Medieval skincare routines were remarkably similar to modern versions, study finds
For centuries people have been trying to take care of their skin, making use of many different products, recipes and practices. A new study focusing on the works of the famous medieval doctor Trotula de Ruggiero reveals a skincare routine that is an “extraordinary combination of tradition and modernity.”
Conference: The Other Sister: New Research on Non-Cloistered Religious Women (1100-1800)
You can attend in person or online for this conference, which takes place at the University of Toronto from May 18th – 20th.
New Medieval Books: Women, Dance and Parish Religion in England, 1300-1640
Those interested in how people decide what is immoral or sinful will find this a particularly fascinating case study. It tells the story of how one practice goes from something that people think is good to something that is seen as evil.
New Medieval Books: Hawking Women: Falconry, Gender, and Control in Medieval Literary Culture
An examination of medieval texts about falconry and other literature and what it can tells us about attitudes towards women, and how women themselves challenged those views.
Medieval Women’s Letters
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle shares letters written by some of the most iconic women of the Middle Ages, including Empress Matilda, Eleanor of Aquitaine, and Christine de Pizan.
The Once and Future Sex with Eleanor Janega
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Eleanor Janega about medieval womanhood, the ideal feminine body in the Middle Ages, and how past perceptions of women’s roles are still affecting society today.
Women’s labor, with Anna Kelley
A conversation with Anna Kelley about women’s labor and occupations in the Roman and later Roman Empire. It turns out that they may have engaged in more types of business and workshop production, especially in textile manufacture and marketing, than contemporary gender norms suggest.
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.
Women’s Work in Catalonia with Sarah Ifft Decker
We know that women in the Middle Ages worked and contributed in vital ways to their families and communities, but where do we find the evidence? And what can it tell us? This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Sarah Ifft Decker about women’s work in medieval Catalonia, how we can trace it, and how it differed from city to city and faith to faith.
A medieval chronicle written by a woman: The Annals of Quedlinburg
Relatively few surviving works from the Middle Ages were written by women. One of them is a monastic chronicle known as the Annals of Quedlinburg, created in the early eleventh century. A look into this work reveals some interesting insights into the writer and her abbey.
Affection, Indifference, Violence: The Bonds between Servants and Masters in Medieval Montpellier
The records from southern France can reveal much about domestic servants in the Middle Ages. What can they tell us about the relationship between these servants and their masters?
Who worked as servants in the Middle Ages?
A look at the women, men and children who worked as domestic servants in medieval southern France, based on hundreds of records from in and around the city of Montpellier.
Medieval Scottish Women with Elizabeth Ewan
On this episode of Scotichronicast, Kate is joined by Elizabeth Ewan as they talk about women in medieval Scotland, focusing on some court cases and what women did for work.
The story of a Rusian Princess who became a European Empress
Her story is a fascinating one, and one which sheds light not only on Rus and the German Empire, but on relations throughout Europe.
Biocodicology and Birth Girdles with Sarah Fiddyment
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Dr. Sarah Fiddyment about a mind-blowingly simple way of collecting biological information from parchment, what it can tell us, and what it reveals about how a late medieval birth girdle was used.
How women from Rus influenced names in Medieval Europe
Several kings in medieval Europe were named Philip and Valdemar. Those names may not have existed if not for Rus women.
When did women “bind up” their hair, and why?, with Gabriel Radle
Byzantium & Friends is hosted by Anthony Kaldellis, Professor and Chair of the Department of Classics at The Ohio State University. You can follow him on his personal website.
You can listen to more episodes of Byzantium & Friends through Podbean, Spotify or Apple Podcasts
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Learning to Read and Write: Women’s Education in the Middle Ages
This article explores the ins and outs of female literacy in the Middle Ages.
Christine de Pizan: Women’s Most Famous Medieval Defender
Despite centuries of obscurity, one of the most popular authors of the medieval period is slowly finding her place in the literary canon restored. Said to have been the first professional woman writer, Christine de Pizan’s life and career rivalled that of any of her better-known male counterparts, and believe it or not, she used that popularity to highlight women’s strengths and struggles.
Princess Olga: A Medieval Hero for Modern Ukraine
Princess Olga, the tenth-century ruler of Kyiv and all Rus, is a fitting figure to represent the current Ukrainian challenge given her wit, wisdom, and fighting spirit.
The Past and Present of Abortion in Medieval Law
Abortion is once again in the spotlight in the United States, as its Supreme Court is set to uphold a law limiting this right. How do medieval laws and views on abortion play a role in this issue?
Medieval Scottish Women and the Crusades with Gordon Reynolds
In this episode of Scotichronicast, Kate Buchanan is joined by Gordon Reynolds to discuss his work on how women supported the crusades and his Instagram project, TheHallofGordon.
Fit for High Positions: The Life of Wallada bint al-Mustakfi
To succeed at court, a person had to be refined and well educated and skilled in the arts. The most important of those arts was poetry.
Anna Komnene: The Purple-Born Historian
Anna’s legacy is not her political vivacity but the impressive history she wrote of her father’s reign, fittingly called the Alexiad.