Why the Great Schism of 1054 is a Medieval Myth
Why the Great Schism of 1054 is often misunderstood. Explore how the split between the Catholic and Orthodox churches began centuries earlier, how the filioque controversy and Charlemagne’s imperial ambitions reshaped Christian authority, and why 1054 was not the true beginning of the schism.
“775 – Westphalia”: Exhibition Explores the Origins of Charlemagne’s Imperial Palace
A major exhibition in the German city of Paderborn is using rare manuscripts and archaeology to revisit a turning point in early medieval European history: the moment Charlemagne established a royal base in the region during his long, bitter wars against the Saxons.
Medieval Farmers Created a Biodiversity Boom, Study Finds
A new study reveals that medieval communities around Lake Constance created a biodiversity peak through innovative farming, trade, and land management, offering insights for modern conservation.
Logistics and “Paperwork” in Early Medieval Warfare
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.
How the Carolingians Organized Military Service in the Ninth Century
Explore how the Carolingians organized military service in the ninth century, from wealth-based militia obligations to the Edict of Pîtres, the Benevento Capitulary, and Louis the German’s charter.
How Carolingian Soldiers Learned to Fight
Discover how Carolingian soldiers learned the art of war, from feigned retreats to sword drills. A surviving manual and eyewitness accounts shed light on military training in the Early Middle Ages.
Notker the Stammerer: The Monk Who Shaped Charlemagne’s Musical Legacy
Discover how Notker the Stammerer, a monk of St. Gall, helped shape Charlemagne’s musical legacy through his writings, chant compositions, and lasting influence on medieval liturgy.
New Medieval Books: Oathbreakers
An exploration of the Carolingian Empire’s collapse into civil war, focusing on the pivotal Battle of Fontenay in 841. This decisive conflict reshaped the political landscape of Europe, leaving a lasting legacy.
Charlemagne with Cullen Chandler – The Medieval Podcast, Episode 259
What’s so great about Charlemagne? We’re about to find out. This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Cullen Chandler about the reign of Charlemagne, how he ruled such a massive empire, and how he still took the time to care about font.
New Medieval Books: Introduction to the Carolingian Age
Serving as ‘an invitation to the study of Carolingian civilization,’ this book examines the political and societal changes that took place in Western Europe in the 8th and 9th centuries. It is mostly a guide to how this empire came about, the family that ruled it, and its quick end.
Rulers of the Carolingian Empire
Who were the Carolingians? Here is a look at 17 rulers from one of the most important empires of the Middle Ages.
New Medieval Books: The Emperor and the Elephant
A book on medieval diplomacy, it is a case study of Carolingian relations with the Islamic world, particularly the Abbasids in the Middle East and the Umayyads in Iberia. It is a fascinating account of political relations revealing a more complex situation than has previously been thought.
Medieval Advice from a Mother to a Son
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle catches us up on what’s been happening lately, and reads some advice written by Dhuoda, a Carolingian woman, for her teenaged son.
Was Charlemagne a Mass Murderer?
This entry for the year 782 in the Royal Frankish Annals is one of the most debated topics of Charlemagne’s reign. Did the ‘Massacre of Verden’ actually happen with 4500 people being killed in a single day?
Battle of Roncevaux Pass (778)
On August 15, 778, the forces of Charlemagne find themselves in battle with the Basques. Many years later, this encounter inspired a famous story known as the Song of Roland. In this episode of Bow & Blade, Michael and Kelly discuss the historical and the legendary when it comes to this battle.
The Irish at the Carolingian Court and the Europeanization of Europe
During the eighth and ninth centuries, Irish clergymen and theologians such as Virgil of Salzburg, Dicuil, Sedulius Scottus, and John Scottus Eriugena were drawn to the courts of the Carolingian kings and emperors.
Embodying the Soul with Meg Leja
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Meg Leja about the relationship between bodies and souls in medical thought in the early Middle Ages, why people were meant to care deeply for both, and where medieval people believed the soul to be located in the body.
Carolingian and Byzantine practices of empire compared, with Jennifer Davis
A conversation with Jennifer Davis on the study of empire in a medieval context, contrasting the different ways in which Charlemagne and the Byzantine emperors ran theirs. What do we mean by empire after all?
The Scholar and the King: The story of Alcuin and Charlemagne
Charlemagne saw a trusted adviser in Alcuin, and besides his teachings, he also had a vast influence on political issues.
New book examines early medieval hunting
In the Manner of the Franks: Hunting, Kingship, and Masculinity in Early Medieval Europe, by Eric Goldberg examines the history of hunting in Europe from the years 300 to 1000.
The contours of disease and hunger in Carolingian and early Ottonian Europe (c.750-c.950 CE)
This thesis is the first systematic examination of the textual and material evidence for disease and hunger in Carolingian and early Ottonian Europe, c.750 to c.950 CE
Illuminating the Carolingian era: new discoveries as a result of scientifc analyses
We examined this production, especially six manuscripts created in West Francia between the end of the eighth century and the first quarter of the ninth century.
Pepin, Power and the Papacy: The True First Holy Roman Emperor
Pepin has been greatly underestimated and undervalued by many historians of the modem world. In his time, he was renowned as a great ruler and Church reformer.
The Standing Contest between King Charles and Redbad
Can win a medieval kingdom by being able to stand very still (and with just a little bit of scheming)?
