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Representation of Cnut the Great.     Source: Nomad_Soul / Adobe Stock

Cnut the Great: the Myth, the Man, and the Multi-National Viking Monarch

Cnut Sweynsson, known also as Cnut the Great (sometimes spelled as Canute), was the ruler of England, Denmark, Norway, and parts of Sweden. His realm is often referred to as the North Sea Empire, or...
Lion hunt. Mosaic from Pella (ancient Macedonia), late 4th century BC, depicting Alexander the Great and Craterus. Housed in the Pella Museum. Image: Public Domain

Alexander the Great: God of Youth and Ambition?

Alexander III of Macedon, better known as Alexander the Great (356-323 BC), was a Macedonian king who ruled over an expansive empire that reached from Greece to the Gandharan regions of Pakistan...
Medieval village with key players from the hierarchy including: the king, queen, priests, monks and soldiers.   Source: Matrioshka / Adobe stock

Feudalism and the Medieval Village Hierarchy

Life in a medieval village was surely no fairytale. Hard work, poverty, uncertainty of life and its comforts, the iron fist of the feudal lord - the disadvantages were numerous, and benefits few and...
Representation of the Green Knight from the Gawain poem.  Source: Luca Oleastri / Adobe stock

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight’s Beheading Game

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (in Middle English as Sir Gawayn and þe Grene Knyȝt ) is one of the most famous Arthurian legends. As the name of the poem suggests, the story is about Sir Gawain, one...
The Phrygian King Midas monument named Yazilikaya at Eskişehir, Turkey. (Selcuk/Adobe Stock)

Lost Kingdom that Crushed King Midas Identified in Turkey

Archaeologists have made an amazing discovery in the south of Turkey. While investigating an area rich in archaeological remains they believe that they have found a formerly lost city and kingdom...
Man on fire showing representation of one of the victims at the Ball of the Burning Men (‘Bal des Ardents’)     Source: Daniele Depascale / Adobe stock

Ball of the Burning Men: Temperatures Rose at Hot Royal Party

The world of medieval aristocracy was always plagued by extravagance, power, and eccentricity. Where there was an abundance of power and wealth, the great leaders and kings of the world descended...
St Dunstan crowns King Edgar

Anglo-Saxon Abbey where Lusty King Edgar was Crowned, Found!

King Edgar (the Peaceful) was the first king of ‘all England’ - including the kingdoms of Scotland, Mercia, and Wessex, and his coronation at an Anglo-Saxon abbey as a divine ruler recognized by God...
John of Bohemia. Source: Ondřej Kořínek/CC BY SA 3.0

John of Bohemia: A Heroic King Blind to His Fate

John of Bohemia was a king of Bohemia who lived between the 13th and 14th centuries. He was known also as John of Luxembourg, as well as John the Blind. The former indicates that John belonged to the...
Viking holding Christian cross. Credit: Warpedgalerie / Adobe Stock

Vikings Didn’t Just Murder Monks and Pillage Monasteries – They Helped Spread Christianity Too

Vikings are often seen as heathen marauders mercilessly targeting Christian churches and killing defenceless monks. But this is only part of their story. The Vikings played a key role in spreading...
Detail of ‘Jupiter and Lycaon’ by Jan Cossiers. Source: Public Domain

King Lycaon of Arcadia – The First Werewolf?

Lycaon was a king of Arcadia mentioned in Greek mythology. He is believed to have lived in the period before the Great Deluge, and therefore was a contemporary of two other legendary kings, Deucalion...
Pink granite statue of Ramses II uncovered in Giza.    Source: Ministry of Antiquities

Illegal Dig Leads to Unique Pink Statue of Ramses II

The Egyptian Supreme Antiquities Council have announced a historic discovery. A very rare pink or rose granite statue of one of the greatest of pharaohs, Ramses II has been unearthed. What makes the...
A mysterious Indian king. Bengal king Sashanka has long been a historical mystery as well. Source: venkatvasa/Deviant Art

