Medieval

Nicholas Orme shows how Catholic and Protestant reformers alike campaigned rigorously against medieval attitudes to prostitution which were far less restrictive and oppressive than is often supposed.

Felix Barker keeps an open mind about speculation on the burial place of King Arthur.

'Beyond the pale' - the imperialists' vision of the Irish as ignoble savages originated in the attitudes and writings of medieval Englishmen.

The hubris of Louis XI's Constable produced his nemesis against a background of incipient French nationalism and a growing royal sense of 'majesty'.

Existing elements of pagan midwinter rites fused with the developing theology of Christmas in an appeal to the senses of both sacred and lay.

James Graham-Campbell looks at the persisting image of the Vikings as pagan raiders striking at isolated Christian settlements. But is this the whole truth? And how and why did the Vikings adopt Christianity?

Three texts dealing with the transition from the Renaissance to the Modern Age

Kenneth Fowler looks at the genius of the 14th-century French courtier and chronicler and how he captured the spirit of his age in a sophisticated and complex narrative.

John Maddicott argues that Edward III's bid for glory in France was motivated by concerns about England's neighbours and trade as well as amour propre for his claim to the throne of Philip of Valois.

'Not as a conqueror but as a legitimate heir' – Henry's grand gamble to unite the crowns of England and France recognised the realities of national sentiment on both sides of the Channel.