In medieval England your social class defined your role in society in a way that is now hard for us to imagine. It dictated what you could and could not do. And, in most people’s… Read More »Social Class in Medieval England
In 1127, Henry of Poitou became abbot of Peterborough; an event marked by an ominous omen – a manifestation of the Wild Hunt. The incident was described in sinister detail in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles: “Many… Read More »The Wild Hunt in Medieval Mythology
Medieval England could be a violent and lawless place. The C12th saw law and order break down entirely during the civil war known as the Anarchy (1138 to 1153). The C13th saw two baronial wars,… Read More »Law and Order in Medieval England
A belief in prophecy, omens and portents was strong in medieval England. But few English kings appear to have embraced the supernatural as wholeheartedly as Richard II. Today a common view of medieval society is… Read More »Omens, Portents and Richard II
As England stood on the eve of the second phase of the Wars of the Roses, a bitter trade dispute threatened to further undermine stability. Friction between the Hanseatic League and the English had been… Read More »The Hansards and the Wars of the Roses
By the mid-fifth century, what was left of Romano-Britain experienced a major influx of pagan Anglo-Saxon migrants. When the Romans abandoned Britain in the early C5th, civic infrastructure was already deteriorating. The money and resources… Read More »Anglo-Saxon Paganism
Perhaps one of the most heated debates in C15th history pertains to the mystery of the Princes in the Tower. What happened to the two boys? Why did they disappear? Were they murdered by their… Read More »Princes in the Tower – Recent Research
The British Isles were highly dependent on sea trade throughout the Middle Ages. Plantagenet incomes were heavily subsidised by tariffs levied on wool exports to Europe. At its peak, medieval England was exporting over 40,000… Read More »Life at Sea in the Middle Ages
My first book, Myths and Legends of the Medieval World, is now available! It covers the history of myths, legends and folklore from the Plantagenet period. No one can deny the enduring power of medieval… Read More »Myths and Legends of the Medieval World
On 2nd May 1450 the Duke of Suffolk was fleeing England when his ship was intercepted by a vessel called the Nicholas of the Tower. Within a day he was dead; beheaded by a common… Read More »Who Killed the Duke of Suffolk? A C15th Mystery