Italian Gothic in Catalonia: Jaume and Pere Serra
29/01/2026Fourteenth-century Barcelona was home to a number of flamboyant artistic workshops producing cartoon-like altarpieces for a wider market. Read more
In the Italian Manner: Spain and Mediterranean Gothic 1320–1420
29/01/2026In spring 2026, the Prado in Madrid will offer a spectacular exhibition inviting us into the artistic world of Mediterranean Gothic, 1320–1420. Read more
The Remains of Kings and Queens in Winchester
12/01/2026Since 2012, archaeologists and scientists have been poking through 1300 bones, the remains of kings, queens and bishops laid to rest in the mortuary chests in Winchester Cathedral. Read more
Biodiversity near Lake Constance in the Middle Ages
08/01/2026Pollen studies from the area around Lake Constance in southern Germany show that biodiversity increased dramatically after around AD 500, before reaching a maximum around the year 1000. The question is why. Read more
Greenland Was Part of Scandinavia – and Denmark for a 1000 years
06/01/2026When Greenland was settled by Norse immigrants in AD 997, it was uninhabited. From the outset it became part of the Danish–Scandinavian world Read more
Putin’s Medieval Dream of Ruling an Empire
19/08/2025At his Alaska meeting with Trump, Putin made a curious demand that cut to the heart of the war: he wants to rule as Czar of a medieval-style empire “Mr. Putin also demanded guarantees that Russian should be an official language in Ukraine, and that security should be established to… Read more
The Altenberg Madonna
28/01/2026Altenberg Madonna Enters the Städel Museum: A Landmark Acquisition This morning, the Städel Museum announced what can rightly be described as a watershed moment for the study and appreciation of medieval art in Germany: the acquisition of the Madonna and Child Enthroned, known as the Altenberg Madonna. Dating from around… Read more
Medieval Embroidered Textiles in Whitework
26/07/2016While England is renowned for its Opus Angelicum embroideries, Germany is known for its tradition of Opus Teutonicum, worked with white or coloured linen or silk on bleached linen and used for altar cloths. New book tells the story of the textiles from Altenberg. Read more
The Convent at Altenberg near Lahn
26/07/2016The Convent in Altenberg may not in itself possess the treasures, which were amassed by the nuns in the High Middle Ages. But it is still worth a visit Read more
Heaven is on Display in Altenberg
25/07/2016This summer head for Franfurt and the Städel Museum, which shows a unique reunion of the Altenberg Altar and its liturgical treasures from c. 1300 Read more
1250 Years in Westphalia – an Exhibition
25/05/2025Westphalia celebrates 1250 years of its history and remembers the Saxon Wars and its Carolingian heritage Read more
Battle at Braunsberg AD 775 and new Exhibition at Höxter
25/05/2025In 775, Charlemagne dispatched an army into Saxony, part of which ended in the battle at Braunsberg on the brinks of Weser in 775. Exhibition tells the story of the Saxon Wars from a local perspective Read more
Carolingian Wars in Saxony 772-804
23/05/2025The conflict between the Saxons and the Franks during the late 700s and early 800s wasn’t just a random clash. Inflamed by a missionary zeal, it resonates in the 21st century Read more
The Prince from Beckum AD 600
23/07/2016The Prince from Beckum in North Rhein-Westphalia from the beginning of the 7th century tells a story of a man who lived in a mixed cultural setting Read more
In the Italian Manner: Spain and Mediterranean Gothic 1320–1420
29/01/2026In spring 2026, the Prado in Madrid will offer a spectacular exhibition inviting us into the artistic world of Mediterranean Gothic, 1320–1420. Read more
Love, Sex, and Gender in the Middle Ages at the Metropolitan
12/11/2025Fluid and queer sex is featured in a new medieval exhibition at the Met Cloisters in New York during winter 2025-26 Read more
Medieval trading vessel from 1410 discovered in the off Copenhagen
01/01/2026A 28-metre-long medieval trading ship has been discovered in the Sound off Copenhagen, making it the largest cog ever found in Northern Europe. Read more
Archaeologists Uncover Unusual Early Medieval Huts in Northwestern Poland
28/12/2025Wolin on the southern Baltic remains a Viking-Age enigma. Chronicles describe warriors and violent conflict between Danes and Slavs, yet archaeological discoveries reveal a thriving trading hub. Read more
Volcanic Climate Forcing and the Emergence of the Black Death (c. 1345–1348)
