The Indians were one of the major civilizations of the Middle Ages. As one of the largest economies and population centers of the era, they were perfectly content with trading (and warring) among themselves when external circumstances worsened. With the world’s highest mountain range shielding its northern border and an ocean to its south, this […]

Having fought muslim enemies for centuries, the Knights Hospitaller confidently manned the walls of Smyrna around the turn of the 15th century. The Turko-Mongol warlord Timur, also known as Tamerlane, was threatening to attack them. As a renowned medieval military order, the Hospitallers had seen (and beaten) numerous Islamic armies before. Beating back this emir […]

Skip to content The sinews of war are infinite money, so the Hospitallers basically never had enough. Propaganda, then, was a useful means to increase their income. Read moreHospitaller History (3): Finances, Technology & Propaganda Tending to the sick was quintessential to the Order of the Hospital, but how did Hospitaller healthcare actually work in […]

Why was Charles Martel called ‘the Hammer’? What was he known for? And why wasn’t the King involved? Grab a short intro to the Franks from our Medieval Guidebook. After the Romans left Gaul (roughly present-day France), the area mostly came under the control of the Franks. They were a collection of Germanic tribes originating […]

The Goths were a Germanic people who descended on Southern Europe. They had a complicated relationship with the Roman Empire. Goths and Romans fought each other many times, but a great number of Goths served in the emperor’s legions as well. In the end, the Goths played a significant role in the downfall of the […]

The Magyars, by now better known as Hungarians, were in many ways one of a kind. Originally steppe people from Siberia, they condensed into a firm kingdom near the heart of Europe. There, they acted as both buffer between and bridge to the major medieval power blocks back then: the Catholic states of the largely […]

Feeling a little overwhelmed by the Middle Ages? We got you. Take our exclusive Guidebook with you as the ultimate guide on your medieval journey! Just starting out? Use our Beginner’s Guide to find answers to 38 medieval questions you are afraid to ask. Many civilizations and empires rose and fell during the Middle Ages. […]

Skip to content The Middle Ages saw the rise and fall of many civilizations. Medieval people organized themselves in states ranging from simple clans and small city-states to vast, expansive empires and sprawling steppe confederations. Alphabetically sorted, explore Western Eurasian medieval civilizations and empires using the links below. The Anglo-Saxons migrated to Roman Britain. They […]

The Cumans lived in an area stretching from Romania, Hungary and Moldavia in Eastern Europe to Mongolia in Inner Asia. This was a steppe area, flat and devoid of major mountain ranges. Horses were therefore central to the Cuman culture. Over time, the Cumans fused with the famous Turkic tribe of the Qipchaqs. The confederation […]

Allegedly, Marco Polo went, saw, and lived what his contemporary Europeans could have only dreamt of. His testimony proves invaluable to the historical record, though his validity has been questioned for centuries – and rightfully so. Merchants and sorcerers, spectacular cities and never-ending deserts fuse together in one book of wonders. Who was Marco Polo? […]

We review stuff for you, so you can pick the best medieval material. Here’s our take on Marie Favereau’s The Horde. Full title: The Horde. How The Mongols Changed The World. Shortlisted for the 2021 Cundill History Prize Author: Marie Favereau, associate professor of history at Paris Nanterre University; member of the French Institute of […]

The Persians were a great power during the Early Middle Ages, but their empire was the first to fall to the rapidly expanding empire of Islam: the Caliphate. After a century of resistance to their new muslim overlords, the Persians then revolutionized, reorganized and revitalized the Islamic world from the inside out. Persian poets, scientists […]

As one of the oldest civilizations around, the Chinese people were around during the Middle Ages – from beginning to end. Throughout most of it, they were a great power and dominated Eastern Asia. But the Chinese Empire was also frequently plagued with disunity and rocked by rebellion. Although a lot of dynasties tried, four […]

The sinews of war are infinite money, so the Hospitallers basically never had enough. Propaganda, then, was a useful means to increase their income. Read MoreHospitaller History (3): Finances, Technology & Propaganda Tending to the sick was quintessential to the Order of the Hospital, but how did Hospitaller healthcare actually work in an age before […]