New Medieval Books: Impossible Recovery
The writings of Julian of Norwich, the fourteenth-century English mystic, have long fascinated medievalists. This book zeroes in on Julian’s illness during her visions, asking what that experience was like in human terms — as the author puts it, “What did she really experience, what did she feel, there in her sickbed in 1373?”
New Medieval Books: The Conquest of al-Andalus
We have relatively few sources for the Islamic conquest of Iberia in the early eighth century. This translation of a later account offers fresh insight into those events.
New Medieval Books: The Public House in Central Europe
Public houses—places that sold alcoholic drinks—were a central part of life in Cracow in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. This book explores how these establishments worked: who owned them, who gathered inside, and how city authorities dealt with disorder when drinking turned into violence.
How the ninety percent experienced the Roman economy, with Kim Bowes
A conversation with Kim Bowes about her recent book, Surviving Rome: The Economic Lives of the Ninety Percent, which presents a brilliant new model of the Roman imperial economy, specifically for how the majority of the population experienced it.
20 New Open Access Books Medieval History Fans Can Read for Free
Medieval studies fans can download and read all of these 20 newly published open-access books.
New Medieval Books: Assassins and Templars
When it comes to the crusading era, few groups have been more mythologised than the Knights Templar and the Ismailis—often labelled the “Assassins.” This book takes a fresh look at both, showing not only how their histories have been shaped by legend, but also how—and why—they could resemble each other in surprising ways.
Medieval Mystery of Brunanburh Battle May Be Solved, New Study Argues
A long-running debate over the location of one of the most important battles fought in medieval England may finally be nearing an answer. A new study argues that the Battle of Brunanburh, fought in 937, took place at Bromborough on the Wirral, bringing fresh clarity to a question that has occupied historians for more than a century.
New Medieval Books: Approaching Pipe Rolls
This book guides historians in working with Pipe Rolls, the English government’s financial records that date back to the twelfth century. These documents reveal a great deal about how England’s administration functioned during the Middle Ages.
Forgotten Medieval Miracles of the Augustinians Revealed in New Study
New research reveals how Augustinian friars shaped medieval rural life through overlooked miracles—from healing livestock to restoring barren land—challenging long-held assumptions about the order’s history.
New Medieval Books: Motherland
A sweeping exploration of pre-modern African history, this book traces the continent’s cultures, migrations, and identities. It blends rigorous research with personal reflection to highlight Africa’s global influence and enduring legacy.
Best Medieval Books of 2025
It’s the most wonderful time of the year: time to celebrate the best medieval books of 2025. This week, Danièle speaks with Peter Konieczny, editor of Medievalists.net, about their favourite reads this year – and she announces some exciting news about the future of The Medieval Podcast.
New Medieval Books: The Très Riches Heures of Jean, Duke of Berry
The Très Riches Heures of Jean, Duke of Berry: The Masterpiece of Medieval Illumination Edited by Mathieu Deldicque Rizzoli Electa ISBN: 978-0-8478-7597-9 The…
New Medieval Books: The Labyrinth of Fortune
This fifteenth-century epic, presented with both its text and translation, offers a journey akin to Dante’s Divine Comedy—yet beneath its allegory lies a pointed commentary on the turmoil gripping Castile during this period.
New Medieval Books: Behold the Bird in Flight
A coming-of-age story and a royal love triangle marked by danger and longing, based on real events in medieval France and England.
New Medieval Books: The Secret Middle Ages
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.
New Medieval Books: The Formidable Women Who Shaped Medieval Europe
This book profiles more than forty women associated with the Burgundian court between the fourteenth and sixteenth centuries, highlighting their influential roles in governance, religion, and the arts.
New Medieval Books: Medievalism in Russian and Ukrainian Political Discourses
Medieval history has been invoked in the context of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. This book brings together five essays examining how the medieval past has been used, interpreted, and contested in this modern conflict. It offers a valuable contribution to the study of medievalism and the politics of historical memory.
New Medieval Books: Thomas Becket and His World
This biography examines the life of Thomas Becket, who was murdered in Canterbury Cathedral in 1170. His dramatic death, which transformed him into one of the most venerated saints of the Middle Ages, inspired a wealth of contemporary accounts that document his life and legacy in remarkable detail.
New Medieval Books: Art, Power, and Resistance in the Middle Ages
The eight papers in this book were guided by the question: In the eyes of their makers and viewers, how were medieval images understood to assert or to resist forces of power?
New Medieval Books: The Queenship of Mathilda of Flanders, c. 1031-1083
Mathilda of Flanders was the Duchess of Normandy and, following the Norman Conquest, became Queen of England. This book explores her life and achievements as one of the most powerful and influential women of the eleventh century.
New Medieval Books: Boccaccio
An exploration of the life and career of Giovanni Boccaccio, one of Italy’s most celebrated writers. This book examines his family background and tumultuous professional path, revealing how his personal experiences shaped masterpieces such as The Decameron.
New Medieval Books: The World Until 1400 According to Ibn Khaldun
Can a historian from over 600 years ago still guide us today? This book explores Ibn Khaldun’s groundbreaking ideas on global history and reveals how his insights continue to inform modern historical thinking.
New Medieval Books: The Birth of the Anglo-Saxons
This book explores the rise of the Kingdom of Mercia, focusing on the reigns of Æthelbald (716–757) and Offa (757–796). It shows how Mercia became a dominant power in early medieval Britain, laying crucial foundations for the emergence of England.
New Medieval Books: Routledge Handbook of Medieval Military Strategy
This collection of 31 essays sheds light on the strategies and tactics of a wide range of medieval states and kingdoms. As a truly global history, it brings attention to subjects often overlooked by military historians.
