The oldest surviving tales of King Arthur have their origins in early Welsh mythology. These old stories survive today in the form of medieval manuscripts, often dating to the 13th or 14th centuries. However, the… Read More »Early Welsh Mythology
Early medieval Cornwall would prove to be one of the last bastions of Celtic Britain. Here the culture of the native Britons survived and even thrived for a time. Old stories tell us that it… Read More »Early Medieval Cornwall:410-1066 AD
The Wars of the Roses represented a major turning point in English history. So, it is perhaps unsurprising that it has attracted many myths and misconceptions. Unravelling what exactly happened, and why, often throws up… Read More »10 Myths of the Wars of the Roses
Who were the first folklorists? The Brothers Grimm perhaps? Or perhaps some of the antiquarians of the early modern age? Such individuals can certainly claim to be amongst the first to systematically collect and study… Read More »Medieval Folklore
Pilgrimage was a major feature of cultural life in medieval Europe. Christians had been making pilgrimages ever since the earliest period of Christian history. However, it was between the 11th and 13th centuries that the… Read More »Pilgrimage in Medieval Europe
In the medieval European mind the principal agents of Satan on earth were his demons. Demons were greatly feared. They were constantly working to tempt the faithful into a life of sin and subsequent eternal… Read More »Demons in Medieval Europe
In September 1450, Richard of York suddenly abandoned his post as Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland and returned to England. During the Cade Rebellion of that summer, the rebels had demanded that York (among others) should be… Read More »Birth of the Yorkist Faction
After 1450, Richard Duke of York emerged as the focal point of political opposition to England’s Lancastrian regime. Eventually, of course, Richard would openly rebel against the crown and claim the throne for himself. The… Read More »Richard of York: The Early Years
Piracy was a perennial hazard for merchant shipping in medieval times. Whether you were sailing in the Channel, the North Sea, or simply sticking to English coastal waters, you were never safe. Pirates could strike… Read More »Medieval Piracy in Northern Europe
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