28/12/2025Around 1345, volcanic eruptions led to famine. Following this, the import of grain increased, ultimately leading to the Black Death in Europe. Read more
Early Medieval Glass from Venice
28/12/2025From Shards to Sea Routes: Glass Evidence for Venice’s Mediterranean Networks in the 7th and 8th Centuries Read more
New Research
Medieval Birds of Prey Thrived on Human Waste
17/01/2025Birds of prey in medieval Britain relied far more heavily on scavenging human waste than previously thought, according to research that analyzed more than 30 ancient bird skeletons. Read more
Advent and Marian Devotion
03/12/2024Advent is a time for reflecting upon Mary, the Mother of God. One avenue is to contemplate the beauty of the Old English Advent Lyrics Read more
Comparing Christian Rulership in Poland and Norway
25/10/2024In the Early Middle Ages, kings were elected according to charisma, wealth and warrior capabilities. Late rulership became dependant on dynastic succession and the endorsement of the Christian church Read more
The Dark Ages: Nature’s Comeback in the Netherlands
09/10/2024In the period known as the Dark Ages (c. 300 – 700 AD), woodlands staged a remarkable comeback across Europe, including the Netherlands. Read more
Thietmar of Merseburg 975-1018
01/01/2025Thietmar of Merseburg was bishop of the diocese of Merseburg from 1009 to 1018. Famous for his Chronicle, he was one of the most important historians of the Ottonian period Read more
Heinrich II, German King and Holy Roman Emperor 1002 – 1024
02/12/2024Heinrich II (973 (978)-1024) – famous for his foundation of Bamberg – was the last Ottonian to rule Germany and the Holy Roman Empire. Read more
Kunigunde – Ottonian Queen 1002-1024
02/12/2024The 10th-century German queens set their mark on politics in different ways. The last queen, Kunigunde, primarily played the role of dynastic bridgebuilder. Read more
A Glimpse into the Daily Life at the Court of Kunigunde and Heinrich II in Bamberg
01/12/2024Bamberg will host an important exhibition in the autumn 2024 focusing on the daily life at the imperial court of Henry II and Cunigunde Read more
Medieval Landscapes
The Wild Rabbits with the Long, Long Ears…
01/03/2025Rabbits share their history as on and off domesticated animals with the feral horses. Although living in the wilderness, they were very early on considered a nice supplement and hence “farmed” and domesticated for different purposes Read more
The Dark Ages: Nature’s Comeback in the Netherlands
09/10/2024In the period known as the Dark Ages (c. 300 – 700 AD), woodlands staged a remarkable comeback across Europe, including the Netherlands. Read more
Overwhelming Support for Rewilding and Release of Large Animals in the Oder Delta
03/02/2024Germans and Poles living in the Oder Delta strongly support rewilding and the introduction of large animals – including wolves and lynx, returning its landscape to its former medieval glory. Read more
The Vosges in the Early Middle Ages, ca. 400 – 750
31/01/2024In the Early Middle Ages, the Vosges were regarded as a wilderness – by elites, poets and priests. However, the ideas about how to live in and utilise this wilderness were contested. Read more
New Books about the Middle Ages
Late Medieval Female Subject Consciousness
04/02/2026Autobiographical writings was the inroad to identity formation among female mystics and authors. Late Medieval Female Subject Consciousness. Italian and English Mystics, Boccaccio, Chaucer, and Beyond By Stephanie Amsel Palgrave 2026 Late Medieval Female Subject Consciousness: Italian and English Mystics brings together disparate feminist theoretical approaches to explore the formation… Read more
The Kingdom of the Isles – and the Lords at Finlaggan
23/01/2026Excavated since 1987, Finlaggan on Islay, demonstrates how the medieval Kingdom of the Isles was on par with the rest of Europe in terms of political and cultural sophistication. Read more
Burgundy 450-535
11/01/2026A new book gathers together the results of Ian Wood’s life-long immersion into the events in Burgundy AD 450-535 Burgundy, 450-535.Politics and religion in the Gibichung Province. By Ian Wood Series: Saggi di Storia Antica vol 38 “L’Erma” di Bretschneider 2026 This book examines the early medieval Burgundian polity, which… Read more
Medieval Cookbooks from Syria, Egypt and El Andalus
10/01/2026Exotic spices, fruits, vegetables and syrups were desired and coveted in the Late Middle Ages, and avidly imported. Cookbooks from the Levant and Al Andalus teaches us how to cook and recreate the feasts of 1001 nights Read more