Medieval History January 2012 Archive

Born and educated in Spain, Domingo de Guzmán traveled through much of France, preaching and standing up against the Albigensian heresy. He came up with this idea that Catholic ... Read More

Medieval astronomers worked from Ptolemy's theory that the earth was the center of the universe, and that everything revolved around it. But back in the 3rd century B.C., Aristarchus of ... Read More

In the week of January 30th in the Middle Ages, King Henry of Portugal was born, King Charles IV of France died, and Otto I was crowned Holy Roman Emperor. ... Read More

England wasn't always ruled by the English. Alfred the Great had held off Danish intruders -- and in so doing, unified the kingdoms -- in the 9th century. But late ... Read More

Treasure, more treasure, theories on a mass grave, a research aid and a collision of the very modern with the medieval. Did 15th century knight own this jewellery found near ... Read More

Considered by some to be the greatest mystic in Germany -- even in all of medieval Europe -- Meister Eckhart espoused spiritual ideas that conflicted with orthodoxy. He wrote: "He ... Read More

In the week of January 23rd in the Middle Ages, Richard de Bury was born, Saint Ildephonsus died, and Henry VIII married Anne Boleyn . What happened today? Follow me on Twitter Visit ... Read More

Below are four notable medieval rulers from four different centuries and four different lands. What "occupation" do they all have in common, aside from "ruler"? And which one was born ... Read More

In the week of January 16th in the Middle Ages, Edmund Lancaster was born, Pietro Bembo died, and the Papacy was returned to Rome from its long residency in Avignon. ... Read More

In the page for January of Les Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry, a splendid gathering of nobility in their finery celebrate a holiday -- possibly Twelfth Night. Do ... Read More

This week we've got four stories concerning archaeological discoveries. New Discoveries At Ancient City Of Bosra Finds include artifacts dating to the Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman periods. Item at Breaking Science ... Read More

In the week of January 9th in the Middle Ages, Francesco Parmigianino was born, Maximilian I died, and the Order of the Golden Fleece was established. What happened today? Follow me ... Read More

A "literary archaeologist" is claiming he has discovered the resting place of King Arthur. Damian Bullen, an amateur historian residing in Edinburgh, Scotland, has pointed to the Yarrow Stone as ... Read More

This week we're visiting the "Bad Old Days" -- one form of an email that circulated for years, and which you might have seen in your in-box. It's filled with ... Read More

Disease, drought, and scroll fragments. It may sound disastrous, but they're exciting developments for today's scholars. MSU scientists crack medieval bone code A collaborative effort between a team of bioarcheologists ... Read More

In the week of January 2nd in the Middle Ages, Francisco Suarez was born, Jacopo Pontormo died, and King Alfred the Great of England suffered a dreadful defeat at the ... Read More