Villain or Defender of the Faith? The Complex Life of Thomas Arundel
Was Thomas Arundel a ruthless persecutor or a defender of the English Church? Chris Given-Wilson’s new book revisits one of the most powerful—and controversial—figures of late medieval England, revealing a far more complex man behind the reputation.
Three Heresiologists of the 12th-century: Zigabenos, Kamateros, and Choniates, with Alessandra Buccosi, Niccolò Zorzi, Marco Fanelli, and Ottavia Mazzon
A conversation on three twelfth-century heresiological texts, the challenges of publishing and studying them, and the ways their central concerns can be presented in a museum exhibition.
Heresiology in the Twelfth Century, with Alessandra Bucossi
On Byzantium & Friends, a conversation with Alessandra Bucossi on the preoccupation with heresy in the twelfth century, which resulted in the production of a number of massive anti-heretical treatises.
The Language of Heresy with Erin Wagner
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Erin Wagner about what late medieval people meant when they used the word heresy, how the usage evolved, and how medieval people applied ideas of heresy beyond the borders of Christianity.
Did the Inquisition Allow Heresy to Endure? Lessons from the 1335 Trial in Giaveno
A 1335 trial in Giaveno reveals the flaws of the medieval Inquisition—fragmentation, community resistance, and gender bias—that allowed heresy to endure despite brutal methods.
Joan of Arc’s Heretical Tree of Domrémy
The tree represented a useful trump card for Joan’s judges in order to convict her of heresy and eventually burn her at the stake
Beyond Love Songs: Troubadours and Cathars
Exploring the theories that support and deny Cathar influence within the troubadours’ compositions.
An Anchoress Burned at the Stake
Catherine Sauve’s time as an anchoress in Montpellier was brief, but it ended with her execution. Why was she burned at the stake?
Were the Cathars even real?
The Cathars are one of the most well-known heresies in medieval Europe. But how much do we know about them? In this episode, Lucie Laumonier interviews Jean-Paul Rehr about the mythical Cathars and a peculiar inquisition record drafted near Toulouse in the thirteenth century.
A Five-Minute Guide to the Cathars
Here is a quick, five-minute guide to one of the most popular spiritual movements of the Middle Ages.
The Holy Spirit in Female Form: Medieval Tales of Faith and Heresy
The stories of Guglielma of Milan and Na Prous Boneta of Montpelier – how they became associated with the Holy Spirit – and how the Catholic Church responded to them.
The Shadow of the Cross: Book Tour and Giveaway!
Graphic novel fans! Today, we’re hosting day 2 of Dmitry Yakhovsky‘s Book Tour and running an international contest to give away a copy of his…
BOOK REVIEW: The Lady Agnes Mystery – Volume I
A review of the Lady Agnes Mystery by Parisienne author, Andrea Japp.
Cathar or Catholic: Treading the line between popular piety and heresy in Occitania, 1022-1271
This paper will explain the origins of popular piety and religious reform in medieval Europe before focusing in on two specific movements, the Patarenes and Henry of Lausanne, the first of which became an acceptable form of reform while the other remained a heretic.
Shadow of the Sword (The Headsman)
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau gives us a sympathetic Headsman in Reformation Austria, in the ‘Shadow of the Sword (The Headsman)’.
BOOKS: Medieval Ireland
In celebration of St. Patrick’s Day, here are some great books on medieval Ireland!
The Patriarch Alexios Stoudites and the Reinterpretation of Justinianic Legislation against Heretics
Using normative legal sources such as law codes and imperial novels to illuminate Byzantine heresy is a very difficult proposition. One of the great problems in the analysis of Byzantine law in general is that the normative legal sources rarely were adapted to subsequent economic, political, or social conditions.
10 Terrifying Reads for Halloween!
Here are some spooky medieval books for you to celebrate with over Halloween!
The Kingdom, the Power and the Glory: the Albigensian Crusade and the Subjugation of the Languedoc
In March of 1208, Pope Innocent III preached the Albigensian Crusade. The crusade, which covered an area from Agen to Avignon and the Pyrenees to Cahors, initiated a new phase in the already strained relationship between the Catholic Church and the Languedoc.
The Adamites: Hippie Heretics of the Middle Ages
Wandering through forests and hills, some of them fell into such insanity that men and women threw off their clothes and went nude, saying that clothes had been adopted because of the sin of the first parents, but that they were in a state of innocence.
Women, Heresy, and Crusade: Toward a Context for Jacques de Vitry’s Relationship to the Early Beguines
Grundmann‘s search for a founding figure is understandable in light of the problematic nature of Beguine institutional history. Beguine historiography has long struggled with the anomalous lack of clear foundation documents and accounts.
Boundaries in the making – Historiography and the isolation of late medieval Bohemia
This paper deals with an episode of early 15th century Bohemian history. During the so-called Hussite wars, a coalition of Catholic powers tried to establish a far-reaching blockade on trade and commerce against the kingdom of Bohemia, which then was considered to be a hotbed of heresy, and to be rebellious against its legitimate ruler and the papal church.
Why Study Heresy in the Later Middle Ages?
An interview of Dr. Rob Lutton by Tom O’Loughlin for the University of Nottingham’s Department of Theology and Religious Studies