How Stephen of Blois was able to go from Norman count to the King of England in less than a month.
The Calamity of Violence: Reading the Paris Massacres of 1418
August 20, 2018 by
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.
Medieval Geopolitics: The Medieval State
August 18, 2018 by
What did medieval states look like? A look at the most common and significant forms: kingdoms, principalities, communes and leagues.
The Abbasid Caliphate of Cairo (1261-1517): History and Tradition in the Mamluk Court
August 6, 2018 by
This dissertation investigates the two-and-a-half century evolution of Islam’s most prominent leadership institution, the Abbasid caliphate, after its restoration in Cairo following the Mongol destruction of Baghdad in 1258.
Medieval Geopolitics: The Invention of the Idea of Sovereignty
August 4, 2018 by
In this column, I trace on the evolution of the idea of “sovereignty,” which I believe to be the conceptual linchpin of this historical process.
The Justification of Tyrannicide in the Chronicle of Dalimil. The Czech Nobility as the “Mystical Body” of the Realm
July 30, 2018 by
Dating from the early 14th century (1309-1314), the Chronicle of Dalimil reflects the political attitudes of this pivotal period.
Richard III and the Woodville Faction: The Events Surrounding 1483
July 18, 2018 by
This paper examines the Usurpation of Richard III in 1483 and the events leading up to it.
Imperium et Credo: Frankish-Byzantine Rivalry over Leadership of the Roman-Christian Credo-State in the Ninth Century
April 12, 2018 by
The years 869-871 saw the onset of the last major diplomatic dispute between the two great powers of Christendom, the Franks in Western Europe and the Byzantines in the East. Louis
How the borders of Asia changed during the Middle Ages
March 21, 2018 by
Here are a few sets of videos to show the rise and fall of kingdoms, states and empires on the continent of Asia, including during the medieval period.
How the borders of Europe changed during the Middle Ages
March 21, 2018 by
One interesting way of looking at the past is to see how much the borders of the world have changed. In these videos, a reconstruction has been made to show the rise and fall of European kingdoms, states, and empires over the years, decades and centuries.
One of his own: the Irish participant in the assassination of Tigernán Ua Ruairc
March 8, 2018 by
Tigernán Ua Ruairc was King of Bréifne and Conmaicne. In fact this kingdom reached its greatest extent during his long reign, between c. 1124 and his assassination in 1172.
Multilingualism and Empires: Byzantium and Sasanian Persia
January 3, 2018 by
The long and bitter confrontation between Byzantium and the Sasanian Empire was one of the most important historical phenomena of Late Antiquity; it was also very significant for the development of later mediaeval societies and institutions in East and West.
The Original Hamlet: The Story of Prince Amleth
November 21, 2017 by
Well, everyone knows the story of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. Even though you have never finished the book, you are bound to have seen some version of it, be it excerpts, summarising tales, films, plays, or art works. What may be not so well known, however, is the story of Amleth, the prototype of Hamlet.
Two Lessons from Late Medieval Politics
November 16, 2017 by
Mass culture tells us that medieval political life was somewhat like ‘Game of Thrones’. This image is rather far from the complexities of late medieval politics, where institutions played at least as big a role as kings and queens.
Matthias Corvinus and Charles the Bold
September 18, 2017 by
The paper investigates the diplomatic relations of Matthias Corvinus with the Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, focusing on the 1460s and ‘70s.
The limits of the late Anglo-Saxon state
August 29, 2017 by
Were there structural flaws in the late Anglo-Saxon state which contributed to its demise?
The Walk to Canossa: The Tale of an Emperor and a Pope
August 4, 2017 by
Ever since it happened people have been debating what took place at Canossa. Some have called it a brilliant masterstroke by Emperor Henry IV, while others have termed it his humiliation.
The Cadaver Synod: Low Point in the History of the Papacy
July 28, 2017 by
The notorious Cadaver Synod, when one Pope put on trial the corpse of one of his predecessors. Perhaps the lowest point in the history of the Papacy, the story of this trial is as murky as it is strange.
The Medieval Magazine (Volume 3, No. 12) : Medieval Nation
July 13, 2017 by
In this issue we tackle National Holidays and the development of Nations, manuscripts at the Getty, and look at courtly festivities and jousting in London. We’re also baking bread Viking style, taking a trip to Avignon, and joining the medieval navy!
The Evil That Kings Do: Kingship, Tyranny and William I in Hugo Falcandus
July 9, 2017 by
A study of the presentation of William I of Sicily in the work of the pseudo – Hugo Falcandus, with particular attention to the author’s views on the entirety of the Hauteville dynasty and kingship in Sicily through the lens of his reign.
The many faces of Duchess Matilda: matronage, motherhood and mediation in the twelfth century
June 21, 2017 by
In this book I argue that the varied visual and textual source material related to Matilda (1156-1189) provides an insight into her duties and responsibilities at her husband’s court.
The career of Roger Mortimer, first earl of March (c.1287-1330)
June 7, 2017 by
A straightforward analysis of his regime is accompanied by a demonstration that, even though the court dictated political life, Roger Mortimer was able to extend his influence across the British Isles and pose a serious threat to the kingship of Edward III.
Donationes pro remedio animae as Total Social Facts: A Case Study from the Twelfth Century Margraviate of Istria
May 30, 2017 by
The author analyzes the donation charter by which a noble couple, Ulrich II and his wife Adelaide, gifted numerous properties in Istria to the Church of Aquileia for the salvation of their souls (16th November, 1102).
Female Secret Agents in the Middle Ages
May 7, 2017 by
When we talk about spies in the Middle Ages, it’s easy to envision soldiers sneaking into enemy camps or royal messengers with a hidden agenda.
The Idea of World Domination in the Public Consciousness in Europe in the Early and Developed Middle Ages
May 4, 2017 by
The article explores a public thought and public consciousness in the early and developed Middle Ages in Europe.
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