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
Category: Medieval History
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
The Merovingians
The Merovingians was the name of the warlords and later royal family, which led the Post-Roman Frankish kingdom from c. 480 CE to 751 CE
Medieval Anniversaries 2016
WATCH OUT FOR: Medieval Anniversaries 2016
Frederic II Hunting with Birds
Frederic II, Holy-Roman Emperor, is known for his audacious life, his great Italian castles and his wars with the Pope. But he was also an avid patron of the arts. His hunting book is one of his great legacies.
The Gruesome Death of Richard Lionheart
Richard the I – the Lionheart – died on the 6th of April in 1199 near Chalus, a castle located at the border between Aquitaine and the French kingdom.
Francis I – Big Boy and Larger than Life
This year France celebrates the life and times of one of its greatest monarchs, Francis I (1494 -1547). Here is a short introduction with recommended readings.
The Emperor and the Electors in Late Medieval Germany
The King of Germany alias the Holy-Roman Emperor was since the end of the 12th century elected by a select college of German princes – the Electors or in German, “Kurfürsten”. To understand the political events behind the Reformation it is necessary to know about this institution
New Cistercian Studies – A Handlist of Good Books
Cistercian Studies is a fruitful field inside Medieval Studies in general. Here is a list of books, which can be used as introduction.
Is Elfdalian an Ancient Norse Dialect? Or language?
Is Elfdalian a dialect? Or a distinct language? Whichever way it is characterised, it is a very old variety of a Swedish dialect, Dalecarlian
Charles V, King of France 1364 -1380
Charles V was King of France during the first phase of the 100-years war and in the aftermath of the Black Death. Nevertheless, he succeeded in creating one of the first Late Medieval Courts
Coronation of Charles V
In 1364 Charles V (1338 -1380) was crowned as king of France in Rheims. The following year he commissioned a beautiful manuscript to commemorate the event – the so-called Coronation Book of Charles V.
Daily Life of Charles V, King of France (1338 -1380)
How did a late medieval king conduct his business? What did his daily life look like? Recent studies of Charles V, King of France (1338 – 1380) reveals a way of life that is quite different from what we might first think.
Medieval Armenia
Today the world remembers the 100-year anniversary of the genocide of 1.5 million Armenians. We should also remember the awful cultural destruction
The Knighting Ritual and Arm Delivery
The roots of the knighting ritual can be found in the 11th century when a set of rituals developed in the triangle of Normandy, Flandern and France, dedicated to mark the coming of age of young men