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.
Medieval
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?
The Merovingians: ‘Do-Nothing Kings’?
The Merovingians have a reputation for long hair and barbarity. Instead, the dynasty, born out of the chaos of civil war, was one of peace, diplomacy, and bureaucracy.
Coronation of Bolesław the Brave
Bolesław Chrobry was finally crowned king of Poland on 18 April 1025. It was an elevation two decades in the making.
The Real Magna Carta
Less famous than its 1215 predecessor, the Magna Carta of 1225 held the true power.
The Wild Hunt in England
The monks of Peterborough told strange tales of the Wild Hunt. Were they ghostly apparitions or wishful thinking?