WEB Saxon wars  © Huxarium Gartenpark HoxterThe Carolingian Wars in Saxony 772-1804

775 Westphalia. Poster exhibition 2025

1250 Years in Westphalia – an Exhibition

25/05/2025

Westphalia celebrates 1250 years of its history and remembers the Saxon Wars and its Carolingian heritage Read more

Charlemagne enjoying VR at Höxter 2025 © Huxarium

Battle at Braunsberg AD 775 and new Exhibition at Höxter

25/05/2025

In 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

The Golden Psalter. From St Gallen No 22. Late 9th century. Source: Wikipedia

Carolingian Wars in Saxony 772-804

23/05/2025

The 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 resonate in the 21st century Read more

Exhibition from Landesmuseum Westfalen the man from Beckum © Landesmuseum Westfalen in Herne

The Prince from Beckum AD 600

23/07/2016

The 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

Detial from the Tapestries at Chateau d'Angers. Source: wikipdia

Medieval Apocalypse 2033?

After the hyped apocalypse on 2000 New Year’s Eve came to nothing, one might think the fervour would have abated among the doom-scrollers dreaming of the future Messianic Kingdom. Nevertheless, rumours here in 2025 are yet again ripe among Christian fundamentalists as to what will happen at some point in the next decade when Christ is thought to make a comeback.
 
At the bottom of these speculations lie futuristic calculations originally carried out in Late Antiquity. According to these, it should be possible to calculate the exact time of Christ’s second coming after the ”Day of Wrath”, the Apocalypse. It appears, the latter currently occupy the imagination:
 
• Will people die of vaccinations?
• Will there be mass extinctions (likely) and climatic catastrophes (also likely)?
• What about chemicals?
• Will Asteroids and super volcanos cause the ultimate apocalypse?
• Has the Antichrist already appeared on the scene? Putin and Trump are the leading contenders, but others are busy being lined up.
 
Hopefully, the new Augustinian Pope, Leo XIV, will stress how Augustine of Hippo c. 400 already tried to suppress these illusory imaginations. Meanwhile, a splendid exhibition in Paris delves into ancient manuscripts and new art, telling the story of our medieval and modern apocalyptic fantasies. Enjoy and reflect on the differing versions, medieval history offers up!
 
Apocalypse from 1903. Poster. Source: Wikipedia
Apocalypse from 1903. Poster. Source: Wikipedia
Photo from the Exhibition, featuring the signature painting by Anne Imhof, Untitled, Oil on printed canvas - 2022, Paris, Pinault Collection - Photography © Timo Ohler. Courtesy of the artist, Spruethmagers and Galerie Buchholz

Apocalypse – Yesterday and Today

04/05/2025

New exhibition in Paris at the Bibliotheque Nationale Française enlightens us about the history of our apocalyptic thinking in the past and present Read more

Santo Toribio de Liébana © Foto9546 Dreamstime/ ID 362543314

Santo Toribio de Liébana 

05/05/2025

The monastery of Santo Toribio de Liébana, dating back to the 6th century, stands as one of the most significant religious sites in Northern Spain, nestled within the dramatic landscape of the Picos de Europa mountains.  Read more

Beatus Saint Sever fol 31v (detail) BnF Gallica

Beatus of Liébana and the Beatus Manuscripts

07/05/2025

In the late 8th century, Beatus from Southern Spain found refuge in the Picos de Europa at one of the royal outposts in the fragile Asturian kingdom. He is famous for his artistic legacy, the Beatus’ Apcalypses. Read more

Bamberger Apocalypse Folio 43, Bamberg, Staatsbibliothek, MS A. II. 42 detail/ source; wikipedia

Books about Apocalypses

10/05/2025

Apocalyptic thinking was a common topic in Late Antiquity, reaching into the early Reformation. The following lists recent books outlining the history behind the topic and its different forms of artistic renditions.  Read more

York Minster Apocalypse © Gordon Plumb

York Apocalypse

16/05/2025

York Apocalypse panel back in Minster after restoration Read more

Looking down into the Crater of Vesuvius. Source: www.euro-t-guide.com

Medieval Natural Disasters and Resilience

16/05/2025

Natural disasters in the Middle Ages were met with resilience in a number of different ways: migration, rebuilding, re-settlements. Read more

Reconstruction of Heinrich II. © Bamberg 2024

What was life like a 1000 years ago?

