Priests and the Black Death
As news of outbreaks of disease continues to swirl around the world, I keep being reminded of the bravery of the caregivers who bring comfort and aid to the sick and the dying.
The Reverent Irreverence of Mardi Gras
How, you may have wondered, is the beginning of a time of deprivation related to such wild festivity?
Three Fairy Tale Romances for Valentine’s Day
What is Valentine’s Day without a little fairy tale romance? For your Valentine’s Day enjoyment, here are three medieval romances involving fairies.
The Troubadours, Part II: Ladies in Love
Like many people – if not most – I had heard about the troubadours, but I had no idea that the tradition included women.
The Troubadours, Part I: Sad Songs Say So Much
The height of their popularity was in the 12th-13th Centuries, and they wrote songs about people, politics, and religion, but most of all, love. Let’s take five minutes to talk about troubadours.
A Kid’s Castle Questions Answered
Kids always seem to take a keen interest in castles, and they ask great questions that cut to the heart of the matter. So, keeping in mind that there are plenty of mini-medievalists out there, here are some castle questions from a six-year-old, with kid-friendly answers.
Roses are Red, Violets are Beowulf
Let’s take five minutes to look at medieval alliterative poetry, using some of the most famous poems of the period.
Making medieval chainmail
Recently, I picked up a new hobby in this vein: making chain mail.
Five Books to Start Your Journey Back to the Middle Ages
Maybe you’re just at the beginning of this love affair with the past, or you know someone who is, and you’re looking for a place to get a good overview of the period before you dive right in.
What can we learn about the Middle Ages from its literature?
So what can we learn from reading medieval fiction alongside our history books? Here are five things, for a start.
Richard II: One of England’s forgotten kings
I thought I’d take five minutes today to talk a little bit about one of England’s forgotten kings.
Memento Mori: Medieval Images of Death
In honour of All Hallows’ Eve, let’s take five minutes to look at how death was expressed in art in the late Middle Ages.
Instructions for a Medieval Parish Priest
Myrc was a clergyman writing in England in the early fifteenth century, and his long poem was created to help priests who were not particularly learned remember all the most important parts of their work.
Medieval Parenting Advice
For as long as there have been children, there has been parental advice. This week, let’s take five minutes to look at two Middle English texts that deal with advice
Five Ways to get Noticed by Historians
There are a few things that medieval people did that increased their odds of their names surviving, and they happen to be things moderns can do if they want to be remembered, too.
The Sophistication of The Consolation
‘In spite of the variety and difference of opinion, still all men agree in loving and pursuing the goal of good.’
I Heart Art
What I love about King Arthur stories is that they give authors the opportunity to explore the complexities of kingship and relationship without any of the personal knowledge of actually being king.
Privacy in the Middle Ages
I thought it might be worth taking five minutes to address just one of these statements: privacy is a relatively new idea.
Five Medieval Books recommended by the Five-Minute Medievalist
Here are just a few of the non-fiction books I’ve read and enjoyed. They reflect my interest in the UK and France (especially the fourteenth century), as you’ll see.
Medieval DIY: Five Easy Projects
I thought I’d bring you five simple medieval do-it-yourself projects you can try out to impress your friends.
A Good Day for a Trebuchet, Part II: The Siege of the Sandpit
The fact that you can build a trebuchet out of found materials and still have it manage to function consistently and accurately speaks to the genius of the original design.
The Tasty Medieval Pasty
What could be more medieval than a meat pie?
The Tablet, Medieval-Style
Wax tablets have been around since ancient times, and now that I’ve made one, I can see why. They’re easy to make, use, and reuse; they’re light and durable; they’re portable; and they have lots of room for making mistakes.
A Good Day for a Trebuchet
You know you’re a medieval nerd when you walk into a toy store with the intention of getting toys for actual children, and walk out with a build-your-own-trebuchet kit for yourself.
Got Kids? Get Medieval
If you have kids or know kids who you’d like to expose to the Middle Ages, here are a few books you might like to explore over the summer holiday.