Medieval chivalric duels were undoubtedly the most thrilling events of the time. The last vestige of the ancient gladiatorial fights, knightly duels were a true display of the skill with arms and...
For centuries, a commonality across the various monarchies of the world was a direct association between the ruler and a higher power. Kings and queens were seen either as God’s Chosen One or, in...
This is the story of Marie Antoinette, the 18 th century Queen of France, and a diamond necklace that was never actually hers. Although the story seems so outlandish as to be fiction, it is all true...
Archaeologists involved in a mid-summer excavation in northcentral France discovered two isolated Neolithic-era burials, dating from the years 5,500 BC to 3,700 BC. Uniquely, one of the skeletons was...
In a darkened room stands a 40-year-old woman named Catherine Monvoisin. Her figure is lit only by torches held by the faceless men standing in front of her, men who are sentencing her to death by...
Archaeologists at the French National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research (INRAP) have discovered a new portion of the Via Domitia (Domitian Way), the ancient Roman road that once linked...
Michel Nostradamus has been credited with many future prophecies, from the death of King Henry II of France to the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombs. For most of his life he was a credible scientist who...
The Order of the Golden Fleece is an order of chivalry that was founded by Philip III, the Duke of Burgundy, on the occasion of his marriage to Isabella of Portugal in the 15 th century. Through the...
There has long been speculation about the true cause of Napoleon Bonaparte’s death on the island of St. Helena on May 5, 1821. As we mark the 200th anniversary of this event, a biochemist from De...
In 2018, archaeologists working for the French National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research, or INRAP, uncovered an expansive and unusually well-preserved megalithic site near the...
Recently, two amazing discoveries were made in the commune of Epagny Metz-Tessy, in the Haute-Savoie department in southeastern France, near Annecy. After an SNC group carried out routine inspections...
Archaeologists conducting an extensive survey in the historic city of Nimes in southern France have unearthed two opulent and expansive Roman domus townhouses. These upper-class, multipurpose...
William the Conqueror was without a doubt one of history’s most important leaders. His conquest of Anglo-Saxon England set in motion events that would change the future of the world for many. However...
There is no doubt that most of us, in our childhoods and later in life, heard all about the stories and legends of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table. For many, the stories of Arthur and...
Archaeologists digging on the banks of the Vesle River near Reims in northern France in 2008 unearthed something unusual. They found three large and remarkably well-preserved ancient Roman wooden...
Archeologists digging at France’s Clermont-Ferrand Airport have discovered the remains of a 2,000-year-old, upper-class, Roman baby and his pet dog. This rare Roman baby burial discovery further...
Our understanding and treatment of mental illness has come a long way over the centuries – and it’s just as well! In medieval times, people suffering a bout of ‘melancholia’ or those deemed ‘mad’...
Emerging in the Middle Ages in monarchic circles, chivalric orders gradually morphed into fraternities and social circles, predominantly in Christian societies. These knightly orders were a privilege...
History abounds with stories of the victorious humans who shaped the world into what it is today. But rarely do we stop and consider the dogs who worked, lived, and fought alongside these humans...
A French treasure hunter identified only as “Patrice T” is accused of being among the greatest archaeological criminals in European history after being arrested with over 27,000 ancient illegal...
Eustace the Monk was a notorious pirate who operated in the English Channel during the early 13th century AD. As indicated by his title, Eustace had been a monk, though he was also involved in other...
There are castles and then there are chateau castles and France is the winner in this category. The Château de la Mothe-Chandeniers is a castle located in the west-central part of France. The castle...
Cruel. Courageous. Scheming. Chivalrous. These are just some of the contradictory words that have been used to describe King Richard I, a ruler with a ‘Lion heart.’ But lions are not always majestic...
The terms right and left refer to political affiliations that originated late in the eighteenth century (1789–1799) in relation to the seating arrangements in the various legislative bodies of France...
