#early-medieval-britain

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History
fromMedievalists.net
13 hours ago

The Carolingian-Abbasid Axis: Charlemagne and the Caliphate - Medievalists.net

The Carolingians and Abbasids formed a strategic relationship that reshaped the political landscape of the Early Middle Ages.
#edward-the-confessor
#medieval-literature
Arts
fromArtnet News
1 week ago

Large Roman Villa Uncovered in the U.K. During Wind Farm Survey

Archaeologists discovered a significant Roman villa in Norfolk, revealing insights into affluent rural life in Roman Britain.
History
fromMedievalists.net
1 day ago

New Medieval Books: The Art of Making Verses - Medievalists.net

Gervase of Melkley's guide offers a unique method for composing poetry, emphasizing clear expression, metaphor, and irony for beginners.
fromMedievalists.net
3 days ago

New Medieval Books: Vikings Behaving Reasonably - Medievalists.net

The concept of hóf in Norse culture represents a cultural expectation of moderation and restraint, which was pivotal in resolving disputes and maintaining order within communities.
History
fromMedievalists.net
4 days ago

10 New Medieval Studies Articles You Can Read Right Now (Free & Open Access) - Medievalists.net

Extreme weather in the 1430s triggered a major economic crisis in England, leading to food shortages, livestock deaths, and widespread disruption, reshaping landholding practices.
History
History
fromMail Online
5 days ago

Scientists baffled by mysterious coin linking Vikings to Jesus

A gold coin pendant suggests Vikings may have embraced Christianity earlier than previously believed, linking them to the teachings of Jesus.
History
fromMedievalists.net
6 days ago

Did People Run in the Middle Ages? - Medievalists.net

Running as a physical activity in the Middle Ages is underexplored despite its presence in historical accounts.
History
fromMedievalists.net
1 week ago

New Medieval Books: Flattening the Medieval Earth - Medievalists.net

The myth of medieval flat earth originated around 1600, contrary to the belief that medieval people thought the Earth was flat.
History
fromMedievalists.net
1 week ago

New Online Course: William Marshal: 'The Greatest Knight of all the World' - Medievalists.net

William Marshal, a landless knight, became regent of England, showcasing the rise of English elites in the 12th century.
fromThe Conversation
1 month ago

Notions of 'Christendom' often miss the mark - medieval Europe's ideas about faith and power were not so simple

Some citizens might see themselves as Christian nationalists simply because they are Christian and patriotic. Others, however, assert that the United States is rightfully a Christian nation that ought to be governed by Christian leaders, ethics and laws. As a historian, I'm aware that Christian nationalism relies upon a selective and often distorted view of American history.
Philosophy
History
fromMedievalists.net
1 week ago

Burghal Hidage and Assault Forces in Medieval Siege Warfare - Medievalists.net

The Burghal Hidage reveals that an army needed significant numbers to effectively storm fortified towns in early medieval Europe.
History
fromwww.theguardian.com
2 weeks ago

On the shoulders of giants: roaming among England's famous chalk figures

The Long Man of Wilmington is a famous chalk figure with mysterious origins, captivating artists and historians alike.
#archaeology
History
fromwww.thehistoryblog.com
2 weeks ago

Rare ring with runic inscription found in Lincolnshire

A Viking-era finger ring with runic inscription was discovered in Lincolnshire, dating from the 8th to 10th centuries, marking a significant archaeological find.
History
fromenglish.elpais.com
2 weeks ago

Henry V, the great medieval English king, offers an uncomfortable example of nobility and leadership to the current Windsor monarchy

Henry V is celebrated not only for his military victories but also for his complex life and character beyond the battlefield.
Miscellaneous
fromwww.theguardian.com
2 months ago

King Harold coins from 1066 and Roman artefacts top UK's 2024 treasure finds

Britain set a record for archaeological and treasure finds in 2024, with metal detectorists reporting 94% of discoveries and several exceptional artifacts uncovered.
History
fromOpen Culture
2 weeks ago

How Everything in a Medieval Castle Worked, from Its Moats to Its Dungeons

Medieval castles were complex structures designed for defense, featuring elements like barbicans, moats, and parapets.
UK news
fromMail Online
2 months ago

Britain's 'oldest Northener' was a little girl dubbed the Ossick Lass

Remains from 11,000 years ago found in Cumbria belong to a female child aged about 2.5–3.5 years, the oldest human discovery in Northern England.
#roman-archaeology
fromwww.npr.org
2 months ago

Americans may love football, but did you know its origins are in medieval England?

