When Medieval Nuns Stopped a Papal Construction Site: The Turbulent Story of the Basilica of Saint-Urbain in Troyes
Discover the dramatic story of how a powerful abbess and her nuns defied the papacy and halted the construction of a major Gothic basilica in 13th-century Troyes, France.
What if a Nightmare Foretold Your Death? The Strange Final Days of William Rufus
After a terrifying dream warns him of his sins, King William Rufus vows to change—only to be killed the next day in a mysterious hunting accident. A 12th-century poet tells the chilling tale.
Medieval Chinese Poems Reveal Decline of Endangered Porpoise
A team of conservation researchers is turning to an unexpected source to track the decline of one of the world’s most endangered animals:…
How to Become an Evil Wizard in the Middle Ages: The Secrets of Picatrix
Discover the dark spells, strange rituals, and magical powers found in Picatrix, a medieval guidebook for aspiring wizards—featuring shapeshifting, poison recipes, and spirit summoning.
Mothers Who Weren’t: Wet Nurses in the Medieval Mediterranean
Explore the complex and often harsh realities of wet nursing in the Middle Ages, from slave contracts to moral expectations—revealing how “mothers who weren’t” shaped medieval childhood and society.
Five Ways the Lion Roared in the Middle Ages
A look at the five symbolic identities that the lion had in Western medieval culture: The Threatening Lion, The Christian Lion, The Noble Lion, The Sinful Lion, and The Clement lion.
Medieval Alchemists Were Right! You Can Turn Lead into Gold
Scientists at CERN have achieved what medieval alchemists once dreamed of by transforming lead into gold using high-energy collisions at the Large Hadron Collider.
New Online Course: The Devil’s Brood: The Angevin Empire 1154-1216
Starting May 14th, this online course investigates the history of the Angevin Empire during the reigns of Henry II, Richard I, and John. Topics covered will include the Great Rebellion, the murder of Thomas Becket, and Magan Carta.
The Moral Purpose of the Medieval State
Explore how medieval thinkers from Augustine to Aquinas debated the role of government, from preserving peace and order to promoting virtue and human fulfillment in the pursuit of the common good.
Symbols and Signs: Getty Exhibition Explores Medieval Manuscript Codes
The Getty Museum’s new exhibition, Symbols and Signs: Decoding Medieval Manuscripts, explores the visual and textual codes used by medieval scribes and artists. On view May 20 to August 10, 2025.
Medieval England’s Road Network Mapped Using the Gough Map
A new study uses the Gough Map to reconstruct medieval England’s road network, revealing how Roman routes shaped travel for centuries.
Royal Women of Sweden with Caroline Wilhelmsson
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Caroline Wilhelmsson about the royal women of Sweden, how they became queens, and how they exercised their power.
The Role of Saints in Canterbury Cathedral
Discover how saints shaped medieval religious life, pilgrimage, and power through the story of Canterbury Cathedral and the shrine of Thomas Becket, one of the most important cult sites in medieval England.
What Ancient DNA Reveals About the Medieval Population of the Low Countries
A new DNA study reveals that the medieval male population of the Low Countries remained remarkably stable over 1,500 years, with local lineages shaped more by genetic drift and patrilocal traditions than by large-scale migration.
Latin Literature in Late Antiquity, with Gavin Kelly
A conversation with Gavin Kelly about the corpus of Latin literature from antiquity down to the present, where we discuss the reasons why most scholars focus on the period before 200 AD, why late antiquity is overlooked (despite having some first rate authors), and what can be done about that. Similar issues, we find, emerge from the study of Greek literature too.
775 and the Making of Westphalia: Medieval Manuscript Featured in Paderborn
A 9th-century manuscript containing the first mention of “Westphalia” will soon be on display in Paderborn as part of a major anniversary exhibition exploring the medieval origins of the region.
Tupac Could Have Been a Viking
Discover the striking parallels between Viking warriors and 1990s gangsta rappers in this thought-provoking article exploring shared values of honour, violence, reputation, and poetic legacy across two seemingly distant cultures.
The Cadaver Synod: The Trial of a Dead Pope
In 897, Pope Stephen VI exhumed his predecessor and put him on trial. Known as the Cadaver Synod, this bizarre episode in Church history was more than madness—new research reveals it was a political and religious power play.
National Gallery Acquires Mysterious Northern Renaissance Masterpiece
The National Gallery has acquired a mysterious and richly detailed Northern Renaissance altarpiece from around 1510. Featuring saints, angels, dragons, and eccentric iconography, the anonymous masterpiece has not been seen publicly since 1960.
Crusader Criminals: Plunder, Pillage and the Usual Suspects
Steve Tibble on criminality in the crusades, from the primal forces such as climate change and mass migration which fed a wave of violence, to the extraordinary stories of looting, piracy, banditry and muggings which emerged.
Top 10 Antipopes
Discover the stories of ten historical figures who claimed the papacy but were later declared antipopes. From Hippolytus of Rome to Felix V, explore the rivalries, scandals, and political power struggles that shaped medieval Church history.
The Hidden Financiers: Women’s Role in Medieval Commerce
Discover how medieval women—noblewomen, abbesses, and merchants—played vital roles in managing estates, running businesses, and shaping the economic life of the Middle Ages.
The Medieval Invention of Political Community
Discover how medieval thinkers reshaped the concept of political community using ideas from Roman law, Christian theology, and Aristotelian philosophy—laying the intellectual foundations for the modern state.
10 Medieval Studies’ Articles Published Last Month
What’s new in medieval studies? Here are ten open-access articles published in April, which range from a new look at Richard III to dog tricks in Byzantium.
