Medieval manuscripts: Did you mean...?

The arrival in Europe of the printing press with moveable metal type in the 1450s CE was an event which had enormous and long-lasting consequences. The German printer Johannes Gutenberg (c. 1398-1468 CE) is widely credited with the innovation...

The Black Death was a truly devastating plague that ravaged Medieval Europe between 1347 and 1352, killing somewhere between twenty-five and thirty million people. The bubonic plague causes swelling of lymph nodes in the groin and the armpits...

Petrarch (1304-1374 CE), full name Francesco Petrarca, was an Italian scholar and poet who is credited as one of the founders of the Renaissance movement in art, thought, and literature. Petrarch actively searched for 'lost' ancient manuscripts...

Since antiquity, pepper has always been the most important spice in the world. It played a central role in the medicines of ancient India and China, became a critical component of Roman food, and remained central in the cuisine of medieval...

The Englishman Sir William Marshal (c. 1146-1219 CE, aka William the Marshal), Earl of Pembroke, is one of the most celebrated knights of the Middle Ages. Renowned for his fighting skills, he remained undefeated in tournaments, spared the...

Map depicting Medieval Japan and its trade relations with its neighbours, China and Korea. The map shows the major trade goods exchanged between Japan, China, and Korea. Black lines show the approximate routes taken by the Wako Pirates. Each...

An artist's depiction of a Medieval soldier being knighted on a battlefield. From the game Old World.

Artist's depiction of the aftermath of a Medieval battle. From the game Old World.

Religion in the Middle Ages, though dominated by the Catholic Church, was far more varied than only orthodox Christianity. In the Early Middle Ages (c. 476-1000), long-established pagan beliefs and practices entwined with those of the new...

A 1310-1320 CE manuscript illustration of the Nativity. Made in East Anglia. (National Library of Wales)