The Swan Knight and His Medieval Legacy
Explore how the Swan Knight legend influenced medieval nobility, inspiring castles, heraldry, and secret orders across Europe.
How to Buy a Medieval Warhorse
Owning a warhorse was more than a necessity for medieval knights—it was a symbol of their status and a critical asset in battle. England’s warrior aristocracy had multiple avenues to secure these prized animals, ranging from bustling horse fairs to deals with foreign merchants and independent traders.
New Medieval Books: The Book of the Deeds of the Good Knight Jacques de Lalaing
A translation of a 15th-century account of a young knight from Burgundy. Jacques de Lalaing was only 32 years old when he died, but he had already become quite famous for his success in tournaments as well as his military career.
The Huntsman’s Redemption
Given the longstanding vigour of criticisms of participation in the hunt in the 13th century, any saint’s life, which opened with a hunting scene, would have immediately signalled to readers or listeners that the unfolding story would reveal a deeper character flaw.
Medieval Masculinity: The Evolution of the Ideal Male Body in the High Middle Ages
Discover how medieval knights balanced physical fitness and spiritual holiness in the High Middle Ages, reshaping the ideal male body. Explore the evolution of masculine virtues through the lens of chivalry, monastic influence, and the crusades.
A Beginner’s Guide to Chivalry
Here’s a quick and easy beginner’s guide to chivalry as it was understood by the knights who lived it and wrote about it.
How to be a Knight: Advice from Le Jouvencel
Here are ten of De Bueil’s best pieces of advice for those who wish to become renowned, honourable, and victorious knights.
Medieval Storytime, Knightly Edition
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle reads stories from the biographies of two of the Middle Ages’ greatest knights, William Marshal and Boucicaut, as well as revisiting the famous Combat of the Thirty.
The Medieval Knight with Christopher Gravett
Knights in the Middle Ages were expert horsemen, pious defenders of the church, property managers, courteous entertainers, reciters of poetry, military leaders, and stone-cold killers. This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Christopher Gravett on what was knighthood, how one became a knight, and knights in the modern media.
Two Different Views of Knighthood in the Early Fifteenth-Century: Le Livre de Bouciquaut and the Works of Christine de Pizan
This article contends that the view of knighthood defended by the author of the biography was strikingly different in many ways from that held by Christine.
The knighthood in and around late medieval Brussels
This case study contributes to ongoing debates on the position and status of late medieval knighthood.
Identity and Posthuman Medievalism in Sons of Anarchy
The medievalism of the FX television series Sons of Anarchy (2008-2014) is not inherently obvious. Set in Northern California, the series follows a fictional outlaw motorcycle club (MC) modeled on real gangs including the Hells Angels. Critics, fans, and creators alike discuss the series as an extended adaptation of Hamlet, and the broad narrative of the series is indeed a family tragedy.
Friendship, Betrayal, War: “Soldier of God” Movie Review
A Templar and a Muslim; their strange friendship is the premise of this week’s movie based in the 12th century immediately after the disastrous Battle of Hattin.
Those who pray, those who work, those who fight
When people first start learning about the Middle Ages, one of the first concepts they are told was that medieval society was divided into three groups – those who pray, such as priests and monks; those who work, like farmers; and those who fight, the warrior class. How did this idea get started and what does it actually mean?
Sir Gawain Gets an 80s Reboot: The Sword of the Valiant Movie Review
This week, we have the retelling of the epic Arthurian romance of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight in this 1984 fantasy reboot.
Magna Carta Conference Offers New Insights Into The 800-year-old Document
Magna Carta just celebrated its 800th birthday this past Monday. In honour of this incredible milestone, King’s College London, and the Magna Carta Project, hosted a 3 day conference dedicated to this historic document.
Genre Medievalisms: Geek Goes Chic!
Is Cersei a collection of bad medieval stereotypes? Have nerds gone mainstream? Were American cowboys a modern retelling of the medieval knight? Put down that comic, put away your bag of dice, and indulge your inner nerd.
Knights’ Tales: Looking at Representations of the Knight on Film
The present paper will focus on different portrayals of the knight in English-speaking films. What medieval features are kept? To what extent is accuracy important? How do these films contribute to our own modern day view of the knight and the Middle Ages?
BOOKS: Medieval Ireland
In celebration of St. Patrick’s Day, here are some great books on medieval Ireland!
The Anglo-Saxon War-Culture and The Lord of the Rings: Legacy and Reappraisal
The literature of war in English claims its origin from the Homeric epics, and the medieval accounts of chivalry and the crusades.
Medieval Books for Christmas
It’s that time of year again – the mad scramble for the perfect Christmas gift for the historian, nerd, avid reader on your list. Here are a few suggestions for you – new releases for December and January!
Crafting the witch: Gendering magic in medieval and early modern England
This project documents and analyzes the gendered transformation of magical figures occurring in Arthurian romance in England from the twelfth to the sixteenth centuries.
Beyond the Border. The aristocratic mobility between the kingdoms of Portugal and León (1157- 1230)
During the reigns of Fernando II and Alfonso IX, the kingdom of León became home to several Portuguese aristocrats. Their relations with the Galician and Leonese nobility helped them create many cross-border ties and a powerful network of family-based relationships which heavily influenced the course of the main political conflicts of this period.
Late Medieval Knight Reflecting on his Public Life: Hugo de Urriés (c. 1405-c. 1493), Diplomacy and Translating the Classics
This article focuses on Aragonese courtier Hugo de Urriés’s public profile by means of analyzing the critical points derived from examining his personal, political, cultural and historical stands making use of an invaluable primary source, his letter to Fernando the Catholic in the early 1490s.
