New Medieval Books: The Ruling Families of Rus
A look at the history of Rus, Lithuania, Moscovy and Tver from the 11th through to the 15th century through the members of the Volodimerovich clan. Each chapter focuses on a ruler and their family.
New Medieval Books: The Utrecht Chronicle of the Teutonic Order
A chronicle written in the second half of the 15th century, which details the history of the Teutonic Knights, a military order that fought in the Near East and Baltic regions. The account came at a time when the order was in decline, but offers insights into how they viewed themselves and their mission.
Four ‘snake-eating-frog’ medieval buckles discovered
The discovery of an unusual early medieval buckle in Czechia has allowed researchers to make a connection with three almost identical objects. A new study reveals where and why they were made.
Crime and Punishment in the Reign of Vlad the Impaler
In the medieval stories, many made up by the Transylvanian Saxons at the end of the fifteenth century and sent to the Hungarian king, Vlad is presented as a vicious and bloody ruler who used to impale hundreds or thousands of people.
The Life of Vlad the Impaler: A Timeline (1429-1476)
A look at the events that took place in southeastern Europe during the fifteenth century and the role that Vlad III, Voivode of Wallachia, would play in its many conflicts.
Medieval kitchen discovered in Czech Republic
Archaeologists working in the Czech Republic have discovered the remains of a kitchen dating back to the 15th century. Many items have been found in remarkable condition, including pots with their lids intact and kitchen utensils.
Jan Hus and the Bohemian Reformation
Before Martin Luther, there was Jan Hus, a Czech firebrand whose death at the stake sparked off a fire that five Crusades could not extinguish.
Remembering a Wallachian Ruler: Neagoe Basarab
2021 marks 500 years since the death of Prince Neagoe Basarab who ruled the principality of Wallachia (now part of modern Romania) between 1512 and 1521.
The Emperor in Politics and Love: The Four Wives of Charles IV
Here are the stories of these four wives and their marriages to the emperor.
The Response of the West to the Mongol Invasion: 1241-1242
Examining the reports and events from the early years of the Mongol invasion into Europe.
The Protector of Mount Athos
The Moldavian rulers, and in particular Prince Stephen III (r. 1457–1504), took an increasingly active interest in the monastic communities on the Holy Mountain.
Christmas Traditions in the Hidden Corners of Europe
Celebrating the Christmas season in the Carpathian Mountains
New Digital Resource: Mapping Eastern Europe
One of the challenges of historians of the Middle Ages is to learn what research is being done across Eastern Europe. We have set up a new digital resource to help scholars connect with each other and their projects, and students and the wider public learn about current research.
Vlad III Țepeș: The man who inspired Dracula
The story of Vlad III Tepes – the prince himself, his brutal reign, and the historical context in which he lived.
Byzantium in Eastern Europe
Alice Isabella Sullivan and Maria Alessia Rossi preview their new book Byzantium in Eastern European Visual Culture in the Late Middle Ages
Dreaming of Constantinople after the Failed Ottoman Siege of Vienna
The failure of the Ottoman campaign against Vienna in 1529 had further consequences beyond the center of the conflict. This event seems to have given new hope to traumatized Christian rulers and their subjects that perhaps the Ottoman armies could be halted from their steady advances into Europe.
The Ottomans in Medieval Eastern Europe
How the Ottomans expanded into medieval Eastern Europe – an overview from the 14th century to the 16th century.
Eastern Europe in the Middle Ages: What, Where, When
Alice Isabella Sullivan is a new columnist at Medievalists.net, working on Eastern Europe in the Middle Ages. In her first post, she aims to define what Eastern Europe actually is.
Medieval sword found in Belarus
A medieval sword was discovered in the eastern part of Belarus, along the banks of the Berezina river in the city of Bobruisk
Intercultural relations of the inhabitants of Polish territory in the 9th and 10th centuries
This chapter discusses the influence that neighbours had on the population of Poland in the period in question, and vice-versa. The aim is to demonstrate the diverse cultural models that were reaching Polish lands in the 9th and 10th centuries.
The Prussian Uprisings: A Story of Knights, Pagans, Traitors, and Miracles
Before 1242, the Teutonic Order was a rising power in the Baltic. The Knights had conquered most of Prussia, incorporated the Livonian Order, and were pressing into Russia; in a few short years they would be fighting for their very survival.
Medieval Geopolitics: The Northern Crusades as a “Penitential War”
In this column, I look at the next phase in history of the Northern Crusades: that of “penitential war.”
Medieval Geopolitics: What were the Northern Crusades?
I am going to sketch a very brief history of the so-called “Northern Crusades” – that is, the crusades undertaken by the Christian kings of Denmark, Poland and Sweden, the various German military orders, and their allies against the pagan peoples of the southern and eastern shores of the Baltic Sea.
The Justification of Tyrannicide in the Chronicle of Dalimil. The Czech Nobility as the “Mystical Body” of the Realm
Dating from the early 14th century (1309-1314), the Chronicle of Dalimil reflects the political attitudes of this pivotal period.
The Image of the Cumans in Medieval Chronicles
The Cumans who inhabited the Eurasian steppe from the mid-eleventh to thirteenth century and led a nomadic way of life were a Turkic nomadic people, representing the western branch of the Cumans-Qipchak confederation