Medieval Warfare Blog

What’s New in the Crusades? - Episode 5 of the Medieval Warfare Podcast

This entry was posted on May 8, 2017 by Peter Konieczny.

Niall Christie and Michael Fulton reveal some of the new and interesting ways historians and archaeologists are studying the crusades and the medieval Middle East. Read more

How Well Do You Know Matthew Paris' Artwork?

This entry was posted on May 4, 2017 by Peter Konieczny.

This 13th-century chronicler is also well-known for the illustrations he included in his works. Here are nine images by Matthew - do you know what he is drawing? Read more

The Medieval Undead - Episode 4 of the Medieval Warfare Podcast

This entry was posted on April 27, 2017 by Peter Konieczny.

Did the Middle Ages have its own version of The Walking Dead? We talk with Scott G. Bruce, professor at the University of Colorado at Boulder and author of The Penguin Book of the Undead, about some strange medieval tales, including a horde of dead soldiers roaming the countryside around Normandy. Read more

Giving a speech before a battle - How William Marshal spoke at the Battle of Lincoln

This entry was posted on April 27, 2017 by Peter Konieczny.

If you have read a few accounts of battles in the Middle Ages, you will notice that chroniclers and writers were fond of recording the speeches given by military commanders. This was the case with the anonymous author of The History of William Marshal, who reported the rousing speech given by his protagonist before the Battle of Lincoln on May 20, 1217. Read more

A War for England 800 years ago

This entry was posted on April 20, 2017 by Peter Konieczny.

In one month’s time we will be marking the 800th anniversary of the Battle of Lincoln - perhaps one of the most important battles in English history, yet one that is often overlooked by historians. Read more

How Magical Statues protected the Byzantine Empire

This entry was posted on April 13, 2017 by Peter Konieczny.

If the Byzantine Empire was under threat from a foreign invader, the people of Constantinople could turn to one of the many statues within the city. It was believed they could use its magical powers to defeat their enemies, but only if they destroyed the statue. Read more

Fighting the Myths of the Crusades - Episode 3 of the Medieval Warfare Podcast

This entry was posted on April 12, 2017 by Peter Konieczny.

The crusades are a very popular topic. It is also can be one of the most controversial, with books and websites offering misinformation, exaggerations and... Read more

The Civil War in Denmark (1131-1134), according to Sven Aggesen

This entry was posted on April 6, 2017 by Peter Konieczny.

First they fought at Ronbjerg, where Nicolaus won the day, and he captured my grandfather Kristiarn and sent him, bound with iron shackles, to be held in custody at the fort which overlooks the town of Schleswig. Read more

Viking raids in Europe, as reported by chroniclers

This entry was posted on March 30, 2017 by Peter Konieczny.

The Viking attacks on continental Europe in the ninth and tenth centuries caused widespread devastation. Our main witnesses to these events are only a handful of chronicles and annals that were written during the period. Read more

Defeating the Vikings in Battle

This entry was posted on March 23, 2017 by Peter Konieczny.

France was often a victim of the Vikings, with their cities and lands being frequently raided. French rulers often had to bribe the Northmen to convince them to leave. However, on some occasions, they were able to defeat the invaders in battle. One of those occasions took place in 943. Read more