Ten Medieval Warrior Women
There are many examples of women who took up arms or commanded armies during the Middle Ages. Here is our list of ten medieval warrior women.
Brother vs brother in 15th-century Castile: The Battle of Olmedo in 1467
During the mid-fifteenth century, the Kingdom of Castile was involved in a bloody set of three large battles to determine whether its king would prevail over the nobles in a kind of Spanish Wars of the Roses.
Gunpowder, Cannons, and Military History with Cliff Rogers
During the Late Middle Ages, warfare began to change with the rise of gunpowder weapons. But is every medieval gunpowder recipe actually effective? This week, Danièle speaks with Clifford J. Rogers about his gunpowder experiments at West Point Military Academy, how small variations might affect each recipe, and why a modern military academy needs a medievalist.
Siege of Tournai (1340)
After his victory at the Battle of Sluys, Edward III leads a coalition of England, Flanders, Hainaut, Brabant and the Holy Roman Empire against the French city of Tournai. In this episode of Bow & Blade, Michael Livingston and Kelly DeVries tell us about a siege involving complex alliances, starvation and the money problems of a medieval ruler.
The Battle of Sluys (1340)
In the early stages of the Hundred Years’ War, the English and French naval forces fight a battle just off the coast of…
The Battle of Falkirk (1298)
William Wallace comes up against King Edward I in a fight for Scotland. Will the battle be like what you see in the movie Braveheart? This episode of Bow and Blade has Michael and Kelly looking at the English-Scottish wars of the late 13th century.
Why was 11th-century England so conquerable?
The fifth Q&A episode of Bow and Blade. Michael Livingston and Kelly DeVries answer your questions. Topics include: Kings on the battlefield, Brunanburh, Richard III, raids from Iberia, and who would be the medieval person to share a drink with.
Women in the Crusades with Helen Nicholson
From supplying food and medical treatment, to lending emotional and financial support, to occasionally engaging in combat, women were to be found in and around every major conflict of the Middle Ages. This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Helen J. Nicholson about the role of women in the most famous clashes of the medieval period: the crusades.
The Siege of Acre (1291)
It’s the event marking the end of the Crusader States in the Near East. In this episode of Bow & Blade, Michael and Kelly talk about how the Mamluks conquered the city of Acre in 1291.
Warfare in Medieval Iceland
How did Icelanders raise troops, conduct campaigns, and fight battles, both on land and sea?
The Battle of Poitiers (1356)
England and France are again battling it out in this episode of Bow & Blade. Michael and Kelly focus on this battle from the Hundred Years’ War, where Edward the Black Prince would face off against King John II
A Messianic Uprising in Kufa: al-Mukhtar’s Revolt in 685-687
Al-Mukhtar’s two-year rebellion was an episode of a greater historical event known as the Second Civil War or Second Fitna (680-692).
Five things you can learn from a Ninja
Some unusual tricks and tips to help a ninja succeed as a spy and warrior.
Fighting in a Mine: Was it the Ultimate Deed of Arms?
The dark and confined space of a medieval mine was not a place where you wanted to fight a battle. Yet, doing so carried a special significance for knights and men-at-arms.
Armour and the Knight in Life and Afterlife
The medieval knight was defined by his armour, which set him apart from other fighting men. However, the study of knightly armour poses a number of daunting challenges.
New study re-examines the death of Edward the Black Prince
Whatever disease killed Edward the Black Prince—heir apparent to the English throne in the 14th century—is unlikely to have been chronic dysentery, as is commonly believed, according to a study in the journal BMJ Military Health.
The Scourges of the Desert: The Triumph and Fall of the Qaramita of Bahrayn
In the second part of this look at the Qaramita, it is revealed how they challenged both the Abbasids and Fatimids before ultimately disappearing in the eleventh century.
The Mongol Invasions of Japan
In the thirteenth century, aided by suicidal courage, remarkable skill, and unbelievable luck, the samurai dared to resist the Mongol steamroller – and lived to tell the tale.
The Sack of Thessaloniki in 904
It was in the summer of that year that a messenger from the Byzantine emperor Leo VI rushed into town with terrible news: Leo of Tripoli was on his way to attack Thessaloniki.
The Battle of the Milvian Bridge (312)
One of the most important battles within the Roman Empire, the Battle of the Milvian Bridge is also famous as a defining moment…
Greek Fire: The first chemical weapon?
Since ancient times, civilizations have feared fire, but of all the early attempts to use it as a controllable and effective weapon, none is as intriguing as the mysterious substance that today we call ‘Greek fire’.
The Scottish Wars of Independence with Iain MacInnes
In the mid-1990s, a little movie called Braveheart introduced a whole new generation to Scotland’s fight for freedom in the Middle Ages. This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Iain MacInnes about Scotland’s Wars of Independence, why a sovereign kingdom had to fight for independence in the first place, and why the story doesn’t end with the Battle of Bannockburn.
The Origins of the Gunpowder Age
A look at the invention and innovations of gunpowder weapons in China and Europe during the Middle Ages
The Assassins in Fact and Fiction
Perhaps no other group from the Middle Ages has sparked modern-day imaginations like the Assassins. Viewed as mystical and deadly, they were said to be led in Syria by a charismatic figure known as the Old Man of the Mountain. What can we really know about them?