But does it surprise you that the origins of both the word and the framework for the modern game stem from medieval England? Today, the word 'football' is used to refer to different games: American football, the game played at the Super Bowl, where a foot is rarely used to direct the ball. And elsewhere in the world, football refers to what Americans call "soccer."
Soccer (FIFA)
History
fromMedievalists.net
2 weeks ago

How Church Leaders Helped Defend Medieval Germany - Medievalists.net

Church leaders in Ottonian Germany were responsible for organizing defenses and mobilizing communities to protect the kingdom.
fromLondon Unattached
1 month ago

Britain's Bayeux Tapestry - Reading - Preview

The 70 metre embroidery tells the story of the Battle of Hastings and of life in 11th-century England before and after the Conquest, all in remarkable detail, with images of castles, battles, feasts, and even potential forn!cation in the Ælfgyva mystery, Ubi unus clericus et Ælfgyva.
History
fromMedievalists.net
3 weeks ago

New Medieval Books: Light on Darkness - Medievalists.net

Liturgy is central to Western cultural history, rich in artistic expression and emotional depth, influencing society for over a thousand years.
fromMedievalists.net
3 weeks ago

Who Lies in Winchester's Medieval Mortuary Chests? - Medievalists.net

This project demonstrates the combined power of science, the study of human remains and historical research to discover new information about the six mortuary chests and their occupants which would not have been available to us a generation ago.
History
History
fromMedievalists.net
3 weeks ago

Scientists Confirm Remains of Medieval Emperor Otto the Great - Medievalists.net

Emperor Otto the Great's identity has been confirmed through scientific research, including DNA analysis, after centuries of uncertainty.
History
fromMedievalists.net
4 weeks ago

The Size of Armies in Early Medieval Warfare - Medievalists.net

The size of early medieval armies remains debated, with some scholars arguing for small warbands while others suggest larger fighting forces existed.
History
fromMedievalists.net
4 weeks ago

Did King Harold Sail to Hastings? New Study Sparks Debate Among Historians - Medievalists.net

Research challenges the narrative of King Harold II's forced march to the Battle of Hastings, suggesting a significant naval component instead.
History
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 month ago

A fascinating discovery': research challenges Battle of Hastings narrative

The forced march of King Harold's army to Stamford Bridge may not have happened, challenging long-held historical assumptions about the Battle of Hastings.
History
fromMedievalists.net
1 month ago

When Charlemagne Became a Thief: A Medieval Tale Retold - Medievalists.net

Charlemagne's legacy includes tales of his youth, notably an adventure involving a thief named Basin, showcasing his character and moral lessons.
History
fromMedievalists.net
1 month ago

Medieval Words That Became Slang - Medievalists.net

Many modern slang words originated in the Middle Ages and earlier centuries, often with meanings vastly different from their contemporary usage.
History
fromMedievalists.net
1 month ago

Legacy of the Geats: How the Memory of Beowulf's Tribe Survives in Modern Sweden - Medievalists.net

The Geats' identity as a distinct people likely survived Swedish expansion and remains conceptually present in modern Sweden, despite Beowulf's poem suggesting their ultimate defeat and absorption.
History
fromMedievalists.net
1 month ago

Two Medieval Men Found Buried in Prehistoric Site - Medievalists.net

Medieval men were buried in the Menga dolmen, a Neolithic monument in Spain, over 4,000 years after its construction, demonstrating the site's enduring symbolic importance across millennia.
History
fromMedievalists.net
1 month ago

