The Knights Hospitaller started with an infirmary in Jerusalem but soon formed an extensive network throughout medieval Europe, comparable to a modern NGO. Read MoreHospitaller History (1): An International NGO in the Middle Ages Both the Holy Roman Empire and the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire claimed to be the true “Roman Empire”. Which state best […]

We review stuff for you, so you can pick the best medieval material. Here’s our take on Judith Herrin’s Ravenna. Full title: Ravenna. Capital of Empire, Crucible of Europe. Shortlisted for the 2021 Wolfson History Prize Author: Judith Herrin, archeologist, byzantinist and historian. Herrin was a professor in Byzantine history at Princeton, and later at […]

Wars were very much part and parcel of medieval life. The Middle Ages saw many battles, sieges and drawn-out conflicts. Religious confrontations also took place, in the form of theological disputes as well as major military conflicts, such as the Crusades or jihad. The Crusades were a series of major military expeditions conducted by Christianity […]

We review stuff for you, so you can pick the best medieval material. Here’s our take on Janina Ramirez’s Femina. Full title: Femina. A New History of the Middle Ages, Through the Women Written Out of It Author: Janina Ramirez, British cultural historian and TV presenter. Ramirez has lectured at the universities of York, Winchester, […]

The Caliphate, in theory, was the one and only Islamic empire that encompassed all muslim lands. The idea was that Muhammad’s official successor, the caliph, ruled supreme over the community of all muslims – the ummah. As such, he was a religious leader with “imperial ” authority over a multi-ethnic collection of territories. During the […]

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 […]

How were Mongol ruler Genghis Khan and his descendants able to create the largest land empire in history? Did climate change in any way contribute to their ability to outplay their opponents? And if the weather did turn in their favor, why didn’t their enemies profit as well? Grab a short intro to the Mongols […]

So much magnificent medieval material! But you only want the best of the best, of course. Use our reviews to cut the chaff from the wheat. All sorted by year, from newest to oldest. The Burgundians: A Vanished Empire – B. van Loo [2021] We don’t comprehensively review fiction books, since there is no historicity […]

With dense towns on the rise all over Europe, the search for the ideal housing unit consumed most of the medieval time period. People living in the Middle Ages looked for a house that optimized space within the limited area of walled settlements but also one that allowed for different living and commercial configurations. Versatility […]

Medieval life was controlled by two estates: the oratores – “those who pray” – held religious authority, while the bellatores – “those who fight” wielded political power. But these two orders were but a fraction of the general populace. The great majority of the European population belonged to the order of the laboratores, or “those […]

How did the Roman Empire lose the West? Learn about upstart Goths, disloyal Lombard and insolent Franks – all working with and against a court in Constantinople that was waging war on many, many fronts. Read MoreThe Two-Emperors Problem (1): Will The Real Roman Emperor Please Stand Up? Byzantine emperor Justinian II lost both his […]

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 […]

Vikings were Norsemen who raided and traded throughout large parts of Europe. The Norsemen were the Germanic inhabitants of Scandinavia. Those among them that took to the sea were called “viking” – meaning: pirate. As such, the term was more of a job description than an ethnicity. Vikings were renowned for their seafaring skills in […]

Oars were pushing the water away at increasing speed. The boat progressed annoyingly slow through the wide waters of the Volga River. The expedition’s leader had just ordered his men to make haste. The rhythm of rowing picked up. The next bend, they had been told by a ship passing in the opposite direction, would […]