Medievalists in Kalamazoo seem out of sync with a public more interested in ‘Early Medieval history” and ‘Beowulf’ than Chaucer and literature
Category: Medieval History
From Lejre to Roskilde
Around AD 1000 the royal seat in Lejre had lost its political power to the Jelling Dynasty, which founded a new royal centre at of Roskilde.
Odin from Lejre? Freya? Or Völva?
Is the silver figurine from Lejre representing Odin? Freya? Or perhaps a völva, a Viking sorceress? Many interpretations have been put forward
Medieval Natural Disasters and Resilience
Natural disasters in the Middle Ages were met with resilience in a number of different ways: migration, rebuilding, re-settlements.
The Double Volcanic Event in AD 536 and AD 540
Severe deterioration of living conditions in Scandinavia in the years AD 536 - 50 was caused by two volcanic explosions following upon each other.
What Impact Did Climate Have Upon Medieval History?
What impact did climate have on Medieval History? A new crop of studies help to explore the details of the linkage between migrations, wars and much more. Get the overview here
Environmental Disasters in the Medieval Levant
BOOK REVIEW: Sarah Kate Raphael explores the interplay between the climate in Medieval Levant and the politics of crusading and warring in the region
The Medieval Warm Period
The medieval warm period (AD 725 - 1025) was characterised by little solar activity and few volcanic eruptions. This resulted in climate stability and economic and demographic growth
Climate History
Historical Climatology is a website dedicated to share interdisciplinary research into historical climate studies with journalists, policymakers, scholars and the general public
Medieval Climate Shifts and Settlements in North Eastern Europe
Recent studies explore the connection between medieval climate changes and historical migrations in North Eastern Europe bordering the White See
Medieval Summer Temperatures in Europe
Medieval summer temperatures shifted dramatically inside the last 2000 years, shows new studies. Next step is to map the shifts regionally.
Medieval Political Satire and Sexual Innuendo
1516 Ferdinand II of Aragon died after imbibing an ugly stew of bull’s testicles and Spanish fly. Political satires, also Böhmernann's is rooted here
Mongol Horrors in Hungary 1241
In 1241 - 42 the Mongol invasions of Hungary caused widespread destruction Recently, a house filled with the charred remains of murdered victims plus a forgotten treasure reminds us of these horrors.
Expedition to Newfoundland 1472
In 1472 an expedition was mounted by the Danish king in order to o explore the riches of Iceland and Greenland. Some believe they reached Newfoundland
Ganger Rolf and Rollo – Norwegian or Dane?
This week a group of Norwegians succeeded in gaining access to the remains of the Dukes, Richard the I and II, at Fécamp in order to subtract DN from their remains
Late Antique Little Ice Age AD 536 – 660
New research demonstrates the widespread impact of the climatic shocks in the 6th century creating a Late Antique Littel Ice Age reaching across most of the northern hemisphere