Where the Middle Ages Begin
Faith Tibble’s new book, The Crown of Thorns: Humble Gods and Humiliated Kings, challenges centuries of assumptions about one of Christianity’s most iconic symbols. Drawing on meticulous research and a storyteller’s touch, she invites readers to look again at the medieval art they thought they knew.
What everyday objects did people use in the Middle Ages? From clothing and household necessities to tools for work and warfare, these 25 medieval items were essential to daily life and shaped how people lived, ate, and survived.
Delve into the pivotal figures of the Middle Ages whose enduring legacies shaped the course of history. From visionary leaders and profound scholars to prolific writers and formidable warriors, these individuals left an indelible mark on medieval society.
Discover the 50 most significant events of the Middle Ages, spanning the years 500 to 1500.
Here are seven vivid facts about colour in the Middle Ages
In medieval times, many unique jobs, such as Ale-wife and Groom of the Stool, were essential but have since vanished. Discover these obsolete occupations and how historical changes led to their disappearance.
Are you wanting to talk more like someone from the Middle Ages? We have a list of 30 great sayings and proverbs that you can use in your conversations.
Have you wondered what a medieval king did on a typical day? Thanks to Christine de Pizan, we have an account of what daily life was like for King Charles V of France.
Some of our most popular phrases have a long history, including some that go back to the Middle Ages.
Want to know what kind of jobs there were in the Middle Ages? A unique source from the 15th century gives us some beautiful images of medieval people at work.
Archaeologists have analysed the DNA of two unrelated individuals buried in seventh-century cemeteries on England’s south coast, revealing that both had recent ancestors—likely…
Faith Tibble’s new book, The Crown of Thorns: Humble Gods and Humiliated Kings, challenges centuries of assumptions about one of Christianity’s most iconic symbols. Drawing on meticulous research and a storyteller’s touch, she invites readers to look again at the medieval art they thought they knew.
Medieval poet Oswald von Wolkenstein knew his way around a wine jug—and the many personalities it could unleash. In one lively poem, he catalogued twelve all-too-recognisable types of drunk, from the swaggering braggart to the repentant sinner.
Discover the clever tricks used by medieval thieves—from sticky cakes for guard dogs to candle-carrying turtles—and the inventive methods used to catch them, as revealed in The Book of Charlatans.
The Tale of Bygone Years preserves one of the most detailed accounts of a ruler’s conversion in medieval Europe — the baptism of Volodymyr Sviatoslavych, ruler of Rus′. His path to Christianity, set against the backdrop of 10th-century royal conversions, reveals a complex interplay of politics, religion, and diplomacy.
Explore myths, inventions, and daring attempts at flight in the Middle Ages, from legendary tales to real-life gliders and kites.
HarperCollins India announces The Chola Tigers, Amish Tripathi’s new historical novel set in the 11th century. A sequel to Legend of Suheldev, the book follows Emperor Rajendra Chola’s mission against Mahmud of Ghazni.
From gritty tales of vengeance to historical horror and epic legends, discover the most anticipated medieval films in development — including The Peasant, Rapture, and Robert Eggers’ Werwulf.
In the eighth and ninth centuries, Naples was an autonomous city-state navigating complex relationships with its neighbours. This book presents the original text and translation of a contemporary account that chronicles the city’s local history during this period.
Ancient DNA from two 12th-century burials in Finland has revealed they were siblings, offering rare evidence of medieval family ties and centuries of genetic continuity in the region.
A new DNA study reveals how the early medieval Kingdom of Iberia in eastern Georgia was a crossroads of local traditions and incoming peoples, blending cultures from the Caucasus, Central Asia, and beyond.
We have several online courses coming up, including The Viking Age. This six-week course starts on Wednesday, August 13th, with live sessions from 1:00 – 3:00 pm EST each week.
Archaeologists have uncovered an early medieval settlement in Northumberland, England, dating to the 6th–7th and 11th–12th centuries, revealing rare insights into daily life in medieval Europe.
From crude punchlines to the ‘medieval mullet,’ discover how peasants—known as rustici—became the butt of jokes in medieval Europe.
The second volume in the monumental biography of Henry III, it tells the story of how the English king faced growing discontent, leading to a rebellion that almost ended his long reign.
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Sharon Kinoshita about why Marco travelled so far, what sort of detail he wanted to share with his readers, and what was going on in the world around him.
Explore how medieval people viewed and valued cats in “Paws on Parchment,” a new exhibition at the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore, featuring feline-themed manuscripts and rare pawprints left by a 15th-century cat.
Discover the Scotichronicon, a vivid 15th-century Scottish chronicle by Walter Bower, blending history, politics, myth, and monastic life during the reign of James II.
A rare 15th-century manuscript returns to Buckland Abbey in southwest England, reviving the sound of monastic music for the first time since the Tudor Reformation.
Kingston University uses VR and AI to bring King Athelstan to life for his coronation’s 1,100th anniversary.
A look at the medieval origins and deeper meaning behind the metaphor of standing on the shoulders of giants.
What’s new in medieval studies? Here are ten open-access articles published in July, which range from a new database about London to a look back at the works of Jinty Nelson.
Horses played a vital role in medieval warfare, and this book draws on the governmental records of Kings Edward I and Edward II to reveal how these animals were raised, trained for combat, and managed during military campaigns.
A 3D street art installation in Cardiff by Julian Beever reveals the hidden medieval water-gate of Caerphilly Castle, celebrating its reopening after a major £8 million restoration.
Faith Tibble’s new book, The Crown of Thorns: Humble Gods and Humiliated Kings, challenges centuries of assumptions about one of Christianity’s most iconic symbols. Drawing on meticulous research and a storyteller’s touch, she invites readers to look again at the medieval art they thought they knew.
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Sharon Kinoshita about why Marco travelled so far, what sort of detail he wanted to share with his readers, and what was going on in the world around him.
A conversation with Ada Palmer about the invention of the idea of the Italian Renaissance and the functions that it serves in the western historical imagination. “Byzantium” is a similarly invented category that often works in tandem with “the Renaissance” to mark good and bad moments in the history of culture.
This week, in celebration of Episode 300, Danièle answers your questions on everything from Hastings to hose, with a couple of surprises along the way.
A conversation with Anastasia Koumousi about the recently identified portrait of the last emperor of the Romans in Constantinople, Konstantinos XI Palaiologos, in a monastery church in the northern Peloponnese.
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Robert Lively about how a person became a Viking lawyer, what the process was for solving disputes, and how fixing bad behaviour worked in this shame-based culture.
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with John Beusterien about elephants and ivory in medieval China and Spain, including how elephants were put into service, and how ivory was used and traded across the world.