Turning the map of Europe upside down, we see a peculiar peninsula on either side surrounded by the Mediterranean and the Baltic, from where it struts into the Atlantic Ocean.
Category: Medieval Europe
The Wolf and the Vargr in Early Medieval Scandinavia
When did the war on wolves commence? Only in the later Middle Ages it appears. On the contrary, poetry, sagas, onomastics, and pictorial art were rich in the motif of the wolf and the man and their myriad metamorphoses.
Who wrote Sir Gawain and the Green Knight?
The famous chivalric romance of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight continue to capture our imagination with its stories of a hero on a famous quest. New book claims to identify the author.
Archbishop Wulfstan of York (c. 946/66 – 1023)
Wulfstan played a significant political role in Anglo-Saxon England at the turn of the first millennium and the events surrounding the political and personal demise of King Æthelred, and the conquest of Sweyn Forkbeard and Cnut the Great
A Lost Medieval Market Village – Burton Dassett in Warwickshire
In the 13th century, Chipping Dassett became the site of a flourishing market town. After the plague, the market declined, and at the end of the 15th century, the place was deserted.
How did the body of St. James end up in Galicia at Santiago de Compostela?
Each year on the 30th of December, Spain celebrates the miraculous translation of St. James from Jerusalem to the shores of Galicia.
Who Visited Iron Age Uppåkra in AD 463?
Outside Lund, lies the remains of a unique Iron Age settlement, Uppåkra. Known for it rich archaeological finds, much more remains to be revealed. With the help of new scientific methods, more elusive remains, such as DNA, viruses, and bacteria are expected to come to light for the first time.
Why did the Norse Disappear from Greenland?
Why did the Norse People in Greenland upend their settlements in the late 15th century? A new explanation refers to their culture and way of life inherited from 9th century Viking Society.
Medieval Church in Södra Råda in Sweden Rebuilt
This Whitsun, Södra Råda Church in Värmland in Sweden will be re-inaugurated. The aim of the reconstruction of the burnt-down medieval treasure was to learn how a church was built in the 14th century.
Winchester Town and Cathedral
The history of Winchester reaches back into prehistory. From an Iron Age oppidum, it changed into the Roman town. Later, it turned into one of the most important cities in Anglo Saxon and Early Medieval England
Mercenaries in the 14th Century
In the Middle Ages, mercenaries were widely recruited. However, what was the military effectiveness of these forces? And the downside?
The Hundred Years’ War and the Battle at Crécy
In 1346 Edward III launched an invasion of Medieval France. Mounting the largest medieval invasion ever, he gained an overwhelming victory of the French army at Crécy. Since then, scholars have asked whether he was just lucky or a superb strategist.
Territory in Late Medieval and Early Modern Europe
In recent political and constitutional history, scholars seldom specify how and why they use the concept of territory. New book argues that territory is the lived space of people
Norwegian Church Art in Bergen
The collection of medieval church art at the University Museum of Bergen in Norway is among the finest of its kind in Europe. A new catalogue presents the collection in several languages.
Godrich of Finchale – Merchant, Pilgrim, Hermit and Saint
Godrich of Finchale (1070-1170) was a popular saint in the county of Durham, where he ended his days as a hermit. A new edition of his life was recently published.
Sweyn, Cnut and Valdemar at Tikøb Church in Denmark 1157?
Tikøb church in Denmark is unique. It is an imposing example of an early 12th-century brick church. Foremost, though, it features a series of striking portraits shaped in burnt clay. Three kings and a bishop – and an abbot, a monk and a horse on the north wall? Who might it be?