10 Men Who Nearly Became King of England - Medievalists.net

Medieval England had numerous men who came close to ruling but never secured the throne due to death, overthrow, or military defeat.
History
fromianVisits
1 month ago

Looted from a royal palace: The medieval jug now on display in London

A medieval English bronze jug looted from Ghana's Asante kingdom reveals how European luxury goods became valued ceremonial objects through trans-continental trade networks before colonial appropriation.
History
fromMedievalists.net
1 month ago

The Medieval Jug that Travelled from England to West Africa and Back - Medievalists.net

A medieval English bronze ewer traveled to West Africa, became sacred in the Asante royal palace, and returned to Britain after colonial warfare, demonstrating Africa's pre-modern global connections.
History
fromMedievalists.net
1 month ago

New Medieval Books: Silence of the Gods - Medievalists.net

Europe's last pagan peoples underwent Christian conversion from the 14th to 20th centuries while maintaining their indigenous religious traditions despite political pressure to adopt Christianity.
History
fromMedievalists.net
1 month ago

Leoba: England's Earliest Female Poet - Medievalists.net

Leoba, an eighth-century English nun, is England's earliest surviving female poet, having composed Latin poetry that reveals medieval women's education, literary culture, and spiritual life.
History
fromWorld History Encyclopedia
1 month ago

The First King of England: thelstan and the Birth of a Kingdom

Aethelstan unified England, strengthened royal authority, managed the church, dominated neighboring Celtic realms, and secured European stature during a transformative fifteen-year reign.
History
fromMedievalists.net
1 month ago

The Survival of Roman Education in Early Medieval Britain - Medievalists.net

Roman cultural practices persisted in Britain for generations after AD 410, with aristocrats maintaining traditional education and Christian learning similar to their Gallic counterparts.
fromWorld History Encyclopedia
2 months ago

Cnut: The North Sea King

"Cnut: The North Sea King" by Ryan Lavelle is a short and engaging biography of the most ambitious and successful Scandinavian leader of the Viking Age. Lavelle captures both the brutality and pragmatism that allowed Cnut to govern England effectively for almost two decades, despite being an outsider and a foreign conqueror. In 1066 and All That (1930), a parody book of English history,
History
History
fromMedievalists.net
1 month ago

Did Alfred the Great send an embassy from England to India? - Medievalists.net

King Alfred sent envoys Sigehelm and Athelstan to Rome and to India in 883, and manuscript evidence and contextual connections make the India destination plausible.
History
fromMedievalists.net
1 month ago

New Medieval Books: Castles and Strongholds of Northumberland - Medievalists.net

Northumberland contains more castles, towers, peles, bastles and barmkins than any other British county, serving as private residences and fortifications for nobility and landowners.
History
fromMedievalists.net
1 month ago

The Magical Gemstones of King John of England - Medievalists.net

King John's gemstones reflect medieval belief in jewels' protective and healing powers; Victorian and Edwardian historians judged monarchs as 'good' or 'bad' by parliamentary contributions.
fromMedievalists.net
2 months ago

Online Course: The Normans in Europe - Medievalists.net

We get started by exploring the origins of the Normans in the county and then duchy of Normandy. We will understand their Norse background and their relationship with the Carolingians. The timeline approach will help us discover all the counts and dukes of Normandy, and what they contributed to their realm. This will set the foundation for the interconnected stories that will lead us to England and the Mediterranean.
History
History
fromMedievalists.net
2 months ago

When were the Middle Ages? - Medievalists.net

The Middle Ages lack a single, natural start or end; appropriate boundaries depend on whether political, religious, economic, or cultural changes are prioritized.
History
fromMedievalists.net
1 month ago

15 Plots Against William the Conqueror - Medievalists.net

William the Conqueror survived numerous plots, conspiracies, and betrayals throughout his life, demonstrating how fragile medieval power was despite military conquest and dynastic authority.
fromMedievalists.net
1 month ago

