Medieval Horror, Epistemic Fear, and the Cloud of Unknowing
Examines ideas about the horror genre through the late 14th-century Middle English work, The Cloud of Unknowing.
This medieval lament about a lost love will leave you heartbroken
It is rare to find a work from the Middle Ages about a lost love – even more rare that these words are written by a Byzantine emperor. However, this is the case of Theodore II Laskaris and the heartfelt lament for his wife Elena.
What can we learn about the Middle Ages from its literature?
Five ways we learn from reading medieval fiction alongside our history books.
New Medieval Books: The Story of Attila in Prose
This book gives the text and English translation of a 13th-century fictional account of the wars of Attila the Hun against Christians. It includes a subplot where Sarah, Queen of Padua leads her people away from the Huns and founds the city of Venice.
Right-handed or Left-handed? A Medieval View
Was it really bad to be left-handed in the Middle Ages? Or was it better than being right-handed? The ninth-century writer of all things unusual, al-Jahiz, weighs in.
Beyond the chessboard: Adventures in Abbasid literature and historiography
An exploration of the ways in which the Abbasid court made sense of the past and, in general, of what ‘historiography’ means in a medieval Arabic context.
How England’s oldest joke book answers your questions
What cannot freeze? What came first: the chicken or the egg? You can find out the answers to these questions from England’s oldest joke book.
Sayings from a Viking god
When the Norse god Odin offers advice, one should probably listen.
Leonardo da Vinci wrote these great fables
Leonardo da Vinci was an artist, inventor, engineer and scientist, but he also found time to write little fables for himself.
Medieval Storytime: A Spicy Snack
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle takes a quick moment out of summer vacation to bring you a (mildly) spicy story from medieval Italy about a jealous husband and his quick-witted wife.
New Medieval Books: Fate the Hunter
A collection of 26 poems and one prose piece from the pre-Islamic and early Islamic eras, focused on hunting, a hugely important activity among the Arabs.
Wisdom from a Medieval King
Are you looking for some wise advice? Perhaps the wisdom that came from King Aldfrith of Northumbria will offer you some answers.
John Gower with Eve Salisbury and Georgiana Donavin
Everyone’s heard of Geoffrey Chaucer, but he wasn’t the only poet writing powerful and political verse in fourteenth-century London. This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Eve Salisbury and Georgiana Donavin about John Gower, his poetry, and why we should all get to know him.
Medieval comedy performance discovered in 15th century manuscript
‘By me, Richard Heege, because I was at that feast and did not have a drink.’
‘While the cat’s away, the mouse is seen scurrying about’: 25 Medieval Proverbs
Here are 25 of our favourite medieval proverbs from The Well-Laden Ship.
Introducing Chrétien de Troyes
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle introduces Chrétien de Troyes, a thirteenth-century master of Arthurian literature and one of the most influential writers of all time.
15 Medieval Jokes that are actually pretty funny!
Poggio Bracciolini’s 15th-century joke book is all about sex, money and religion.
How Roman de Silence speaks to today’s debate on gender identity
The modern-day debate about gender identity can take some lessons from a 13th-century story. Researchers at the University of Warwick worked with a professional storyteller to bring Roman de Silence to new audiences.
New Medieval Books: Kalīlah and Dimnah: Fables of Virtue and Vice
Kalīlah and Dimnah: Fables of Virtue and Vice By Ibn al-Muqaffaʿ Translated by Michael Fishbein and James E. Montgomery New York University Press…
New Medieval Books: The Doctors’ Dinner Party by Ibn Butlan
One does not often see works of satire from the Middle Ages, so this will be of interest to those who want to know more about medieval humour.
Dragons! with Scott Bruce
A conversation with Scott Bruce about dragons, ancient, medieval, and early modern, from around the world. Where did our “canonical” image of the dragon come from? What other kinds of dragons existed? What did dragons mean in different cultures?
The Medieval Swan with Natalie Goodison
In the Middle Ages, swans could be found everywhere from ponds, lakes, and moats, to shields, tombs, and stories. This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Natalie Goodison about how these beautiful birds have made a lasting impact on Western culture in wide-ranging and unexpected ways.
New Medieval Books: A History of Chinese Literature
Although an overview of Chinese literature over the last few thousand years, much of it deals with writings and poetry from the medieval period, with the Tang and Song dynasties getting a lot of the focus.
The Wife of Bath with Marion Turner
Unfiltered, opinionated, and joyful, the Wife of Bath stands out from Chaucer’s Canterbury crowd, interjecting, interrupting, and endearing herself to readers for over six centuries. This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Marion Turner about the literary life and legacy of this unforgettable character.