This year, Bamberg celebrates the 1000-year anniversay of the death of Heinrich II. A major exhibition serves as an introduction to the life and times of the German Emperor and national saint, his beloved wife Kunigunde

Thietmar's name. From the Merseburger Sakramentar. © Merseburg Donmstiftsbibliotehek, Cod 1, 129, fol 38 r.

Thietmar of Merseburg 975-1018

01/01/2025

Thietmar 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

Crowning of Heinrich and Kunegunde From the Evangelistar. Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Clm 4452 fol-7 CCBYSA

Heinrich II, German King and Holy Roman Emperor 1002 – 1024

02/12/2024

Heinrich 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. Detail from: The Baseler Antepedium. Photo: www.muensterschatz.ch

Kunigunde – Ottonian Queen 1002-1024

02/12/2024

The 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

King Herod receives the three Magi. From: Codex Aureus Epternacensis, fol 40. Germanisches Nationalmuseum, Public Domain

What was life like in Bamberg 1000 years ago?

01/12/2024

What kind of daily life did Heinrich II and his beloved Queen Kunigunde experience at court? And how did this compare to the ordinary lives? In the city of Bamberg, in the countryside, and among their Slavic neighbours? Read more

Reconstruction of the Heinrichsdom in Bamberg c 1050 © Stadtarchölogie

The Royal Palace at Bamberg

29/11/2024

After 1007 Bamberg castle was rebuilt as a modern cathedral and palace complex. Likely, it turned out to be an ideal prototype for other similar building projects at Paderborn, Goslar and elsewhere Read more

St Mickaelsburg Abbey © Shooter/Dreamstime 42194797

Carmen Bambergense

29/11/2024

On Heinrich II’s birthday in 1012, the abbot at Seeon presented the German king with a panegyric, commonly known as the Carmen Bambergense. Read more

Steigerwald © Andreas Zeideri/Dreamstime/43212837

The Landscapes around Bamberg at the Time of Heinrich II

28/11/2024

Bamberg lies at the centre of the former Bavarian Nordgau at the confluence of the Regnitz and the Main, surrounded by a forested and hilly landscape
Read more

Coronation and enthronement of Henry II. Sakramentar Heinrich II BSB Clm 4456

How to Become a King at the Turn of the First Millenium

09/11/2024

In 1002, Otto III died at Paterno near Civita in Italy. With no direct descendants, the succession was fraught with tensions. Duke Henry of Bavaria caught the upstream. Read more

Henry II enthroned. From The Bamberger Apocalypse. Reichenau, circa 1010 Bamberg, Staatsbibliothek -- Msc.Bibl.140, Fol 59 v

The Royal Library at Bamberg

14/10/2024

When the Holy Roman Emperor Henry II died 1000 years ago, on July 13, 1024, he left behind a rich legacy of books. Read more

Detail from Star Mantel. Bamberg 1020 © Schousboe

New Books about the Imperial Clothes from c. 1020

24/04/2024

Two new books explore in detail the precious and unique imperial garments preserved in Bamberg Cathedral’s treasury Read more

When Medieval History Matters

Marc Bloch

The Remains of Marc Bloch to be moved to the Pantheon

26/11/2024

French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Saturday, November 23, that scholar and Resistance fighter Marc Bloch, tortured and executed by the Gestapo in 1944, would be reinterred in the Panthéon – the Paris monument to France’s most outstanding citizens. Read more

Charlemagne et sa femme - Abbaye Saint-Paul en Lavanttal (Autriche), Stiftsbibliothek, Codex Blasian 4, v. 813-823

Carolingian Church Policy Continue to Influence Modern European politics

16/11/2024

Europe is crisscrossed by ancient boundaries of which one is constituted by different kinship systems. How did they come about? And do they still matter? Read more

Virgo inter Virgines c. 1475. Royal Collectionsin Brussels, Soruce: Wikipedia

The Nature of Medieval Women

15/09/2024

Medieval women were considered weak, soft, sensual, and fickle if not frivolous. Even today, we hear an echo in the disparagement of Kamela Harris Read more

New Research

A red kite depicted in the Aberdeen Bestiary, written and illuminated in England around 1200. © University of Aberdeen Special Collections

Medieval Birds of Prey Thrived on Human Waste

17/01/2025

Birds 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

Virgin from Breedon-on-the-hill. Source: Wikipedia

Advent and Marian Devotion

03/12/2024

Advent 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

Otto II invests Adalbert aka Wojciech as bishop and appoints him missionary. from the bronze doors from Gniezno Doors c. 1160-80

