Henry II was born in 1133 to “Empress” Matilda and Geoffrey “the Handsome.” Matilda was the daughter of Henry I, King of England, and the granddaughter of William the Conqueror. This meant that young Henry was born with a unique destiny. As Matilda grappled against her cousin, Stephen of Blois for the throne of England, […]
The Travels of Sir John Mandeville is a strange manuscript. This Medieval tale recounts the narrator’s supposed journey through the Eurasian continent. It features fanciful records of lands both real and fictional. According to the narrator, just beyond the horizon of Medieval Europe was a land of wonders and horrors; the wide world was a […]
Richard III was never meant to be the king of England. He was, in fact, several degrees removed from this position for most of his life. Born in 1452 as the fourth surviving son to the powerful Duke of York, Richard was certainly positioned to be a man of importance, however his elder brothers would […]
Ask a modern person which year was the worst to be alive and they might say “2020.” Ask a Medieval European peasant which year was the worst in human history and they’ll likely reply “536.” But what about this particular year made it so terrible? The year 536 saw unusual and prolonged weather phenomena and […]
The Renaissance in Europe was a period of art and renewal that brought with it many advancements in both culture and empire. The advent of the Church of England gave birth to the rise of English Protestantism, expanding imperial power set the stage for the upcoming Age of Exploration, and the most famous playwright of […]
