Can You Solve These Ten Medieval Mathematical Riddles?
Explore ten medieval math riddles written by Alcuin of York, the great scholar of Charlemagne’s court. These clever puzzles from the early Middle Ages reveal how medieval students learned logic, numbers, and reasoning — and they’re still fun to solve today.
The Making of Monty Python and the Holy Grail: Chaos, Castles, and Comedy
Explore the chaotic, low-budget making of Monty Python and the Holy Grail—from castles and coconuts to comedy legends and cult success.
Trial by Combat and Fire: The Strangest Way to Settle a Medieval Religious Dispute
A medieval king turned to trial by combat and fire to decide a religious dispute in Spain — one of the strangest episodes of the Middle Ages.
Why Did the Medieval Irish Bury Butter?
Why did the medieval Irish bury butter in peat bogs? Discover the surprising reasons behind bog butter, from preservation and protection to ritual offerings and curious modern finds.
Trees in the Middle Ages: The Good and The Bad
Explore the symbolic world of medieval trees—sacred lindens, deadly yews, and feared walnuts—in faith, folklore, and daily life
Ten Medieval Kings Who Died While Hunting
Discover ten medieval kings who met their end while hunting, from fatal falls to arrows gone astray, revealing the deadly risks of royal sport.
Farewell to the ‘Cathar Castles’: Languedoc’s Fortresses Seek UNESCO Recognition
The rebranded Royal Fortresses of Languedoc—long known as the ‘Cathar Castles’—highlight France’s medieval military heritage in a new UNESCO bid.
Medieval Movies Coming Soon to a Cinema Near You
From gritty tales of vengeance to historical horror and epic legends, discover the most anticipated medieval films in development — including The Peasant, Rapture, and Robert Eggers’ Werwulf.
“Standing on the Shoulders of Giants”: Revisiting Bernard of Chartres’ Metaphor and Its Hidden Legacy
A look at the medieval origins and deeper meaning behind the metaphor of standing on the shoulders of giants.
René of Anjou: The Medieval King Without a Kingdom
A royal with grand titles and no throne, René of Anjou left behind not an empire but a legacy of art, poetry, and grace.
The Seagull, the Dog and the Cockle: A Hidden Scene in the Bayeux Tapestry
One interpretation of a curious scene in the Bayeux Tapestry suggests a seagull using a dog to open a cockle—offering a rare glimpse of everyday life on the Norman beaches before the 1066 invasion.
Marked by Faith: Tattoos and the Christian Body in the Middle Ages
Tattoos in the Middle Ages? While often associated with criminals or pagans, these marks on the skin could also signal Christian devotion, sacred journeys, and personal identity in unexpected ways.
Earrings and Infamy: The Male Ear in the Medieval Imagination
Explore how male earrings were viewed in the Middle Ages—from symbols of infamy and foreignness to fashionable adornments—through art, religion, and cultural transformation.
Did Medieval People Discover Dinosaurs? Rethinking Fossils in the Middle Ages
Could medieval people have found dinosaur bones? This article explores how fossils may have shaped medieval legends, religious relics, and monstrous beasts long before science named them.
Timur the Lame’s Pyramids of Skulls: Terror as a Medieval Imperial Strategy
Discover how Timur the Lame used pyramids of human skulls to instil fear, crush resistance, and build a brutal medieval empire.
The Wolf of Gubbio: How a Man-Eating Beast Became a Saint’s Brother
Discover the medieval legend of the Wolf of Gubbio, a fearsome beast tamed by Saint Francis of Assisi. Was it a miracle, a metaphor, or a message about peace and power?
The Twenty Medieval Sieges of Constantinople
Discover the twenty medieval sieges of Constantinople, from early attacks by Avars and Arabs to the city’s final fall in 1453.
The Iron Maiden Never Existed – But Louis XI’s Medieval Prison Reforms Did
One of the most infamous images of medieval cruelty—the Iron Maiden—was never used in the Middle Ages. But a real reform by King Louis XI of France, the ‘fillettes,’ tells a different story about medieval justice.
The Hidden Financiers: Women’s Role in Medieval Commerce
Discover how medieval women—noblewomen, abbesses, and merchants—played vital roles in managing estates, running businesses, and shaping the economic life of the Middle Ages.
How Swaddling Shaped Infant Skeletons in the Middle Ages
Swaddling was a common practice in medieval Europe, believed to protect and strengthen infants — but archaeological research shows it may have had unintended effects on their developing skeletons.
Were War Elephants Really Used During the Crusades?
Were war elephants actually used during the Crusades? Discover how history, art, and medieval imagination shaped Western perceptions of these towering beasts.
Can We Build a Forest from It or Not? Investigating the Relics of the True Cross
Did the relics of the True Cross really add up to a whole forest? This article explores medieval claims, 12th-century letters, and the ongoing debate over the authenticity of Christianity’s most famous relic.
A Vision from Heaven: The Dream That Inspired Cluny’s Great Church
Discover how a divine vision experienced by the monk Gunzo inspired the construction of Cluny III, the largest church in medieval Christendom. A story of faith, architecture, and the heavenly mandate that shaped a monastic masterpiece.
What Medieval Women Read
Explore the private libraries of Marie de Berry and Jeanne d’Artois to discover what medieval women read. Their collections reveal the intellectual, devotional, and medical interests of noblewomen in the Late Middle Ages.
