Where the Middle Ages Begin
The Tale of Bygone Years preserves one of the most detailed accounts of a ruler’s conversion in medieval Europe — the baptism of Volodymyr Sviatoslavych, ruler of Rus′. His path to Christianity, set against the backdrop of 10th-century royal conversions, reveals a complex interplay of politics, religion, and diplomacy.
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.
Discover the dramatic story of how a powerful abbess and her nuns defied the papacy and halted the construction of a major Gothic basilica in 13th-century Troyes, France.
After a terrifying dream warns him of his sins, King William Rufus vows to change—only to be killed the next day in a mysterious hunting accident. A 12th-century poet tells the chilling tale.
A team of conservation researchers is turning to an unexpected source to track the decline of one of the world’s most endangered animals:…
Discover the dark spells, strange rituals, and magical powers found in Picatrix, a medieval guidebook for aspiring wizards—featuring shapeshifting, poison recipes, and spirit summoning.
Explore the complex and often harsh realities of wet nursing in the Middle Ages, from slave contracts to moral expectations—revealing how “mothers who weren’t” shaped medieval childhood and society.
A look at the five symbolic identities that the lion had in Western medieval culture: The Threatening Lion, The Christian Lion, The Noble Lion, The Sinful Lion, and The Clement lion.
Covering the years 519 to 1277, this chronicle provides an account of events in England throughout much of the Middle Ages. It includes both the 19th-century Latin edition and an English translation
Scientists at CERN have achieved what medieval alchemists once dreamed of by transforming lead into gold using high-energy collisions at the Large Hadron Collider.
Starting May 14th, this online course investigates the history of the Angevin Empire during the reigns of Henry II, Richard I, and John. Topics covered will include the Great Rebellion, the murder of Thomas Becket, and Magan Carta.
Explore how medieval thinkers from Augustine to Aquinas debated the role of government, from preserving peace and order to promoting virtue and human fulfillment in the pursuit of the common good.
The Getty Museum’s new exhibition, Symbols and Signs: Decoding Medieval Manuscripts, explores the visual and textual codes used by medieval scribes and artists. On view May 20 to August 10, 2025.
A new study uses the Gough Map to reconstruct medieval England’s road network, revealing how Roman routes shaped travel for centuries.
This biography re-examines the life of Robert de Vere, the English nobleman best known as a childhood friend of Richard II. It investigates whether he truly deserved the reputation of a shameless sycophant that medieval chroniclers gave him.
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Caroline Wilhelmsson about the royal women of Sweden, how they became queens, and how they exercised their power.
Discover how saints shaped medieval religious life, pilgrimage, and power through the story of Canterbury Cathedral and the shrine of Thomas Becket, one of the most important cult sites in medieval England.
A new DNA study reveals that the medieval male population of the Low Countries remained remarkably stable over 1,500 years, with local lineages shaped more by genetic drift and patrilocal traditions than by large-scale migration.
A conversation with Gavin Kelly about the corpus of Latin literature from antiquity down to the present, where we discuss the reasons why most scholars focus on the period before 200 AD, why late antiquity is overlooked (despite having some first rate authors), and what can be done about that. Similar issues, we find, emerge from the study of Greek literature too.
A 9th-century manuscript containing the first mention of “Westphalia” will soon be on display in Paderborn as part of a major anniversary exhibition exploring the medieval origins of the region.
Yu Xuanji is celebrated as the greatest female poet of the Tang Dynasty. This book presents the original Chinese texts alongside English translations of her surviving poems, as well as selected writings that illuminate her extraordinary life.
Discover the striking parallels between Viking warriors and 1990s gangsta rappers in this thought-provoking article exploring shared values of honour, violence, reputation, and poetic legacy across two seemingly distant cultures.
In 897, Pope Stephen VI exhumed his predecessor and put him on trial. Known as the Cadaver Synod, this bizarre episode in Church history was more than madness—new research reveals it was a political and religious power play.
The National Gallery has acquired a mysterious and richly detailed Northern Renaissance altarpiece from around 1510. Featuring saints, angels, dragons, and eccentric iconography, the anonymous masterpiece has not been seen publicly since 1960.
Steve Tibble on criminality in the crusades, from the primal forces such as climate change and mass migration which fed a wave of violence, to the extraordinary stories of looting, piracy, banditry and muggings which emerged.
Discover the stories of ten historical figures who claimed the papacy but were later declared antipopes. From Hippolytus of Rome to Felix V, explore the rivalries, scandals, and political power struggles that shaped medieval Church history.
HarperCollins India announces The Chola Tigers, Amish Tripathi’s new historical novel set in the 11th century. A sequel to Legend of Suheldev, the book follows Emperor Rajendra Chola’s mission against Mahmud of Ghazni.
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Sharon Kinoshita about why Marco travelled so far, what sort of detail he wanted to share with his readers, and what was going on in the world around him.
A conversation with Ada Palmer about the invention of the idea of the Italian Renaissance and the functions that it serves in the western historical imagination. “Byzantium” is a similarly invented category that often works in tandem with “the Renaissance” to mark good and bad moments in the history of culture.
This week, in celebration of Episode 300, Danièle answers your questions on everything from Hastings to hose, with a couple of surprises along the way.
A conversation with Anastasia Koumousi about the recently identified portrait of the last emperor of the Romans in Constantinople, Konstantinos XI Palaiologos, in a monastery church in the northern Peloponnese.
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Robert Lively about how a person became a Viking lawyer, what the process was for solving disputes, and how fixing bad behaviour worked in this shame-based culture.
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with John Beusterien about elephants and ivory in medieval China and Spain, including how elephants were put into service, and how ivory was used and traded across the world.
