘The survivors were either tremendously lucky or there was something about them that made them better able to resist the Black Death or mount a really strong immune response to disease’
The Baronage in the Reign of Richard II, 1377-1399
The usurpation of Richard II by his cousin Henry Bolingbroke in 1399 was one of the most significant events in later medieval history.
Wonders, Marvels, and Magic in a Divinely Ordered World: Gervase of Tilbury and Book III of the Otia Imperialia
Gervase of Tilbury, a twelfth- and thirteenth-century canon lawyer, courtier, imperial marshal, and historian, included this account in the third book of his Otia imperialia, along with over one hundred fifty other mysterious incidents, marvels, miracles, legends, and cautionary tales intended to amuse and edify Holy Roman Emperor Otto IV
Teaching the Visions: Female Mystics’ Participation in Thirteenth-Century Education
Female visionaries in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries brought to their readers vivid accounts of spiritual meetings with God regarding the religious life.
Dreaming and the Symbiotic Relationship Between Christianity and the Carolingian Dynasty
Setting out to understand the role of dreams during the Carolingian period it is important to note that the dreams to which we have access are those that have been recorded and survived as physical documents for approximately twelve centuries.
The Pennsylvania State University Medieval Garden: Using a Specialized Garden as an Alternative Teaching and Learning Environment
Since its installation, various colleges within the university as well as community groups have used the garden as an alternative classroom for learning activities, educational demonstrations, and events related to the medieval period.
World Without End – Review of Episode 1: Knight
There was a lot packed into this first episode and although there were some graphic scenes to keep people glued to their screens, the opening episode really wasn’t engaging me and keeping my interest.
Search for Richard III confirms discovery of the Church of the Grey Friars
Public gets their first chance to see the archaeological site this Saturday
People of Medieval Scotland online database officially launched
The People of Medieval Scotland (PoMS) project has catalogued over 21,000 individuals mentioned in 8,600 documents. The documents, written between 1093 and 1314, tell the story of Scotland’s transformation from a land of patchwork regions to an established kingdom with fixed borders and modern systems of government.
Coloring Pages about the Middle Ages
Looking for printable coloring pages to allow preschoolers and young children learn more about the Middle Ages?
Grade 8 Unit Plan: What elements of the 21st Century have their roots in the Middle Ages?
By studying social, political, and economic aspects of the medieval era, students will better understand why their lives are the way they are now.
Medieval Movie Review: Arn: The Knight Templar
This was a good movie, solid, and understated but well worth watching. It doesn’t shout it’s story at you, but tells it in a captivating and engaging manner.
BooksAll posts
New Medieval Books: The Medieval Mediterranean between Islam and Christianity
If you are interested in the connections between Christian and Islamic cultures in the Middle Ages, physical objects can reveal remarkable stories of exchange and interaction. This book brings together ten essays exploring the materials, artifacts, and goods that moved between these two societies, shedding light on the cultural ties that linked the medieval Mediterranean world.
Earth Wounds: Creative Explorations of Viking Age Funerary Customs
New Medieval Books: Exhortation to the Monks by Hyperechios
New Cambridge History Explores the Arthurian Legend from the Middle Ages to Modern Media
New Medieval Books: The People’s Princes
New Medieval Books: Chinese Characters across Asia
New Medieval Books: Medieval German Tales
New Medieval Books: The Art of Making Verses
New Medieval Books: Vikings, Knights, Elves, and Ogres
Latest Podcast EpisodesAll posts
Q&A #14: Why were Infantry Defeating Knights in Battle?
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.
Julian Augustus and the Dream of a Platonic Roman Empire, with Jeremy Swist
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.
The Battle of Grandson (1476)
Charles the Bold was building his Duchy of Burgundy into a European power when he faced the Old Swiss Confederacy. In this episode of Bow & Blade, Michael and Kelly talk about the Battle of Grandson, a key event of the Burgundian Wars.
The Menologion of Basil II, with Charlie Kuper
A conversation with Charlie Kuper about the Menologion of Basil II, a lavishly illustrated manuscript pairing brief notices about the saints with images of them and their ordeals, arranged according to the liturgical calendar.
The Dumbarton Oaks Medieval Library, with Nicole Eddy
A conversation with Nicole Eddy about the Dumbarton Oaks Medieval Library, one of the most important publishing ventures of recent times when it comes to medieval texts and literature.
How and Why We Teach Roman History, with Beth Digeser
A conversation with Beth Digeser about pedagogy, specifically about what we are hoping to accomplish by teaching Roman history.