King Sashanka: Unifier of the Bengal People and Lands

The region and state of Bengal in India is situated in the East of the country and is primarily known for its rich culture, literature, history, and heritage. This region has also been quintessential...
King Henry VIII. (Ann Longmore-Etheridge / Flickr)

The Complicated and Disturbing Life of King Henry VIII

King Henry VIII was the second monarch of England and reigned during the 16th century . Henry ruled his kingdom for almost 40 years, and he seems to have had a promising start at the beginning of his...
rusaders (vukkostic / Adobe Stock)

Richard the Lionheart – The Crusader King

Richard I (more commonly known as Richard Cœur de Lion or Richard the Lionheart ) was a king of England who lived during the 12th century. He is arguably best-known for the role he played in the...
Koh Ker, Cambodia. Source: karinkamon /Adobe Stock

Back to Angkor: Researchers Unlock Why Khmer Kings Left Koh Ker

The largest water management feature in Khmer history was built in the 10th century as part of a short-lived ancient capital in northern Cambodia to store water, but the system failed in its first...
English Battlefield Found      Source: PatSM / Adobe Stock

Archaeologists Locate Battlefield Dubbed ‘Where England Began’

The lost battlefield of Brunanburh, the battle that created England, has finally been located by archaeologists. The battle of Brunanburh was fought in 937 AD between King Athelstan of Wessex in what...
Dragon Myths: Tales of Beasts, Beauties, and Brutes

Dragon Myths: Tales of Beasts, Beauties, and Brutes

The dragon is a legendary creature found in many cultures around the world. Generally speaking, the dragon is depicted as a huge creature that has a serpent-like body and the ability to fly. Although...
Medieval knights battle. Credit: Nejron Photo / Adobe Stock

A Red Dawn Rises - The Battle of Hastings, 1066

As the early morning sun dawned on October 14th, 1066 AD, casting its light on the clustered, eager soldiers, it would herald a new bloody, revolutionary epoch in the history of England. For on this...
The discovery of the Tomb of Tutankhamun is one of the greatest archaeology achievements in history. Source: merydolla / Adobe Stock.

Unearthing the Ancients: Discovery of the Tomb of Tutankhamun

The ancient age of Egypt, the enigmatic pharaohs and the rich history of the Nile valley , are without a doubt one of the most exciting and wondrous aspects of modern archaeology. Filled with several...
Was King Solomon really the author of the Key of Solomon?

Grimoires by a Biblical King? The Magical Treatise of Solomon and the Key of Solomon

The ‘Magical Treatise of Solomon’ and the ‘ Key of Solomon’ are two grimoires (magic handbooks) commonly said to have been written by the biblical King Solomon . The latter grimoire has been...
Medieval knight. Credit: rudall30 / Adobe Stock

The Reign of Aethelwulf, King of Wessex: Between Realm and Religion

The early history of England includes all kinds of different cultures and remarkable figures. And one of the crucial parts of the history of this country belongs to the Anglo-Saxon era. Filled with...
Were the first rulers deities, mythical, or appointed by the gods? Source: tomertu / Adobe Stock.

‘First Kings’ Myths From Around the World: How Do They Compare?

Monarchs have always played a very important role in how their subjects form their cultural identity. Egypt, China, and the Sumerian city-states are examples of some of the oldest monarchies. The...
Legendary Black Knights: Mysterious Medieval Entities of Neutrality

Legendary Black Knights: Mysterious Medieval Entities of Neutrality

Black Knights began to appear in history during the Middle Ages. Since the 13th century, a series of legends mentioning the mysterious Black Knights emerged. Although the Black Knights were said to...
Medieval King Louis IX refused to eat his greens. Credit: diter / Adobe Stock

Crusader King Died Because He Refused to Eat His Greens

A French sleuth may have solved the mystery of the death of France's famed King Louis IX, better known as Saint Louis. He was the last of the crusader kings and it was believed that he died of plague...

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