Science in the Dark Ages
Jean Lindsay queries the medieval path of scientific enquiry.
Medieval
Flowers from Abroad
Wilfrid Blunt explains the history of British flora's natives and invasives
British Towns and Cities: York, the Capital of the North
John Rodgers pays a visit to the historical viking city of York
A Medieval Childhood: Games With Frontiers
Lucy Inglis admires Nicholas Orme’s article on medieval childhood, first published in History Today in 2001.
Rich Pickings from Medieval Pilgrims
Pilgrims were a lucrative source of income for the Church and miracles did not come free. Adrian Bell and Richard Dale discover some striking parallels with modern marketing tactics in the management of shrines in the Middle Ages.
Hákon the Good
Inspired by his upbringing at the English court, Hákon I – nicknamed ‘Athelstan’s foster-son’ – strove to make Norway more like his mentor’s realm, a well-organised Christian kingdom. His reforms were to have a lasting impact, explains Synnøve Veinan Hellerud.
Roger van der Weyden and the Court of Burgundy
F.M. Godfrey describes the life of an important late medieval painter of royal subjects.
The Scottish Monarchy in the Fourteenth Century
Eric Linklater finds that among medieval champions of Scottish independence was an ancestor of Elizabeth II, the heroic Robert the Bruce.
Thomas Becket, the Holy Blissful Martyr
Arthur Bryant relates how Becket’s death, at the hands of Henry II's servants, made this once worldly prelate a popular religious hero.
The Story of England: The King and the Archbishop
In the twelfth-century conflict between Church and State, Henry II found his most determined opponent in his formerly devoted servant, Thomas Becket, as Arthur Bryant continues his Story of England series.