The Life of Saint John of Beverley
John of Beverley was an eighth-century clergyman who became a bishop in the year 705AD, at the height of the power of the medieval...
Modern and Medieval Thought
To understand and assess rational thought and its importance to Christianity, medieval thinkers investigated the literature of Plato and Aristotle. The outcome of their...
The Avignon Papacy: Babylonian Captivity of the Church 1309 – 1377
The Avignon papacy, sometimes called the “Babylonian Captivity of the Church,” lasted from 1309 to 1377. This period reflected a growing loss of power...
Medieval Weapon: The Flail
It’s a flail, NOT A MACE!
You will inevitably hear some ignoramus try to call a flail a mace, but the mace is actually an...
Book Review of Anglo-Saxon England by Sally Crawford
Many studies of England’s history concentrate on the Roman occupation and Viking attacks, with little information on the Anglo-Saxon period. This book uses archaeological...
Bread-Making in the Middle Ages
Bread was a staple and essential part of the medieval diet. The type of bread consumed depended upon the wealth of the person...
Animals in Medieval Human History
The seemingly now-separate categories of person and animal have never been stable, but medieval people lived in a shifty world of monsters, manifestations and...
Aethelflaed Lady of the Mercians
Aethelflaed was a high-status Anglo-Saxon woman who lived at a time when few women held power or influence. She was a military leader and...
Medieval Armor: The Brigandine
How the brigandine protected
The brigandine was a great torso protector. The inner and outer sides were leather, but sandwiched in between the layers of...
Breaking Medieval Myths: Armor
The study of medieval armor, like the study of swordsmanship, has gained momentum in recent history. While swords arguably grab most of the glamour...