Comparing Christian Rulership in Poland and Norway

25/10/2024

In 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

Grote Beek. © Henkbiouwers/ Dreamstime 2257460882

The Dark Ages: Nature’s Comeback in the Netherlands

09/10/2024

In the period known as the Dark Ages (c. 300 – 700 AD), woodlands staged a remarkable comeback across Europe, including the Netherlands. Read more

775 Westphalia. Poster exhibition 2025

1250 Years in Westphalia – an Exhibition

25/05/2025

Westphalia celebrates 1250 years of its history and remembers the Saxon Wars and its Carolingian heritage Read more

Charlemagne enjoying VR at Höxter 2025 © Huxarium

Battle at Braunsberg AD 775 and new Exhibition at Höxter

25/05/2025

In 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

Photo from the Exhibition, featuring the signature painting by Anne Imhof, Untitled, Oil on printed canvas - 2022, Paris, Pinault Collection - Photography © Timo Ohler. Courtesy of the artist, Spruethmagers and Galerie Buchholz

Apocalypse – Yesterday and Today

04/05/2025

New exhibition in Paris at the Bibliotheque Nationale Française enlightens us about the history of our apocalyptic thinking in the past and present Read more

Holy Roman Emperor Henry II and Cunigunde

Thietmar's name. From the Merseburger Sakramentar. © Merseburg Donmstiftsbibliotehek, Cod 1, 129, fol 38 r.

Thietmar of Merseburg 975-1018

01/01/2025

Thietmar 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

Crowning of Heinrich and Kunegunde From the Evangelistar. Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Clm 4452 fol-7 CCBYSA

Heinrich II, German King and Holy Roman Emperor 1002 – 1024

02/12/2024

Heinrich 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. Detail from: The Baseler Antepedium. Photo: www.muensterschatz.ch

Kunigunde – Ottonian Queen 1002-1024

02/12/2024

The 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

Reconstruction of Heinrich II. © Bamberg 2024

A Glimpse into the Daily Life at the Court of Kunigunde and Heinrich II in Bamberg

01/12/2024

Bamberg 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

WEB Wild Rabbit from arter.dk CC BY Jesper Michael Møller

The Wild Rabbits with the Long, Long Ears…

01/03/2025

Rabbits 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

Grote Beek. © Henkbiouwers/ Dreamstime 2257460882

The Dark Ages: Nature’s Comeback in the Netherlands

09/10/2024

In the period known as the Dark Ages (c. 300 – 700 AD), woodlands staged a remarkable comeback across Europe, including the Netherlands. Read more

White tailed eagle in The Oder Delta © Agdbeukhof/Dreamstime 167383594

Overwhelming Support for Rewilding and Release of Large Animals in the Oder Delta

03/02/2024

Germans 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

WEB Mystical forest in the Vosges ID 135207030 _ Alsace c Tanja Voigt _ Dreamstime

The Vosges in the Early Middle Ages, ca. 400 – 750

31/01/2024

In 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

Bamberger Apocalypse Folio 43, Bamberg, Staatsbibliothek, MS A. II. 42 detail/ source; wikipedia

Books about Apocalypses

10/05/2025

Apocalyptic thinking was a common topic in Late Antiquity, reaching into the early Reformation. The following lists recent books outlining the history behind the topic and its different forms of artistic renditions.  Read more

Medieval Emotions st Amiens Cathedral

Managing Emotions in the Middle Ages

19/02/2025

We live in emotional times, where people constantly trump truth and enlightenment with sentiments. The question explored in this book deals with how people in The Middle Ages managed their emotions to achieve power and positions.  Read more

Domesday book © Uk National Archives (open source)

19/01/2025

Medieval recordkeeping and financial management in the high and later Middle Ages was witnessed by  numerous accounts. New book provides an introduction to this source material Read more

King Herod receives the three Magi. From: Codex Aureus Epternacensis, fol 40. Germanisches Nationalmuseum, Public Domain

What was life like in Bamberg 1000 years ago?

01/12/2024

What kind of daily life did Heinrich II and his beloved Queen Kunigunde experience at court? And how did this compare to the ordinary lives? In the city of Bamberg, in the countryside, and among their Slavic neighbours? Read more

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