Disney’s Not-So Wholesome Medievalisms
Disney’s work has never been value-neutral … and some of the messages it conveyed in the past, and of the past, were downright toxic.
Latest Posts
Disney’s Not-So Wholesome Medievalisms
Disney’s work has never been value-neutral … and some of the messages it conveyed in the past, and of the past, were downright toxic.
New survey of Dunstable Priory reveals a grander complex
Historic England has published a survey giving fascinating insights into Dunstable Priory, a monastery founded by King Henry I around the year 1132. It reveals that the church was grander and more elaborate than originally thought.
The Northman
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle and Peter Konieczny give their takes on Hollywood’s latest foray into medieval movie-making: The Northman.
Who was eating meat in early medieval England?
Very few people in England ate large amounts of meat before the Norse settled, and there is no evidence that elites ate more meat than other people, a major new bioarchaeological study suggests.
Beta Samati and the Aksumite Empire of East Africa: From the Red Sea to the Ancient Mediterranean
This was the mighty Empire of Aksum, an ancient east African kingdom that thrived at the same time as the Roman and Byzantine empires.
Whose Aristotle? Latinate Knowledge and Vernacular Translation in Medieval Italy
By staging the anxieties connected with the vulgarization of knowledge, the novella seizes upon a phenomenon—vernacular—whose significance to Medieval and Renaissance culture can hardly be overstated.
GAP navy style peacoat black.
Not only is the Picture Book of the Life of Saint John and the Apocalypse a sophisticated forerunner of modern comic books, but it also exudes an aura of gloss and opulence.
Alicia McKenzie passes away
Alicia McKenzie, a medieval historian and instructor at Wilfrid Laurier University, has passed away at the age of 46.
Sagas and Gender
Did you know that Loki was a gender-bending God? In this episode of the Medieval Grad Podcast, Lucie Laumonier interviews Matthew Roby on sex and gender in Old Norse and Icelandic sagas. There were many gender-bending characters in these texts, informing us of the gender representations and roles of Norse societies.
New Medieval Books: From Going to Purgatory to Joking in the 16th century
Five more books to tell you, taking you from early medieval Britain to the Holy Roman Empire at the end of the Middle Ages.
Five Gamechangers in English Castle-Building
Here are five changes in English castle design that had a big impact on history.
Medieval Movie Review: The Northman
Robert Eggers’ take on the Norse tale of Prince Amleth may offer movie-goers some impressive visuals and historically-accurate details, but ultimately it is another bleak and bloody view of the Vikings.
Leonardo da Vinci: The Military Engineer
Leonardo da Vinci is best known for his paintings such as Mona Lisa and The Last Supper, but he also believed himself to be very skilled in the art of war.
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.
Episode 150! Your Top Ten Favourites
This week, Danièle celebrates 150 episodes of The Medieval Podcast by looking back at the top ten episodes, as chosen by you.
‘Tis Just A Scratch: Fact and Fiction About the Middle Ages
A new podcast is exploring the issues of chivalry, knights and medieval history. ‘Tis Just A Scratch: Fact and Fiction About the Middle Ages is hosted by Richard Abels, a retired professor of history at the United States Naval Academy and one of the leading historians on medieval warfare, especially England during the Early Middle Ages.
Kings of the Angles and Kings of the English: Royal Saints in the Prayer Book Calendar
What I’m going to do is first to give an introduction to the royal saints who appear in the Calendar of the Prayer Book to talk about their lives and the history of their veneration, and then to think about what their inclusion in that calendar can tell us about the intertwined history of the English monarchy and the English church.
‘Bushidō’ and What Bushi Did: Loyalty, Reputation and Honor in the Samurai Tradition
To describe samurai culture in historical reality, we must first ask “which samurai historical reality?”
New Medieval Books: From Manuscripts to Silk
Five new books about the Middle Ages, including a new biography of Christine de Pizan.
The Battle of Shrewsbury (1403)
King Henry IV would face a major threat from within England, led by Henry “Harry Hotspur” Percy. Percy’s rebellion would culminate at the Battle of Shrewsbury, fought on 21 July 1403. How did this battle unfold, and how did Prince Hal survive an arrow to the face?
The Battle of Hastings
Luck may characterize the Battle of Hastings better than any other battle, and William the Conqueror more than any other general.
The Battles of Fulford and Stamford Bridge
How Haraldr harðráði Sigurðarson invaded England in 1066, winning the Battle of Fulford but losing the Battle of Stamford Bridge.
NWT Free People Swarovski crystal pendant necklace
One of the most serious revolts against the still young Abbasid Caliphate in the 8th century was led by a man best known in the sources as al-Muqanna‘, or “the veiled one.”
The Costs of War: Siena and John Hawkwood
Between the years 1342 and 1399 the city would be raided thirty-seven times by the condottieri, with John Hawkwood a prominent figure in many of these attacks.
The experiences of Byzantine children, with Oana-Maria Cojocaru
A conversation with Oana-Maria Cojocaru about the images of Byzantine children in our sources, and the experiences that they would have had once they made it past infancy.
BooksAll posts
New Medieval Books: From Manuscripts to Silk
Five new books about the Middle Ages, including a new biography of Christine de Pizan.
New Book Recommendations
New Medieval Books: New Fiction
New Medieval Books: Translated Texts
Book of the Month: Murder, Rape, and Treason: Judicial Combats in the Late Middle Ages
New Medieval Books: Renaissance Italy
New Medieval Books: Queens of Jerusalem: The Women Who Dared to Rule
New Medieval Books: The Raven and the Dove: A novel of Viking Normandy
New Medieval Books: From Military to Markets
Places to SeeAll posts
Örebro Castle: History, Secrets, and Romance
For anyone who visits Örebro, it is hard to miss its castle – an ancient-looking fortress made of weathered grey stones that stands on an islet in the middle of the city centre.
The Vasa: Gustav II Adolf’s Glorious and Doomed Warship
On the 10th of August 1628, the Vasa sank in Stockholm harbour, thus ending the career of the most powerful warship that Sweden had ever seen.
Uppsala Slott: 5 Things You Ought to Know About One of Sweden’s Greatest Castles
This strategic location not only makes the castle a majestic sight, but also earns it the reputation as the most modern defence fortress in its time. But, as all ancient buildings, there is always more than meets the eye. Here are the five things that you may not know about Uppsala Castle.
Making Your Mark: Medieval Masons’ Marks at Tarascon
How do you operate a business when you can’t read and your knowledge of math is extremely limited? Making your mark on the…
The Weird, the Wonderful, and the Macabre in the Cathedral of Narbonne
Narbonne is one of those European cities with evidence of its past on every street.
Medieval English Embroidery on Display for the Last Time at the V&A’s Opus Anglicanum Exhibit
The V&A Museum opened its latest medieval exhibit exhibit on Saturday: Opus Anglicanum: Masterpieces of English Medieval Embroidery. I had the opportunity to see it opening day and it was spectacular.