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.
This book offers translations of three thirteenth-century romances—The Romance of the Violet, The Romance of the Count of Poitiers, and The Tale of King Flore and the Fair Joan—each centred on men who wager over a woman’s virtue.
And it cost £7 This is the sort of thing I like waking up to hear.
Marco Polo’s account of his journey to Asia is one of the most well-known texts to come out of the Middle Ages. This book explores the people, places, and wonders that Polo described in his writings.
In this issue, we look at how the horse impacted medieval life and culture, from the monastery to the court, and from the training grounds to the battlefield. Theme: Horses in the Middle Ages Anastasija Ropa, "From coursers to hackneys: Medieval horses and the people who rode them," 16-21. Timothy George Dawson, "The horse in Byzantium: Adaptations for daily life and battle," 22-25. Jürg Gassmann, "Fighting on horseback: Cavalry organisation, training, and tactics," 26-33. Anastasija Ropa, "The mirror of man: The horse and rider metaphor," 34-37. Annelies Koolen, "The right way to ride: Dom Duarte on horsemanship," 38-41. Miriam A. Bibby, "Jingling monks and sidesaddle nuns: Ecclesiastical horses on the road," 42-45. Features: Rowdy Geirsson, "Freyja's final resting place: Secrets of a Viking-age burial," 8-13. Robert Jones, "Chivalry and violence: Worshipping at the altar of prowess," 14-15. Jeroen W.P. Wijnendaele, "Clovis' baptism: eldest daughter of the church," 46-49. Lucie Laumonier, "Shopping in the Middle Ages: Markets, sellers, and fraud," 50-53. Joseph Luzzi, "Sacred poetry and secular politics: Dante's contested legacy," 54-55. Rowdy Geirsson, "Book review: Forgotten Vikings - New Approaches to the Viking Age," 56. Jonathan H. Jones, "Book review: The Green Ages - Medieval Innovations and Sustainability," 57.
Rivers were an incredibly important part of the ancient landscape. Not only were they useful transport routes for goods and people, but also powerful forces that accrued their own religious significance. Theme: Rivers in antiquity Daniel Kershaw, 'The River Tiber - Rome's great father'. Timothy Hart, 'On the edge of civilization - Rome's frontier along the Danube'. Owain Williams, 'River transport in antiquity - Rowboats, barges, and rafts'. Ian Armit, 'Weapons, wealth, and bog bodies - Celtic veneration of rivers and lakes'. Features: Louise M. Pryce, 'Enheduanna - The world's first named author'. Jennifer Barry, 'Emperors and bishops - Who was really in charge?'. Owain Williams, 'Spartans and slaves - The foundation of Tarentum'. Tara Sewell-Lasater, 'The faceless Cleopatra - Polymorphic Ptolemaic portraiture'. Sinclair W. Bell, 'Games and glory - Circus factions of the Roman Principate'. Nina Butterfield, 'Julia Caesar - Women's importance to Roman politics'. Philip Matyszak, 'Roman pets - The domestic menagerie'.
Merovingian Worlds By James T. Palmer Cambridge University Press ISBN: 978-1-108-73759-3 This book offers an overview of the Merovingian realm, roughly what is…
