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Medieval History

Explore the achievements and challenges in the Middle Ages. From knights and castles to intriguing Conquerors throughout Medieval History.

Why Was Cluny Abbey Once the Heart of Western Christendom?
Why Was Cluny Abbey Once the Heart of Western Christendom?

Cluny Abbey was the birthplace of one of the most influential religious reform movements of the Middle Ages.

Tamerlane: A Nomadic Conqueror Even More Feared Than Genghis Khan
Tamerlane: A Nomadic Conqueror Even More Feared Than Genghis Khan

As the Mongol Empire entered into serious decline across much of Eurasia, there was one major effort to reunite Genghis Khan’s former empire under Tamerlane.

Scotland’s Viking Isles: A History Lover’s Voyage to Orkney & Shetland
Scotland’s Viking Isles: A History Lover’s Voyage to Orkney & Shetland

Nordic or Scottish? For the residents of Shetland, the nearest train station is in Bergen, Norway. In Orkney, they speak Norn, derived from Old Norse.

Crusading Against Crusaders: Clement V’s Persecution of the Templars
Crusading Against Crusaders: Clement V’s Persecution of the Templars

Pope Clement V’s decision to give in to the demands of King Philip IV led to the betrayal and destruction of the Knights Templar.

How Did the Seljuks Pave the Way for the Ottoman Empire?
How Did the Seljuks Pave the Way for the Ottoman Empire?

The Seljuks, a steppe nomadic Turkic people, laid the foundations of Turkish rule in Anatolia long before the Ottoman principality rose to power.

How Did the Crusades Reintroduce the Classical Tradition to the West?
How Did the Crusades Reintroduce the Classical Tradition to the West?

The marvels of ancient Greek knowledge, preserved by learned Islamic scholars and the Byzantine Empire, were reintroduced to the West during the Crusades.

The Real Robin Hoods: Two Criminal Gangs in Medieval England
The Real Robin Hoods: Two Criminal Gangs in Medieval England

Was Robin Hood real or a figure of legend? We’ll never know for sure, but the myth may originate with two notorious criminal gangs.

5 Medieval & Renaissance Jokes That Made People Laugh
5 Medieval & Renaissance Jokes That Made People Laugh

What made people in medieval Europe laugh? Does humor translate if taken out of its time? Discover some Renaissance and Medieval jokes.