New Medieval Books: The Mirror of Simple Souls
This novel, originally in French as La nuit de béguines, tells the story of a community of religious women in 14th century Paris. It is based on the Beguines, the lay religious order that courted controversy in the later Middle Ages.
Surviving Medieval Paris: Life and Death in a War-Torn City
During the Hundred Years’ War, Paris was a city under siege. For sixteen harrowing years, the English ruled, and the streets ran red…
Thousands of iron staples were used to build Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, study finds
When Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris was constructed in the 12th century, the builders made extensive use of iron to bind stones together. The 2019 fire that significantly damaged the cathedral enabled analyses leading to this discovery, which has been published in PLOS ONE.
The Viking Sieges of Paris
Examining the two main Viking sieges of Paris, which took place in the years 845 and 885.
Promoting your patron saint, or How to win favor and influence the powerful
Medieval monasteries cared about the way in which they presented themselves to the world no less than todays’ celebrities and businesses do.
Sanitation in Medieval Paris with Emily Hutchison
Just how dirty was medieval Paris? And what did people do with their waste? This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Emily Hutchison about sanitation in the Middle Ages.
Medievalisms: Notre-Dame Cathedral and the Re-creation of the French Past
What many don’t realize is that the majority of what one sees when one looks at Notre-Dame’s west façade is a modern restoration.
The Calamity of Violence: Reading the Paris Massacres of 1418
The prelude to the massacres began on the night of 29 May 1418. The city had been brutally occupied for five years by the Armagnacs, the ruling junta hostile to both the Parisians and the populist Burgundian party that the vast majority of the capital’s residents favored.
“You will all be killed”: Medieval Life in War-Torn Paris
During the Hundred Years’ War, the city of Paris was captured and ruled by the English for sixteen years. The story of this violent and terrible period is vividly recounted by an anonymous writer, known as the Bourgeois de Paris.
Priest as Criminal: Community Regulation of Priests in the Archdeaconry of Paris, 1483-1505
This dissertation examines accusations of criminal behavior levied against priests in the archdeaconry of Paris from 1483 – 1505.
Medieval Mass Grave discovered in Paris
Archaeologists in the French capital have discovered more than 200 skeletons on what was once the site of a medieval hospital. It is believed that the remains date between the 14th and 16th centuries.
How a 13th-century royal chapel influenced the history of France
UCLA art historian Meredith Cohen and her fascination with the Sainte-Chapelle in Paris
10 Creepy Things to See at the Louvre That Are Better Than the Mona Lisa
If you’re an ancient historian, a medievalist, or early modernist, there are so many other amazing pieces and works of art a the Louvre other than these two tourist staples. Here is my list of cool, creepy, unusual and better than the Mona Lisa at the Louvre in Paris.
10 Cool Medieval Things to See at the Musée de Cluny
I just visited Muée de Cluny this week while in Paris and picked out a few fabulous items you might want to check out on your next visit to this amazing medieval museum!
The Louvre: Highlights for Medievalists
Despite offering exemplary samples of almost every type of art, the Louvre showcases some great examples of medieval art. The Richelieu Wing is where it’s at!
Marital Affection and Expectations in a 14th-Century Parisian Court
I argue that the women in fourteenth-century Paris expected affection, or at least a lack of hatred, within their marriages.
Change in Northern Winds: A Modern Review of the Viking Siege of Paris 845
Paris has been besieged many times throughout history, yet the Siege of Paris by the Vikings in 845 remains a significant episode in this larger chronology.
Working women in thirteenth-century Paris
This thesis examines the role of women in the Parisian economy in the late thirteenth century.
Places to See: Sainte Chapelle
Travelling to Paris ? Add this beautiful thirteenth century Capetian chapel to your MUST-SEE list for your next visit!
Petrus Hispanus (circa 1215-1277) and ‘The Treasury of the Poor’
The identity of Petrus Hispanus is a matter of some controversy. Part of the problem is centred on the fact that ‘Hispanus’ covers the general region of the Iberian Peninsula, referred to in medieval times as ‘las Españas’ (the Spains), incorporating both present day Spain and Portgual.
The Lit de Justice: Semantics, Ceremonial, and the Parlement of Paris, 1300–1600
The curious phrase lit de justice originated in the fourteenth century and by the first decade of the fifteenth century designated particularly important royal sessions of the Parlement of Paris.
Caught in Love’s Grip: Passion and Moral Agency in French Courtly Romance
French royal courts in the late twelfth century were absolutely smitten with love. Troubadaours traveled from place to place reciting stories of knights and the ladies they wooed.
Women, Heresy, and Crusade: Toward a Context for Jacques de Vitry’s Relationship to the Early Beguines
Grundmann‘s search for a founding figure is understandable in light of the problematic nature of Beguine institutional history. Beguine historiography has long struggled with the anomalous lack of clear foundation documents and accounts.
Medieval Letter-Collections as a Mirror of Circles of Friendship? The Example of Stephen of Tournai, 1128-1203
We are well informed on the life of Stephen of Tournai and some of his work (97). Born in 1128, he grew up in the chapter of Sainte-Croix in Orléans, where he was educated in the artes liberales.
A Goodman’s Guide to Marriage
So, what kind of advice does a Parisian husband give to his wife in the late 14th Century?