Medieval manuscripts are full of odd little creatures in the margins. What if those doodles were secret codes or social commentary? A grounded what-if.
Medieval History
How Tall Were Medieval Knights? 5 Things To Know
Were Hundred Years War knights really huge? A historian explains 5 key facts about medieval height, armor, diet, and why artists kept drawing giants.
The Black Death: What It Was and Why It Mattered
Clear explainer of the Black Death: what it was, why it started, how it spread, who shaped the response, and how it changed Europe and the world.
Medieval Islamic Coins: How Money Made an Empire
From gold dinars to copper fulus, medieval Islamic coins carried faith, power, and propaganda. How did this coinage system shape an empire from Spain to India?
What If Ethiopia’s Rock-Hewn Churches Ruled the Red Sea?
What if medieval Ethiopia, builder of the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela, had become a Red Sea superpower? Three grounded scenarios and what they change.
The Oseberg Ship: Inside a Viking Queen’s Burial
The Oseberg ship was a 9th‑century Viking burial ship found almost perfectly preserved in Norway. Here’s who was buried in it, what was inside, and why it matters.
Knight of the Holy Roman Empire: Armor vs Fantasy
What did a real Holy Roman Empire knight actually wear and carry? Compare real medieval armor, helmets, weapons, and shields with the fantasy image you see online.
Raymond of Campania: An African Knight in Naples
The story of Raimondo de’ Cabanni, a former African slave who rose to become a knight, court insider, and landholder in 14th‑century Angevin Naples.
Are Medieval Historians Just Making Stuff Up?
Medieval history can look like guesswork. Here are 5 real methods historians use to get from scraps of evidence to solid claims about the Middle Ages.
What Medieval Royals Used as Toilet Paper
From straw to cotton cloth, here’s what medieval nobles and royals actually used to wipe in the 1300s, and why Henry IV’s cotton habit was unusual.