The Entry into Jerusalem in York
When staging the Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem, Medieval York simply turned into Jerusalem in the eyes and minds of the audience and performers…
Approaching the Bible
We are used to think of the bible as a book. However, in the Late Middle Ages, the Bible came in many disguises: performed as liturgy, music or plays; or mediated through sermons, images and ceremonial objects…
The Medieval Zebro
In the Middle Ages a peculiar animal named the Zebro ran wild on the Iberian Peninsula. Was it a zebra? A wild ass? A wild horse? Or the descendant of feral horses, which had run wild? New research opens the debate…
Thomas Becket – Major Exhibition
850 years ago, on the 29th of December, Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, was murdered at the altar in his Cathedral on King Henry II’s instigation. A major exhibition in the British Museum promises to guide us through his history…
Becket – Life, Death, and Legacy
The celebrations and activities surrounding the 850th anniversary of the martyrdom of Thomas Becket have suffered due to the pandemic. Luckily, an important conference has shifted to zoom and April 2021…
Thomas Becket’s Shirt Returns in 2022
A garment traditionally thought to have been worn by Saint Thomas Becket at the time of his brutal murder in Canterbury Cathedral in 1170 was to return to the UK as part of the commemorations to mark 850 years since his death. The return has been postponed to 2022…
Was Thomas Becket a Controversial Saint in Scandinavia?
The history of the 12th-century Scandinavian church and the formation of the Norwegian and Swedish provinces is interwoven with the murder of Thomas Becket…
The Story of Henry II and Thomas Becket – Retold as a Moral Exemplum by Saxo Grammaticus
The story by Saxo of a murder, prompted by the Danish King, Sven Estridsen, in the Cathedral in Roskilde ca. 1160, echoes the events a hundred years later, when Henry II had Thomas Becket murdered…
News
Digital Anglo-Norman Dictionary Launched
13/02/2021Researchers at Aberystwyth University have launched a new digital platform providing detailed chronological information for all Anglo-Norman words for the first time ever online Read more
Fast and Feast – a Taste of Easter Past
09/02/2021The intriguing world of medieval Easter will be unearthed at a new virtual course staged by Blackfriars Restaurant in Newcastle in conjunction with Durham University’s Institute of Medieval and Early Modern Studies Read more
That JORVIK Viking Thing 2021
09/02/2021For years Yorvik has hosted a week-long celebration of all thing Viking. In 2021. Jorvik Plans an online festival of all things Viking. Read more
Face Masks – A Nightmarish Challenge?
18/01/2021Recurring nightmares seems to be one of the unforeseen complications following Covid-19. Some people report being attacked by masked medieval monsters. Read more
The Royal Castle in Alsace – Château du Haut-Kœnigsbourg
18/12/2020The Castle Ruin at Staufenberg from the 12th century in Alsace was rebuilt by the Emperor, Wilhelm II between 1900-1908. An archaeological report tells the story of this iconic “Medieval Castle” Read more
Civilizations of the Supernatural
11/12/2020Astrology, amulets, pagan magic charms, witches, and superstitions. All figure in a new book
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IMC 2021 Goes Virtual
29/10/2020International Medieval Congress in 2021 will be digitally organised. Clearly, Leeds hope to overwinter as the flagship of the Medieval History World Read more
China Tries to Corrupt History of Mongol Culture
27/10/2020Du to Chinese attempt at censorship, the Museum of Nantes in Bretagne has been forced to postpone an exhibition of Genghis Khan and the Mongols Read more
New Books
Thomas Becket: murder and the making of a saint
13/03/2021Marking the 850th anniversary of his dramatic murder of Thomas Becket, this book accompanies a major exhibition at the British Museum Read more
The Materiality of Saint Thomas Becket
12/03/2021A fine collection of essays celebrates the 850th anniversary of Thomas Becket by delving into the blood, the brain, the footsteps, the ripped remnants of cloth and the light. Read more
The Chasuble of Thomas Becket
12/03/2021The Cathedral in Fermo in Italy has preserved Thomas Becket’s chasuble. A new book explores the golden textile Read more
The Last Relic of Thomas Becket
11/03/2021This is a crafty and learned detective story of how Christopher de Hamel discovered the personal prayer-book of Thomas Becket in the collection of Corpus Christi College in Cambridge Read more
New Research
Limbo at Thunau
27/01/2021Archaeologists have been working for decades to excavate the early medieval settlements at Thurnau near Gars in Eastern Austria. Recent studies of the burial ground excavated in 1975-2000 tell the story of the burial of the unbaptized destined for limbo. Read more
From Wheat to Rye – Agriculture and Climate in Europe during Late Antiquity
16/12/2020During the 4th-8th century, vast stretches of Europe shifted from growing wheat to rye. Careful studies indicate the shift was a reflection towards a new, more balanced peasant economy. Read more
The Schlüsselfeld Ship
07/11/2020In the 14th century, it became fashionable to decorate tables at noble or royal banquets with models of ships, symbolising “Good Luck” and “Fair Wind”. Later, the wealthy merchants in the cities picked up this fashion. The Schlüsselfeld ship is one of the more famous. Read more
Ships as Table Decorations in the Middle Ages
06/11/2020Ships were prized ornaments decorating the tables of kings and lords into the 16th and 17th century. Read more
New Exhibitions
Thomas Becket – Major Exhibition
09/03/2021Eight-hundred and fifty years ago, on the 29th of December, Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, was murdered at the altar in his Cathedral on King Henry II’s instigation. A major exhibition in the British Museum promises to guide us through his history. Thomas Becket is a fascinating historical person. As… Read more
Visigoths in Toulouse
24/08/2020The Visigoths in Toulouse forged one of the first barbarian kingdom inside the Roman Empire, ruling from 420 – 507. In 2020 an exhibition in Toulouse celebrates the 1600-anniversary of their foundation. This summer a major exhibition focusing on the Visigothic kingdom in Toulouse 420 – 507 has been organised… Read more
Nuns and their lives in the 14th century
04/08/2020This summer, visitors to Zürich National Museum can study the remarkable story of the careers of medieval nuns. Extended to mid-august, an exhibition is worth looking into, if you are in the vicinity. Read more
The Early History of Copenhagen at a New Museum
11/02/2020Last week, a new attraction opened, The Museum of Copenhagen, covering the history from the ice-age hunters and gatherers and into the near future. Central is the brand new story of the earliest period in the life of the town ca. 1000 Read more