The Real Middle Earth
Though its meaning may have shifted over the centuries since its Anglo-Saxon origins, ‘middle earth’ is far from fantasy.
Medieval
The Islamic Ethics of the Wine Tax
The wine trade in medieval Tunis was lucrative, but it caused a moral quandary for the ruling Hafsids.
Hunting Heretics: Inside the Medieval Inquisition
More than 5,000 people were interviewed during the Great Inquisition of medieval Toulouse. What did this mean for those ordinary people called to give evidence?
Artificial Inspiration
Poets across the ages have sought help with their writing – but AI bears no comparison with the divine.
Gods at the Margins: How European Paganism Survived
By the 14th century Christianity had swept many of Europe’s indigenous religions aside, but not all. At the continent’s peripheries paganism survived and, in some cases, thrived.
A Royal Skeleton in the Chapel
Were the lost bones of medieval King Ethelbert hidden in Sherborne Abbey? A convenient discovery suggested they were.
Cannibal Crusaders
Reports from the First Crusade brought tales of victorious Christian soldiers eating dead bodies.
Medieval Queen by Grace of God
Queenship was transformed in the early Middle Ages, as power came to be derived not just from marriage, but from God.
Medieval Fogge: In Defence of the Middle Ages
The medieval era did not wallow in savage, ignorant darkness, despite what some would have us believe.
Real Monks Cry: Masculinity in the Monastery
How did medieval holy men cope with the strictures their devotion placed upon them?