New Medieval Books: The Conqueror's Gift - Medievalists.net

Imperial Roman ethnography was a gift the Romans made for themselves, because it embraced concepts with which they could address the great cultural diversity of their world. It was a gift that came from the conquerors, reflecting their supposition of preeminence. At the same time, Roman ethnography was a somewhat less welcome present for the many peoples who found themselves trapped in Rome's vision, needing to find a place within it that made sense to Roman demands.
History
History
fromMedievalists.net
2 months ago

Medieval hall discovered in Northern England - Medievalists.net

Excavations at Sparrow Croft near Skipsea Castle reveal rare Anglo-Saxon high-status structures: a malthouse, timber tower foundation and large hall predating 1066.
fromWorld History Encyclopedia
2 months ago

Seven Kings Must Die Film - Historical Accuracy

Seven Kings Must Die (2023) is a historical drama film based on Bernard Cornwell's novel Warlord (2020) and is a sequel to the TV series The Last Kingdom (2015-2022). Directed by Edward Bazalgette and produced by Carnival Films, it depicts the build-up to and the Battle of Brunanburh (937), in which King Aethelstan of England (reign 924-939) defeated an alliance of Scots and Vikings. Background & The Last Kingdom The film's protagonist is the fictional warrior and nobleman Uhtred of Bebbanburg (modern-day Bamburgh).
History
History
fromMedievalists.net
2 months ago

New Medieval Books: Blessed Mary and the Monks of England - Medievalists.net

English Benedictine and Cistercian monks (1000–1215) shaped medieval Mariology by deepening Marian devotion, theological reflection, and using Mary as a model for Christian life.
History
fromMedievalists.net
2 months ago

New Medieval Books: Celtic Magic - Medievalists.net

Ancient and medieval Celtic-speaking peoples maintained distinctive magical beliefs and practices whose evidence appears in inscriptions, classical accounts, medieval manuscripts, charms, and medical recipes.
fromMedievalists.net
1 month ago

New Project Explores the Craft of Writing in the Medieval Nordic World - Medievalists.net

CHARM is built around a large-scale survey of material connected to three major writing centres-Turku, Naantali, and Viipuri-in the 15th century. By comparing charters and book fragments together, the researchers aim to map how writing practices were adopted, modified, and localised, and what that meant for society and administration in a region that was then part of the Swedish realm.
History
fromMedievalists.net
2 months ago

New Medieval Books: The Forsaken 14th Century - Medievalists.net

In this volume, the authors aim to provide a truly global overview of the 14 century, with each region given approximately the same space. It is obviously impossible to cover every event in every country of the world in a single volume, just as you would not be able to visit every city in every country if you traveled around the world for a year.
History
History
fromMedievalists.net
2 months ago

Military Intelligence and Planning in the Carolingian Empire - Medievalists.net

Carolingian rulers built systematic intelligence networks—interrogating travelers and compiling detailed reports to gather topographical, political, and military information for campaign planning.
History
fromMedievalists.net
2 months ago

Previously Unknown Medieval Chronicle Discovered - Medievalists.net

A previously unknown 8th-century Maronite chronicle (dated 712–13 CE) offers early Christian perspective on Arab-Islamic expansion and Late Antique religious-political change.
History
fromwww.thehistoryblog.com
1 month ago

Viking raider's gold coin pendant found in Norfolk

A rare Frisian imitation of a Carolingian gold coin discovered in Norfolk was likely worn as a pendant by a Viking soldier in the 865 A.D. Great Army invasion of England.
History
fromMedievalists.net
2 months ago

Military Education in Early Medieval Europe: Learning from Books - Medievalists.net

Early medieval military leaders learned warfare from books—Roman manuals, handbooks, and case studies—informing campaigns, sieges, and logistical planning.
History
fromMedievalists.net
2 months ago

New Medieval Books: The Horse in History - Medievalists.net

Eleven studies examine horse equipment, training, folklore, and material culture across time and Europe, emphasizing archaeological evidence and diverse methodological approaches.
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