#medieval-society

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History
fromMedievalists.net
1 day ago

Henry V: More Than a Warrior-King - Medievalists.net

Henry V's character was shaped by complex experiences, blending battlefield skill with political ambition during a tumultuous period in England's history.
History
fromOpen Culture
4 days ago

Why Animals Look So Strange in Medieval Manuscripts

Chimera refers to bizarre combinations of parts from different sources, originating from a mythical creature with a goat body, lion head, and dragon tail.
Philosophy
fromThe Conversation
1 week ago

The enduring legacy of medieval Christian depictions of Islam in today's political discourse

Religious rhetoric intertwines with geopolitical conflicts, framing strategic interests as moral battles, particularly in the context of U.S.-Iran relations.
History
fromMedievalists.net
6 days 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
4 days ago

Secret Letter Detailing Late Medieval Britain Fully Decoded - Medievalists.net

The letter, dated 25 July 1498, is eleven pages long and was written while Pedro de Ayala was in London, brokering peace negotiations between England and Scotland.
History
#medieval-literature
#medieval-history
fromMedievalists.net
5 days ago

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

The Carolingians and Abbasids built ties that extended from western Europe to the eastern Mediterranean, reshaping the political landscape of their age.
History
fromMedievalists.net
1 week 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
fromMedievalists.net
1 week ago

The 5 Most Common Jobs in a Medieval City - Medievalists.net

Farming, carpentry, butchery, shoemaking, and Church-related work were the most common jobs in late medieval Montpellier.
Writing
fromBig Think
1 month ago

The medieval "love story" that was really a tale of psychological abuse

Resilience is essential in facing challenges, as exemplified by Odysseus and Penelope's enduring hope and strength during their long separations.
fromMedievalists.net
1 week ago

New Online Course: Exploring the Troubadours, Trobairitz, and Trouveres - Medievalists.net

The troubadours, trobairitz, and trouvères were pivotal in shaping the music and poetry of medieval France, reflecting the cultural richness of their time.
History
History
fromMedievalists.net
1 week 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.
History
fromMedievalists.net
1 week ago

Marc Bloch's Feudal Society: Why It Still Matters Today - Medievalists.net

Marc Bloch's legacy lies in his method of understanding the medieval world, not solely in his conclusions about feudal society.
History
fromMedievalists.net
2 weeks ago

12 Strange Magical Beliefs from the Middle Ages - Medievalists.net

Medieval beliefs included magic practices like love potions, storm conjuring, and superstitions surrounding death and health.
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
fromOpen Culture
3 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.
Video games
fromQueerty
2 months ago

1348 Ex Voto puts a lesbian knight in the jousting seat & she's kicking all the boys' asses - Queerty

A medieval action game centers a lesbian knight's quest and lesbian romance, offering cinematic combat, strong representation, and major early interest.
Science
fromOpen Culture
1 month ago

How Medieval Cathedrals Were Built Without Science, or Even Mathematics

Medieval cathedral builders engineered complex structures like Sainte-Chapelle without mathematics or formal science, using practical techniques and empirical methods instead.
Television
fromInverse
2 months ago

Trial Of Seven? Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms Just Invoked An Ancient Tradition

An ancient Andal 'trial of seven'—a seven-on-seven trial by combat—was invoked, replacing one-on-one trials and setting a bloody precedent.
History
fromMedievalists.net
3 weeks ago

Judas in the Middle Ages: The Making of an Anti-Hero - Medievalists.net

Judas Iscariot symbolizes despair and damnation in medieval thought, evolving from a biblical figure to a powerful moral myth.
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.
History
fromMedievalists.net
3 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.
fromMedievalists.net
4 weeks ago

New Medieval Books: Basics of Bloomery Iron Smelting - Medievalists.net

This manuscript is intended to fill the gap between 'the doer and the thinker', and so should be expected to be an overview, especially as applies to the fine details of current archaeology.
History
fromMedievalists.net
1 month ago

How Many Workers Built a Medieval Cathedral? - Medievalists.net

The financial accounts kept by the fabrique for Girona Cathedral provide exceptionally detailed records, allowing historians to calculate the total number of workers and the average employed per year.
History
History
fromMedievalists.net
1 month 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
1 month ago

Medieval Chess Reveals a More Diverse Middle Ages, Study Finds - Medievalists.net

Medieval chess functioned as a rare intellectual arena where people from different cultures and races engaged as equals, challenging assumptions about rigid medieval social hierarchies.
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
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 month ago

Check mates: analysis of medieval chess sets reveal vision of equality and mutual respect

Medieval chess served as an imaginary space where players from different races, religions, and cultures could engage as intellectual equals, challenging social hierarchies through intellectual exchange rather than reinforcing them.
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.
fromMedievalists.net
1 month ago

