One of the more popular misconceptions about the Middle Ages is that people only really knew the world immediately around them – and that, by that token, they thought the world was flat. However, both classical testimonies and the experiences of medieval people go a long way to refute this thesis. Especially the Silk Road, […]
Poeun had reluctantly accepted the invitation to this dinner. As a respected poet, scholar and government official, he could not be absent from this banquet. But the evening’s host was his main political rival, Jeongan. It so happened that Korean politics had been a violent affair as of late. The country was in a state […]
Always somewhat sandwiched between China and Japan, the Koreans fought for their independence many times over. Nevertheless, having a neighbor such as China also came with many cultural, diplomatic and economic benefits. Over the course of the centuries, Korea’s most determined foes happened to come from within: factionalism and fragmentation were a near-constant threat to […]
The evolution and constant improvement of the rural roots of medieval economies allowed for the birth and growth of the financial industry. A few centuries of fallow and development thus set the foundations of banking as we know it today. A denarius for your thoughts It is often assumed that the collapse of the Western […]
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 other direction, would […]
The Middle Ages saw the steady rise of dense towns all over the European continent. This led to a pursuit of the ideal medieval house. One which optimized space within the limited area of walled settlements but also allowed for different living and commercial configurations. Versatility was emphasized, resulting in the flexible medieval townhouse. Its […]
Right around the time the Crusaders furiously launched themselves against the mostly muslim Middle East, Islam experienced a period of great internal strife. On paper, the mighty Seljuq sultan ruled from Central Asia to Jerusalem, the holy city the Crusaders sought to free from his rule. However, in reality, his empire experienced a civil war […]
The medieval kitchen was home to familiar foodstuffs, but also the origin of extravagant and eleborate culinary traditions. Especially the better-off knew how to host a good banquet. Let’s explore the culinary (r)evolutions of the Middle Ages. At first, refined cookery was quite limtied. Agriculture was aimed at sustenance, rather than commerce. As such, most […]
What drove the otherwise stern and respected Chinese general Zhang Xun to eat his own concubine? And why did Chinese historiography raise this commander-turned-cannibal to hero status? Well, as it happened, all was not well in the Chinese Empire of his day. Grab a short intro from our Medieval Guidebook. Zhang Xun’s stellar career When […]
Ever wondered what happened to Rome after – you know – the Fall of Rome? Did the Middle Ages simply start the next day? Were the last Romans turned into “barbarians” overnight? Fortunately for us, the transition was way more interesting than that. Grab a short intro from our Medieval Guidebook. The future after the […]
In typical modern representations of the Middle Ages, gothic architecture dominates skylines and cityscapes. The towering pinnacles of gothic cathedrals are thought to be as symbolic as gallant knights on bloodied battlefields, or stout castles on intimidating hilltops. Yet all these examples only became widespread when the Middle Ages were already more than 500 years […]
The Franks had done something terrible. Although there already was a Roman emperor, residing in Constantinople, the Frankish king Charlemagne had himself crowned as Roman emperor, too! This was not just a usurpation; it shattered Rome’s legacy, and indeed Christianity, forever. The Franks, having hitherto called the emperor in Constantinople “Roman emperor”, now started addressing […]
Why was Charles Martel called ‘the Hammer’? What did he do to the Arabs that halted the Islamisation of Western Europe? And why wasn’t the King involved? Charles’s lust for power Since the Romans had left Gaul (roughly present-day France), the area had largely been under the control of the Franks. They were a collection […]
From Facts to Fantasy: the Wondrous Voyages of Marco Polo
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. Controversy in context Marco Polo […]