Medieval European History
Articles tagged Medieval European History.
Why Byzantine Emperors Blinded Their Rivals
Byzantine blinding removed rivals from power without always killing them. See how it worked and what happened to Justinian II, Romanos IV and Isaac...
How Medieval Monks Preserved and Erased Ancient Texts
Medieval monks copied ancient books and reused others as palimpsests. The Archimedes and Cicero manuscripts reveal what survived and why.
How the Crossbow Changed Medieval Warfare Forever
How medieval crossbows worked, why the Church condemned them, and what Richard I, Crécy and royal records reveal about their impact on warfare.
What Happened at the Synod of Whitby in 664 CE?
In 664, King Oswiu chose the Roman Easter calculation over Iona’s tradition at Whitby. The debate, its politics and its consequences reshaped Northumbria.
Lindisfarne Gospels: Inside a Medieval Masterpiece
Made around 700 in Northumbria, the Lindisfarne Gospels unite extraordinary Insular art, Latin scripture and a later Old English translation.
Byzantine Silk: How Monks Brought Silkworm Eggs to Justinian
Procopius says monks brought silkworm eggs to Justinian's court. A rival account names a Persian, and the empire continued to depend on imported silk.
Book of Kells: How Medieval Monks Made a Masterpiece
Made around 800, the Book of Kells combines Latin Gospels with extraordinary art. Its vellum, pigments, scribes and disputed origins reveal how it was...
Political Marriages: How Medieval Royal Weddings Changed Kingdoms
Medieval royal marriages gave families claims to crowns and castles. Urraca, Berenguela and Blanche show why some alliances failed and others endured.
5 Viking Raids Recorded in Medieval Chronicles
Five Viking raids from Lindisfarne to Constantinople, 793 to 860, reveal what medieval chroniclers recorded and where the evidence is uncertain.
8 Ways People Survived Winter in Medieval Europe
How medieval Europeans preserved food, heated homes, protected grain, dressed for cold and travelled through snow, with evidence from texts and archaeology.
Was a Viking King Too Fat to Escape His Burning Hall?
The story of a Viking king too fat to escape a fire has no identified medieval source. The sagas tell different stories of rulers...
Agincourt: Did French Knights Drown in Their Armor?
At Agincourt in 1415, mud slowed French men-at-arms, but arrows, close combat and prisoner killings complicate the story of knights drowning in armor.
