The Daily Life of a Medieval King
Have you wondered what a medieval king did on a typical day? Thanks to Christine de Pizan, we have an account of what daily life was like for King Charles V of France.
”Taken into the king’s hands”: Prisoners of War and English Kings
Let us begin with a tale of two kings, both of whom were taken prisoner in battle. They were both Scottish kings, taken in attempts to invade England. While the accounts of their capture are interesting in themselves, this article is more interested in what happened after they were captured.
From reformed barbarian to “saint-king”: literary portrayals of King Malcolm III Canmore (r. 1058-93) in Scottish historical narratives, c. 1100- 1449
It examines how King Malcolm went from being considered a barbaric king of Scots reformed by the influence of his second wife, Saint Margaret of Scotland (d. 1093), to the Scottish prince exiled in England by Macbeth (r. 1040-1057/8).
Stefan Nemanja: A Case Of Sacral Kingship
This PhD thesis investigates how the successors to the first ruler of an amalgamation of Serb lands, the Raškan Serb Veliki Župan, Stefan Nemanja, sought to create legitimacy for what otherwise may have been the passing successes of one local chieftain.
After Soissons: The Last Years of Charles the Simple (923-929)
In August 923, Charles the Simple was imprisoned by Count Heribert II of Vermandois, spending the rest of his life in prison. The six years between his imprisonment and his death, however, have never been the focus of a sustained study.
The Medieval Magazine No. 99 (Volume 3, No. 16) : The Anniversary Issue!
The Anniversary Issue! Medievalists.net turns 9 this September! This issue will celebrate our favourite things about the Middle Ages from travel, to art, fashion, books and events.
10 Medieval Royal Parents Whose Decisions Influence the Lives of Royal Children Today
From royal baby names to marrying for love – how five medieval English couples influence the lives of royal children today.
The Role Of Ritual And Ceremonial In The Reign Of Edward I
The following paper will explore occasions of ceremony and ritual linked to King Edward I as an arbiter of royal power, as well as consider the means by which he utilized the influence of his position and the majesty of the monarchy to affirm and reinforce his extensive authority.
The Measure of a King: Forging English Royal Reputations, 1066-1272
The good, the bad, the inept, the brave and the foolish – English historiography is peppered with remarkable kings whose reputations cling to them despite the best efforts of historians. Yet what is it that makes a king?
The Emergence of “Regnal” Sovereignty at the Turn of the Fourteenth Century
By Andrew Latham Introduction As the 13th century ended, two basic models of sovereignty – understood as the supreme authority to command, legislate…
Royalit: What Did Medieval Kings Read?
We know that medieval kings and queens did read. The question of the day is: what did they read?
The Life of Lady Katherine Gordon
This week, Susan Abernethy brings us an article on Lady Katherine Gordon.
The Longest and Shortest Reigns of the Middle Ages
Queen Elizabeth II has reigned for over 63 years – how does this compare to medieval rulers?
Rituals of Royalty: Prescription, Politics and Practice in English Coronation and Royal Funeral Rituals c. 1327 to c. 1485
This thesis examines English royal ritual culture in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, focusing specifically upon the rituals of coronation and funeral.
10 Men Who Almost Became the King of England
English history might have been very different if they had Eustace, Alphonso or Louis on the throne – here are ten men who nearly became the King of England in the Middle Ages.
BOOKS: Medieval Ireland
In celebration of St. Patrick’s Day, here are some great books on medieval Ireland!
The King’s Courts and the King’s Soul: Pardoning as Almsgiving in Medieval England
This paper examines the workings of the English royal courts in the thirteenth century through one of their practices—pardoning—and argues that the king and his officials could see courts not just as venues for justice, but also as institutions through which the king could see to the health of his own soul.
The Prologue to Alfred’s Law Code: Instruction in the Spirit of Mercy
The Prologue to Alfred’s Law Code: Instruction in the Spirit of Mercy Michael Treschow Florilegium: Volume 13 (1994) Abstract Alfred’s law code tends…
Intellectual Cartographic Spaces: Alfonso X, the Wise and the Foundation of the Studium Generale of Seville
This dissertation, “Intellectual Cartographic Spaces: Alfonso X, the Wise and the Foundations of the Studium Generale of Seville,” I reevaluate Spain’s medieval history, specifically focusing on the role of Alfonso X and his court in the development of institutions of higher education in thirteenth-century Andalusia.
Dynastic Intrigues and Domestic Realities during the Reigns of Andrew I and Bela I
In the mid-1030s, the cousin of King Stephen I of Hungary, Prince Vazul (the son of Michael, the younger brother of Geza, Stephen’s father) conspired to assassinate the elderly and ailing king.
Rose without Thorn, Eagle without Feathers: Nation and Power in Late Medieval England and Germany
It is hard at times to take the Agincourt Carol entirely seriously. Patriotism of such brash exuberance seems more properly to belong in a brightly lit Laurence Olivier world of mid twentieth-century medievalism than amid the grim and tangled realities of fifteenth- century politics and war.
The Lit de Justice: Semantics, Ceremonial, and the Parlement of Paris, 1300–1600
The curious phrase lit de justice originated in the fourteenth century and by the first decade of the fifteenth century designated particularly important royal sessions of the Parlement of Paris.
The Birth of the Monarchy out of Violent Death
There were many motives for murdering a king.
The Uses Made of History by the Kings of Medieval England
The kings of medieval England, besides using history for the entertainment of themselves and their courts, turned it to practical purposes. They plundered history-books for precedents and other evidences to justify their claims and acts. They also recognised its value as propaganda, to bolster up their positions at home and strengthen their hands abroad.