Belligerent French Nobility of the 11th Century
In order to survive in the harsh and violent French medieval society, many nobles who had the means and time took up knighthood professionally.
Preliminary...
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...
Origins of April Fools Day
April Fools Day is known as a day for practical jokes and pranksters. The holiday dates back several centuries to the Middle Ages.
For...
Hospitality in the Medieval Monastery
The guest house of a medieval monastery offered similar hospitality to a modern-day hotel, with both rich and poor people entitled to food and...
Berengaria of Navarre, Queen Consort of England
Berengaria was the princess who became Queen Consort of one of history’s most famous Kings; Richard I the Lionhearted. Perhaps because she was overshadowed...
Religion in the Middle Ages
Medieval religion developed as a hybrid of pagan beliefs and practices and Catholicism, eventually dominating the everyday lives of peasants.
The religion of the...
Ale Production in Medieval Times
Ale is one of the oldest foodstuffs and has a history going back thousands of years.
It was an important drink during the Middle Ages...
Jan Janszoon van Haarlem, the Dutch Barbary Pirate
Janszoon’s transformation into Murat reis took place after he was captured by the Barbary pirates during a raid on Lanzarote in the Canary Islands....
The Destruction of the Knights Templar: The Guilty French King and the Scapegoat Pope
The destruction of the Knights Templar came as a result of greed on the part of the French king, Philip IV, and not at...
Preparations for a Pilgrimage in Medieval Times
A medieval pilgrim, whether travelling overseas or within his own country, was aware that the pilgrimage may cost him his life. Travel in medieval...