Explore how war was understood in the Middle Ages through the ideas of Augustine and Aquinas, including just war theory, public vs. private violence, and the role of sin and political authority.
Between 622 and 632, the early Muslim community became involved in a series of military conflicts with rival Arabian groups and the Byzantine Empire. This book examines the military history of these encounters, “emphasizing them as a series of tribal incursions rather than religious missions.”
In a tale preserved from the 10th century, a man from Cairo sets out in search of treasure hidden deep in the mountains.…
Step into the soundscape of the Middle Ages with our online course, Introduction to Medieval Music. Learn about chants and their use in the medieval mass, developments in musical notation and texture, instruments, styles, and composers.
A new study compares income inequality in the Roman, Han, and Aztec empires—revealing that ancient societies were as unequal as today’s most divided nations.
Discover the twenty medieval sieges of Constantinople, from early attacks by Avars and Arabs to the city’s final fall in 1453.
Medieval Europeans weren’t known for their swimming skills—and there’s a surprising amount of evidence to show just how bad they were at it. From river shoves to tactical advice from Christine de Pizan, here’s what swimming looked like in the Middle Ages.
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Chris Taylor about where the legend comes from, how it may have had a disastrous effect on the fifth crusade, and what Prester John has to do with the Fantastic Four.
A thirteenth-century killing field or a 'turdhill'? Last week I gave a speech in the beautiful countryside of East Sussex, which is for my money one of the loveliest places in all of England. My subject was the medieval ‘battle’ of Terrible Down.
Exploring how Chaucer studies were shaped by Nazi ideology, this article uncovers the influence of national psychology and propaganda on medieval scholarship in the Third Reich.
What happened when a pope died in the Middle Ages? Behind the closed doors of Rome and Avignon, elaborate rituals unfolded—blending faith, politics, and performance to preserve the illusion that the Church never died.
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Nora Berend about the real Rodrigo Díaz, the astonishing way his legend grew and changed over time, and how El Cid is still being used as a political tool in the modern world.
