The Knightly Newsletter - Medieval History

Medieval History

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Medieval History

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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 Subscription instructions at the end of this document are no longer valid, so please sign up at our current sign-up page.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 Known outdated links have been removed, but the text remains.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the information contained herein is several years old and may no longer apply; some links may lead to features that are no longer active.

The Newsletter for the Medieval History Site at About.com

Vol. IV, No. 6
March 31, 2001

•The Medieval Child, Part 5
•Christianity in China
•New Newsletter Look

The Knightly Newsletter

Our Latest Feature:

The Medieval Child, Part 5

In "The Learning Years" we take a look at education for medieval adolescents, including general schooling options, life for university students, and the situation of the apprentice.

In the News

Christianity in China
A fresh look at an 8th-century pagoda reveals evidence of Christian elements. Did Christianity thrive in China centuries before western missionaries arrived? Find out more in the Chicago Tribune article by Michael A. Lev, provided online at the Detroit Free Press site.

Metal Detectors v. Archaologists
Some truly valuable pieces of the medieval past have been found in Britain over the years by users of metal detectors, but archaeologists have valid objections to their use by amateurs. Can enthusiasts help the professionals instead of hinder? The Guardian takes a look in this feature by Maev Kennedy.

The Color of Christ
Modern forensic methods and an ancient Jewish skull have been employed to arrive at an interpretation of Christ's image that is decidedly different from what modern westerners are used to. But where did we get the common image of a pale-skinned, delicate-featured, European Jesus? From European art of the Middle Ages and Renaissance. The BBC News has a useful overview, which includes a very nice RealPlayer video clip.

This Week in Medieval History

Charlemagne was born, Eleanor of Aquitaine died, the city of Moscow was founded and the siege of Constantinople began.

What happened today?

New Newsletter Look

Sometime in the next few weeks, the email version of the Knightly Newsletter will get a facelift and, as you can see, the online version has already undergone a change. Those of you whose email programs accept HTML will see a streamlined version of our old newsletter with sleek hyperlinks and colored text. If your program does not accept HTML, the newsletter will be displayed in straight text.

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We hope to be able to offer you the option of selecting plain text or HTML, but at this time we have no ETA for that feature. If you feel the need to (gulp!) unsubscribe, please visit our subscription page.

The Medieval History site will continue to provide an online version of our newsletter, so please stay tuned!

Site Update

Fresh Links

General Book and Printing History

General Medieval Philosophy

Old English Literature

People of Medieval Wales

Topics in Dark-Age British History

New in Who's Who in Medieval History

Petrarch

Elsewhere at About.com

We've heard them fairly frequently: stories about history that "everyone knows" are true. But did Betsy Ross really sew the first American flag? Did feminist protesters really burn their bras? Did a woman really make it to the papal throne? Find out with Just Ain't So Stories from Jone Johnson Lewis.

The Archaeology Legacy Institute is conducting an experiment in the uses of the Internet to provide educational information in a new and intriguing way. Get the scoop from Kris Hurst.

Quote of the Knight

From what sun came the lofty light and clear
That declares peace and war to my desire,
And scalds my heart with ice as well as fire?

Petrarch, Sonnet 220

Thank you for reading this issue of the Knightly Newsletter and for visiting the Medieval History site. Have a great weekend and a Happy April Fools Day!

Melissa Snell
Your Medieval History Guide at About.com

If you like The Medieval History site, you should also check out these related About.com Sites:

Ancient/Classical History

Historical Reenactment

Military History

Women's History