This article examines the complex phenomena of the Farfan, a Christian knight serving a Muslim ruler during the religious wars of 13th century Iberia.
Scoundrels, Dogs and Heathens: Christian Mercenaries in the Almohad Caliphate, 1121-1269
June 28, 2018 by
NEW! The Medieval Magazine, No. 110: THE RISE OF THE MEDIEVAL CITY
May 6, 2018 by
In this issue, we focus on cities. From Barcelona, to Constantinople, to Bologna, we cover marriage, trade, slavery, and foundation stories. Take a trip with us around the world and learn about the hustle and bustle of everyday life in the medieval city.
NEW! The Medieval Magazine No. 108
April 1, 2018 by
Spring cleaning! The first issue of the Medieval Magazine with a fresh new face!
In this issue, we look at Norse seasons, medieval beliefs about luck, food and politics in Constantinople, Spanish Easter traditions, and the overlooked life of Catherine of Aragon.
Sephardic Food and Identity in Medieval Spain
February 22, 2018 by
This talk explores what foods were recommended by Sephardic authors as part of a healthy and spiritually rewarding lifestyle, as well as how Sephardic cuisine had a prominent place in the literary and cultural imagination of medieval Christian Spaniards.
Some Highlights of Education in Christian Spain the Late Medieval Period
January 3, 2018 by
In this article we will tour some of the major educational milestones of late medieval Spain, including the primary and secondary education at that time, especially in the educational activity of the Church, the councils and individuals.
Love Between Muslim and Jew in Medieval Spain: A Triangular Affair
December 12, 2017 by
We will soon find that, in affairs of love as in so many others, Muslims and Jews in Christian Spain were not in an exclusive dialogue.
Merchants’ attitudes to work in the Barcelona of the later Middle Ages
September 3, 2017 by
The debate concerning the attitude to work of medieval and renaissance merchants has been one of the most intense in twentieth-century historiography.
A Fortress Built of Salt
June 27, 2017 by
The mountains and hills of Spain are covered in many little towns. They are more than picturesque; so charming that they’re almost saccharine. In some of these little towns, which used to be great town centers in the medieval past, there are towering reminders of their previous glory. In the town of Cardona in Catalonia, […]
Justice Served or Justice Subverted? Two Muslim Women Sue a Local Mudéjar Official in Thirteenth-Century Aragon
June 5, 2017 by
In 1300 two Muslim women sued a local aljama official in Daroca, claiming he had unlawfully evicted them from their houses, and physically mistreated them, all without due legal process.
Did everyone believe in religion in medieval Europe?
May 7, 2017 by
One common idea about medieval Europe was that everyone were firm believers in religion. If you were a Christian, then you accepted your faith without question.
Raising infanta Catalina de Aragón to be Catherine Queen of England
March 11, 2017 by
My aim in this study is to focus on queenship, particularly the formative years before 1509 when she was learning to be a queen.
The Medieval Magazine: Be My Medieval Valentine (Volume 3, Issue 3)
February 13, 2017 by
We’ve just released our latest issue of the Medieval Magazine! In this issue: 5 Ways to Win Her Heart! Images of Medieval Love: The Manuscript of Pierre Sala (Stowe 955) Remembering Antiquity: The Ancient World Through Medieval Eyes Same-Sex Wedding in Renaissance Rome? How to be a Romance Hero in Five Easy Steps And much, […]
Medievalists at the Movies: Assassin’s Creed
December 29, 2016 by
In between the exciting chases, hand-to-hand combat, and surprisingly well-acted dialogue, the overall film drags with too many flat moments of the lead actors staring into the camera or watching something happening from afar.
Enforcing contracts for Valencian commerce: the institutional foundations of international trade in the first half of the fifteenth century
November 30, 2016 by
This paper tries to explore how contract enforcement was handled in the cross-religious environment of late medieval Christian Valencia, Muslim Granada and North Africa, given the fact that each religious community has usually been assumed to apply their own set of rules through their own community courts.
Cultural Exchange in the Languages and Literatures of Medieval Spain
April 27, 2016 by
Professor David Wacks’s fascinating discussion of the Iberian Peninsula and it’s incredible linguistic heritage.
Outrage in Matrera Over Botched Castle Restoration
March 11, 2016 by
A botched restoration attempt in Spain has garnered international attention and condemnation from locals, historians and conservationists.
Zorita Castle: A Glimpse of Medieval life in a Spanish stronghold
January 21, 2016 by
Amidst the olive tree-lined plains of central Spain is a remote Medieval castle overlooked by archaeologists until the arrival of husband-and-wife team Dionisio Urbina and Catalina Urquijo. What secrets are emerging from this bastion of history?
Medieval Wonders of MAN in Madrid
November 8, 2015 by
Danielle Trynoski explores the medieval exhibits at the Museo Arqueológico Nacional.
Medieval Lisbon: Carmo Convent
October 19, 2015 by
Part III of my series on Medieval Lisbon. This visit took me to Carmo Monastery and museum.
Fair Trade?: A Look at the Hanseatic League
October 11, 2015 by
In the 14th century, an ongoing feud ensued between the Hanseatic League and non-Hanse merchants. Here’s a quick look at the rise and fall of the one of the most powerful organizations of the Late Middle Ages.
Medieval Lisbon: Castelo de São Jorge
October 10, 2015 by
Above Lisbon’s skyline of colourful tiled houses and red roofs lies Castelo de São Jorge, a dominating, but beautiful, 11th century fortress in the heart of this vibrant city…
BOOK REVIEW: Genoa ‘La Superba’: The Rise and Fall of a Merchant Pirate Superpower by Nicholas Walton
August 9, 2015 by
While most books about Italy have been dedicated to tourist hubs like Milan, Florence, Rome, Sicily and Venice, Genoa with its rich history, rugged landscape, and tenacious residents, has been given only a passing mention.
Fashion Old and New: Weaving and Tailoring in the Early Medieval and Early Modern Period
June 9, 2015 by
Fashion fan? Interested in medieval and early modern textiles? Then this was your session. 2 papers from opposite ends of the spectrum: Early Medieval weaving and Early Modern Tailoring.
Study reveals size of livestock were at their lowest in Early Middle Ages
May 20, 2015 by
A new study, covering the last 2000 years of livestock animals such as cattle, pigs, sheep and goats, has revealed that in Spain these animals were at their smallest size during the 8th and 9th centuries.
‘Que lo lean literalmente’: Clerical Ignorance and a Late Medieval Wedding Ceremony
May 9, 2015 by
There is ample evidence that in late-medieval Spain a vast number of priests charged with carrying out the Church’s everyday liturgical responsibilities were undereducated and had little or no capacity in that language.
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