Where the Middle Ages Begin
When the Protestant Reformation swept through Nuremberg, one abbess refused to surrender her convent. Caritas Pirckheimer used scholarship, political connections, and years of literary experience to defend her community against reformers and city officials.
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.
When the Protestant Reformation swept through Nuremberg, one abbess refused to surrender her convent. Caritas Pirckheimer used scholarship, political connections, and years of literary experience to defend her community against reformers and city officials.
Medieval Florence enforced strict sumptuary laws that regulated women’s clothing, jewellery, fur, and luxury fashion in an effort to control status and behaviour.
Five fascinating medieval artefacts from the latest TimeLine Auctions sale, including a Byzantine icon fragment, an early medieval sword, and a badge depicting Thomas Becket.
Have you ever watched a deep dive into a movie where someone explains all the hidden details and Easter eggs? This is the medieval equivalent: a famous eleventh-century letter that later inspired one particularly detailed analysis written three hundred years afterward.
The British Museum has revealed details of its major new Bayeux Tapestry exhibition, featuring immersive displays, rare medieval loans, and the story of the Norman Conquest
Explore how Viking-age poets described ships, storms, and seafaring adventure in Old Norse poetry, revealing the central role of the sea in medieval Scandinavian life.
Explore how Byzantine Christians taught the faith through structured catechesis, liturgical instruction, and episcopal oversight, shaping the religious life and identity of the medieval Eastern Roman Empire.
Chemical analysis of surgical tools from a Ming Dynasty tomb has revealed traces of a toxic aconitine-based anaesthetic, offering rare physical evidence of sophisticated medieval Chinese medicine and surgery.
Looking to learn more about the Middle Ages from home? Check out 15 online courses starting between June and October.
Ten major peace treaties from the Middle Ages that reshaped kingdoms, ended wars, and changed the course of medieval diplomacy and history.
People in the Middle Ages swore very differently from us. Explore medieval swear words, insults, and religious oaths that shocked medieval society.
In the latest Q&A episode of Bow & Blade, Michael and Kelly answer questions about infantry vs cavalry in late medieval battles, will there be archaeological excavations at Hundred Years’ War battlefields, favourite centuries and what our hosts will be doing this summer.
A conversation with Jeremy Swist on the emperor Julian (361-363 AD) and how he tried to combine his love of philosophy with ruling the Roman Empire. We talk about why Julian continues to excite such passions, how in some ways he may have been more Roman than Greek, and how he read Roman history in light of the theurgical Neoplatonism that he espoused.
Look closely at the Bayeux Tapestry and you will spot humorous, strange, and fascinating scenes hidden within one of the Middle Ages’ most famous works of art.
Researchers have developed a nondestructive way to extract DNA from medieval parchment manuscripts, revealing new insights into livestock, trade networks, and manuscript production across 1,300 years.
Medieval medical and cosmetic texts reveal how roses, violets, lilies and other flowers were used in skincare, haircare, perfumes and beauty remedies. These floral treatments were intended to cleanse the skin, whiten the complexion, scent the body and maintain healthy hair.
Did Charlemagne’s free landowners suffer widespread impoverishment? David Bachrach reexamines the evidence behind one of the most influential theories about Carolingian society, military service, and economic decline.
Explore eight medieval Latin sayings about money, greed, and human desire, revealing how writers in the Middle Ages viewed wealth, virtue, and moral character.
A six-week course exploring medieval music and the intertwined powers of politics and religion. Through vivid manuscripts and wild tales of saints, kings,…
A lost medieval manuscript has been reunited with Heidelberg’s famous Bibliotheca Palatina after researchers traced the codex’s centuries-long journey across Europe.
Long before newspapers appeared in Europe, medieval China had printed publications reporting on politics, government decisions, scandals, and military affairs during the Song Dynasty.
Surrounded by rivals on every frontier, the Byzantine Empire of the tenth century relied on far more than battlefield victories to survive and expand. George Theotokis explores how emperors and diplomats used strategy, alliances, bribery, fortifications, and warfare to navigate a dangerous geopolitical world stretching from the Balkans to the Middle East.
Archaeologists in Germany have uncovered a rare medieval notebook in a Paderborn latrine, preserving 700-year-old wax tablet writings that may reveal the life of a medieval merchant.
If you are interested in the connections between Christian and Islamic cultures in the Middle Ages, physical objects can reveal remarkable stories of exchange and interaction. This book brings together ten essays exploring the materials, artifacts, and goods that moved between these two societies, shedding light on the cultural ties that linked the medieval Mediterranean world.
Have you ever watched a deep dive into a movie where someone explains all the hidden details and Easter eggs? This is the medieval equivalent: a famous eleventh-century letter that later inspired one particularly detailed analysis written three hundred years afterward.
In the latest Q&A episode of Bow & Blade, Michael and Kelly answer questions about infantry vs cavalry in late medieval battles, will there be archaeological excavations at Hundred Years’ War battlefields, favourite centuries and what our hosts will be doing this summer.
A conversation with Jeremy Swist on the emperor Julian (361-363 AD) and how he tried to combine his love of philosophy with ruling the Roman Empire. We talk about why Julian continues to excite such passions, how in some ways he may have been more Roman than Greek, and how he read Roman history in light of the theurgical Neoplatonism that he espoused.
Charles the Bold was building his Duchy of Burgundy into a European power when he faced the Old Swiss Confederacy. In this episode of Bow & Blade, Michael and Kelly talk about the Battle of Grandson, a key event of the Burgundian Wars.
A conversation with Charlie Kuper about the Menologion of Basil II, a lavishly illustrated manuscript pairing brief notices about the saints with images of them and their ordeals, arranged according to the liturgical calendar.
A conversation with Nicole Eddy about the Dumbarton Oaks Medieval Library, one of the most important publishing ventures of recent times when it comes to medieval texts and literature.
A conversation with Beth Digeser about pedagogy, specifically about what we are hoping to accomplish by teaching Roman history.