The St Brice’s Day Massacre
When paying off the Vikings failed to yield lasting peace, on 13 November 1002 king Æthelred ordered the slaughter of England’s Danes instead.
England
The Allure of Medieval Churches
The ancient stones of churches are portals to the past. Each new generation becomes a custodian.
The Tudor War on Libel
As rude rhymes and rumours threatened reputations, the Elizabethan government attempted to regulate barbed language.
‘Poet, Mystic, Widow, Wife’ and ‘God’s Own Gentlewoman’ review
Poet, Mystic, Widow, Wife: The Extraordinary Lives of Medieval Women and God’s Own Gentlewoman bring the real world of medieval women out of the margins.
The Violent Life of the Medieval Monks
Meant to live a life of perfect peacefulness and contemplation, in reality monks were human and fallible. How violent could life in the medieval cloister be?
‘The Scapegoat’ by Lucy Hughes-Hallett review
The Scapegoat: The Brilliant Brief Life of the Duke of Buckingham by Lucy Hughes-Hallett picks through the fragments of George Villiers, James VI & I’s favourite mistake.
The Fight for Mary, Queen of Scots’ Jewels
Who should claim Scotland’s royal jewels? After the forced abdication of Mary, Queen of Scots, the answer was not clear cut.
The Last Testaments of Richard II and Henry IV
Tyrant and usurper: the last wills of Richard II and Henry IV give rare insight into the medieval monarchs who wore the crown.
‘Straight Acting’ by Will Tosh review
Bard romance? Straight Acting: The Many Queer Lives of William Shakespeare by Will Tosh sets the stage for the next wave of accessible queer histories.
How to Rescue the Reputation of the Nasty Normans
The villains of British history, the Normans can be a difficult sell. But going off script has its rewards.