The Knightly Newsletter is no longer in production, but you can now get The Medieval History Newsletter instead. Subscription instructions at the end of this document are no longer valid, so please sign up at our current sign-up page.

Below is an archived copy of The Knightly Newsletter. Known outdated links have been removed, but the text remains. Please keep in mind that the information contained herein is several years old and may no longer apply; some links may lead to features that are no longer active.

Our Latest Feature

Madness in the Messenger

Is Luc Besson's new film about Joan of Arc at all grounded in fact? Read your Guide's review.

Contest Deadline

Phase One is almost over! Get your suggestions in by Midnight Eastern time (11:00 pm Central time) Thursday, November 18 to be eligible for the random drawing. And remember, if your suggestion is chosen as a finalist, you're guaranteed a prize!

Submit your suggestion at our entry page.

For contest rules, visit our contest announcement.

In the News

6th-Century grave found

The skeleton of what is believed to be a Frankish warrior, buried with a long sword, a short sword and a spear, was uncovered in Dortmund, Germany. The grave may also be one of several in a cemetary. The find is being carefully preserved and investigation will continue.

More info is available in German at Wissenschaft - Spiegel Online.

Italy prepares for millennium celebrations

Extensive restoration efforts continue throughout Italy as both secular and religious authorities prepare for the influx of visitors in the year 2000. All aspects of Italy's rich and diverse history are getting attention, from the ancient through the medieval and beyond.

For more on the preparations in these marvelous historical places, visit the article by Richard Owen at the Times UK.

Medieval Minutia

In the bakeries of medieval cities, the prices and weights of various loaves were legally fixed according to the status of local wheat crops. To inhibit cheating, each baker was required to mark his bread with his seal. When a baker was caught cheating on quality or weight, he was placed in the stocks with one of his bogus loaves hung around his neck.

Source: Life in a Medieval City by Joseph and Francis Gies

You can purchase Life in a Medieval City and other good books about the Middle Ages at our online bookstore.

For more about food in the medieval times, see our Daily Life net links.

Site Update

Links have been added to the following Net Link pages:

Book, Manuscript and Printing History

Claude Garamond

Nicholaus Jenson

Nicholas Kis

Erhard Ratdolt

 

Daily Life

Daily Life: General

Wichamstow (return)

 

Email Discussion Lists

Byzantinistik (also added to Byzantine Studies)

Medioevo-Italiano (also added to Medieval Italy)

 

Living History

General

The Rus Project (also added to Vikings)

Living History Organizations

Regia Anglorum (return)

 

Medieval Britain

Medieval Ireland

Old Irish and Early Christian Ireland: A Basic Bibliography

 

Organizations and Societies

The Haskin Society

(also added to Dark-Age Britain, General British History and Vikings)

 

Reference Tools

Journals

The Anglo-Norman Anonymous

(also added to Dark-Age Britain, General British History and Vikings)

 

In Our Forum

JJIM4 writes:

Far from being the cornerstone of the Grand Edifice British Liberty, Magna Carta was nothing but an attempt to deal with the contradictions of feudal monarchy. It was out of date from the start. That, however is why it has remained significant. Fair Comment?

What do you think? Post your opinion.

Earn $$ as an About.com Affiliate

Don't forget! If you have a website and would like to earn some extra bucks, you can become an About.com affiliate. Earn money each time someone clicks on a link from your site to an About.com site -- such as, oh, I don't know, the Medieval History site ;-)

Elsewhere at About.com

You probably know by now that your Guide is what she likes to call a "Macaholic." With a G4 on her desk she might get her newsletters out more frequently -- if only the rest of her life was so organized! Come see what's to love about the Macintosh with Mac Hardware Guide Ryan J. Faas.

  

Quote of the Knight I fear nothing but treachery. Joan of Arc

Thanks for reading this edition of the Knightly Newsletter and for visiting the Medieval History site. Good luck in our contest, and see you in chat!

Melissa Snell
Your Medieval History Guide at About.com

Subscribe to the Newsletter
Name	Email

The Knightly Newsletter is copyrighted © 1999 by Melissa Snell and About.com. All graphics used on this page were created by your guide.

Check out issue II.19 of the Knightly Newsletter.
Visit our index of previous issues.

More at the Medieval History Site

Site Map
FAQs
Quizzes
Reviews
Daily Features