William of Guelders was a five-time crusader, the first continental Knight of the Garter, and pilgrim to the Holy Land. He befriended the Teutonic Grand Master and the Holy Roman Emperor.
Read MoreThe Crazy Crusader: William I of Guelders and Jülich
What's more medieval than a castle? The era's most distinctive icon is firmly imprinted in our modern minds, but castles actually went through many interesting innovations!
Read MoreStones & Crowns: The Medieval Reporter’s Guide to Castles!
The Vikings spent a lot of time overseas. To prevent enemy retaliation overland, they built a huge wall across Denmark.
Read MoreKeep Out! The Viking Wall Against The Empire
Urraca of León had to deal with an overbearing father and an abusive husband. Contrary to their will, she became the first (and last) Empress of Spain.
Read MoreHow The Last Empress of Spain Dealt With Misogynists
Money makes the world go around. But initially, medieval economies relied as much on barter as on coinage. Smart bankers then turned the system around in their favor.
Read MoreFrom Benches to Empires: The Rise of Banking
The limited space within a medieval city's walls led to an ever-intensifying search for the ideal residential unit. Both the "Viking" longhouse and the typical townhouse proved popular.
Read MoreHome Sweet Home: A Tale of Medieval Urban Housing
The Middle Ages went through several culinary (r)evolutions. The introduction of spices and currency allowed for the most expensive banquets.
Read MoreSwans, Servants and Style – The Culinary (R)evolution
Breton noblewoman Jeanne de Clisson turned against her sovereign, the king of France. She reinvented herself as a macabre and terrifying pirate.
Read MorePrincess, Pirate, Privateer: the Lioness of Brittany
The city of Ghent was extremely rich. Therefore, its Burgundian overlords wanted to milk it. Ghent, however, had ideas of their own about where to put their money.
Read MoreHow Burgundy’s Greedy Dukes Whipped Ghent into Submission
