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The Black Death
I felt a post on this was due, since I have the website (mostly) back to how it was before the hardware failure. So, without further delay… the Black Death!! Don’t let the charming name fool you: The pandemic that swept through Europe in the mid 14th century was nothing to shake a stick at. According to historian Philip Daileader: “The trend of recent research is pointing to a figure more like 45% to 50% of the European … Read entire article »
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Lady Jane Grey at the National Gallery
Lady Jane Grey was born in 1536 and died in 1554. She was, for a very short … Read more »
Faded, Coiled Snake Appears in Portrait of Queen Elizabeth
The slowly deteriorating portrait has revealed a faint outline of a coiled snake in the hand of … Read more »
Medieval French Statues Mourn in New York (Updated)
37 small mourner statues from Dijon, France, have left their home and are now being showcased at … Read more »
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Werewolf Witch Trials, A History.
Writing the Little Red Riding Hood, A History made me want to research the werewolf trials more. … Read more »
Little Red Riding Hood, A History.
This morning, Variety reports that Leonardo DiCaprio has bought the movie rights for Little Red Riding Hood … Read more »
War of the Roses: Part 1
I decided today that if there is no pertinent news relating to medieval history, I will choose … Read more »
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The Plague!!!!
My hosting service ran into some major hardware problems last week, and everything was basically lost. I am slowly working on getting content and everything else back, so please hang tight while the Plague runs its course! Share and Enjoy: … Read entire article »
War Of the Roses: Part 3
When we left off in War Of the Roses: Part 2, Henry VI’s uncle John, Duke of Bedford, had passed away, leaving Henry impressionable and alone. His new advisers would be blamed for giving young Henry poor council, which allowed the Hundred Years’ War to continue with staggering losses. With the Duke of Bedford gone, Henry succeeded in losing most of the … Read entire article »
The Time Traveller’s Guide to Medieval England
I have just finished The Time Traveller’s Guide to Medieval England: A Handbook for Visitors to the Fourteenth Century by Ian Mortimer. As far as history books go on this topic, this book is nothing short of amazing. Mortimer pieces together historical evidence to paint a unique picture of the 14th century not seen before. The book goes into many facets of … Read entire article »
Giotto di Bondone’s Frescoes Seen Under a New Light
Ultraviolet light, that is. A group of restorers were able to uncover a new spectrum of color and detail within Bondone’s frescos. The aforementioned frescoes date from 1320 and can be found on the walls of the Peruzzi Chapel in Florence’s Santa Croce church. Giotto di Bondone was born circa 1267 and died in 1337. An architect and painter who flourished … Read entire article »
Lady Jane Grey at the National Gallery
Lady Jane Grey was born in 1536 and died in 1554. She was, for a very short time (just over a week), the Queen of England after the death of Edward VI. One of Edward’s last decrees was that his cousin Jane replace him on the throne. However, after Edward’s death, her claim on the throne was not as strong … Read entire article »
Faded, Coiled Snake Appears in Portrait of Queen Elizabeth
The slowly deteriorating portrait has revealed a faint outline of a coiled snake in the hand of the Queen. The snake, which was once covered up and replaced with roses, is now visible. The image of a serpent has been known to symbolize prudence, judgment, and wisdom. However, given the religious fervor of the times, it could also easily have … Read entire article »
Medieval French Statues Mourn in New York (Updated)
37 small mourner statues from Dijon, France, have left their home and are now being showcased at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art. “The 15th century alabaster statues — considered treasures of Medieval Europe — have never before left the city of Dijon, where they march perpetually around the base of the tomb of John the Fearless and his wife Margaret … Read entire article »
16th-Century Platform Shoes Show Fashion Really Does Repeat Itself
Telegraph.co.uk ran an interesting article about 16th-century “platform shoes” that I enjoyed. These shoes, called chopines, were a fashion accessory rarely seen, but nevertheless a status symbol of extreme wealth since the wearer was able to afford lengthier gowns to cover them up. “Excessively high chopines in Italy offered the opportunity for more fabric to be displayed, but it also offered … Read entire article »
EA’s Dante’s Infero: Not as Blasphemous as One Might Think…
Working in the game industry, I have had my eye on this title for a while. At first, I scoffed at the idea and was very sad at the prospect of seeing one of my favorite pieces of medieval literature be transformed into a hack-and-slash God of War clone. I finally had a chance to play the demo and watch a … Read entire article »