The Diamond Sutra, printed in China in 868, is the world’s oldest surviving complete dated printed book. Its dedication reveals a personal story of family and Buddhist generosity.
Explore seven fascinating facts about medieval Algeria, from Fibonacci and Ibn Khaldun to powerful dynasties, historic cities and Islamic architecture.
Who carried out executions in the Middle Ages? Lorris Chevalier explores how medieval executioners emerged as professionals and how they were portrayed in French literature.
New research suggests that Simonetta Vespucci, the inspiration for Botticelli’s Venus, may have died from a pituitary tumour rather than tuberculosis.
Read a translation of a medieval Italian account of King Arthur, from his conquests and the Round Table to Mordred’s betrayal and their final battle.
Throughout the medieval world there was a strong belief in supernatural beings. If you lived in the Middle East, they would be called djinn, demons or devils. If you dare want to know more about these monsters, read on!
Archaeologists in France have uncovered an early medieval palace complex near Dijon, featuring a large church, stone buildings and Roman-style heating.
What did people eat in the early Middle Ages? Or, more precisely, what were they advised to eat? This sixth-century text, presented here in an edited translation, offers dietary advice and recipes intended for a Frankish ruler.
Dutch immigrants brought hopped beer to medieval England in the 14th century, gradually transforming English brewing and drinking habits.
A new open-access book explores why Ibn Khaldun’s medieval ideas about the rise and fall of civilizations still matter more than 600 years later.
Medieval castles and churches across England, including Hastings Castle and Dover Castle, will benefit from new government conservation funding.
This extensive collection of translated texts explores the emperors of Byzantium from the fourth to the fifteenth centuries. Drawing on chronicles, letters and other historical sources, it offers a sweeping tour of Byzantine politics across more than a thousand years.