Political Borders Shaped the Spread of Medieval Chant, Study Finds - Medievalists.net

Tropes were additions inserted into established Gregorian chants. They could include new words, new melodies, or a combination of both, expanding the original liturgical piece and sometimes offering additional theological or rhetorical commentary. In many cases, tropes circulated long before they were recorded in writing. Their melodies and texts were transmitted orally for centuries before being preserved in medieval manuscripts, creating a complex web of regional variants across Europe.
History
fromMedievalists.net
1 month ago

New Medieval Books: Approaching Records of the Household and Wardrobe - Medievalists.net

The Household and Wardrobe Accounts are English records that document the daily needs of the king and his family. This book serves as a guide to these sources, showing how they can be used and what valuable insights they offer into medieval government.
History
History
fromMedievalists.net
1 month ago

New Medieval Books: Widow City - Medievalists.net

Late medieval Italian widows mourned their spouses and navigated their lives through religious or secular paths, evolving from allegorical subjects to prominent authors who reshaped public discourse on widowed identity.
History
fromMedievalists.net
2 months ago

25 Tips from the Middle Ages - Medievalists.net

Medieval practical literature provided specific everyday guidance on posture, hygiene, conversation, remedies, and social behavior, blending useful tips with odd, superstition-based methods.
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
#assassins
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

10 Ways Video Games Have Rewritten the Middle Ages - Medievalists.net

Video games have become a primary way modern audiences encounter the Middle Ages, creating a distinctive form of medievalism shaped by gameplay mechanics that emphasizes warfare and reshapes historical reality.
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.
fromMedievalists.net
2 months ago

New Medieval Books: A Crusade Against the Turks as a Means of Reforming the Church - Medievalists.net

This project will focus on the Camaldolese hermits' proposal for achieving what they considered to be the most crucial task in the repair of the church, eliminating Islam and all Muslims. Our study will begin with an examination of the recipient of the Libellus, Giovanni de' Medici, who would become Pope Leo X. Next will be an exploration into the backgrounds of Paolo Giustiniani and Pietro Querini,
History
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.
fromMedievalists.net
2 months ago

10 Medieval Studies' Articles Published Last Month - Medievalists.net

In this paper we investigate whether infant and childhood feeding practices influenced the imbalanced adult sex ratio reported in medieval Europe from historical and osteological evidence. First, we examine hypotheses for the observed imbalanced sex ratios in Europe and the evidence presented to support these hypotheses. We then use stable isotope analysis (δ13C and δ15N) of incremental dentine in 64 first molars from adults at three medieval sites (Aulla, Badia Pozzeveri, and Montescudaio) in north-western Tuscany (11th-15th c. CE).
History
History
fromMedievalists.net
2 months ago

New Medieval Books: Ipomedon - Medievalists.net

A twelfth-century Anglo-French romance about Ipomedon, an incognito prince tested by adventures, tournaments, and ironic narration exploring chivalry, humour, and social values.
fromMedievalists.net
2 months ago

Rules of a Medieval Library - Medievalists.net

When universities began to emerge in Europe during the eleventh and twelfth centuries, they soon became important centres of knowledge. Their libraries could hold hundreds of books, and many of the most valuable volumes were kept under close control - sometimes even chained to desks. We have few details about how medieval university libraries operated, but a revealing set of rubric headings survives from the University of Angers in western France.
History
fromMedievalists.net
2 months ago

Online Course: Medieval Gender and Sexuality - Medievalists.net

Eleanor Janega is one of the most well-known historians of the Middle Ages, widely recognised as the host and co-creator of several history series on HistoryHit TV and the podcast Going Medieval. She is also a prolific writer and public educator, bringing medieval history to a broad audience through her engaging books, articles, and media appearances. With a keen focus on medieval society, gender, and power structures, Janega challenges popular misconceptions and makes the past accessible with wit and scholarly depth.
History
fromMedievalists.net
2 months 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
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

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

Medieval Diets Varied by Social Status in England, Study Finds - Medievalists.net

Social inequality in medieval Cambridge produced lifelong dietary differences detectable in bone carbon and nitrogen isotope signatures.
History
fromMedievalists.net
2 months ago

New Medieval Books: A Medieval Case for Islam's Superiority - Medievalists.net

An eighth-century Abbasid letter to the Byzantine emperor defends Islam, critiques Christian misunderstandings, and reflects Abbasid-Byzantine diplomacy and Baghdad's intellectual 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.
History
fromMedievalists.net
1 month ago

New Online Course: En Garde! Fencing in Late Medieval and Early Modern England - Medievalists.net

A six-week course explores fencing instruction and martial arts careers in late medieval and early modern England, taught by medieval studies expert Dr Jacob H. Deacon.
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.
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