King Arthur is undoubtedly one of the most enduringly popular heroes to come out of the medieval era, and he has meant many things to many people for hundreds of years. Over time, the mythology of...
The Teutonic Knights , a German-origin crusading order, are often misunderstood and erroneously linked to German nationalism. Their history diverges significantly from the Knights Hospitaller and the...
At the end of summer in 1415, King Henry V of England initiated his campaign to reclaim the French throne by invading Normandy. The siege of Harfleur proved to be a significant challenge, taking...
A phenomenal research project has studied the remains of 25 individuals buried between the 12th and 15th centuries in the castle at Zorita de los Canes, Guadalajara, Spain. By examining the remains...
In June of 1344, Pope Clement VI moved to reorganize the Knights of France in a series of six letters sent to Jean, Duke of Normandy, the son of King Philip VI of France. The pope proposed that the...
Jousting was a popular sport among elites in medieval England, as anyone who has ever read a book or watched a movie about English knights in the Middle Ages is well aware. Jousters wore thick armor...
In medieval Europe , justice was often sought through grim ordeals, and the judicial duel was a stark example. The murder of Charles the Good, Count of Flanders, triggered a brutal confrontation...
In 1095, a pivotal moment unfolded as Pope Urban II, in a historic address at the Council of Claremont, rallied fervent believers to embark on a crusade, marking the inception of the First Crusade ...
In the historical landscape of the Holy Land during the Crusades , the Templars, a formidable and influential order, established their presence across strategic locations. One such place was the city...
In the vast realm of Arthurian legend, few characters evoke as much intrigue and controversy as Mordred. Described as the treacherous nephew of King Arthur, Mordred's role in the Arthurian saga is...
In the era between 1096 and 1271, the Crusades unfolded as a dynamic clash of cultures, reshaping two continents. Yet, life for a medieval Crusader was far from uniform. Noble knights and commoners...
Edward Dyas is an English author who has spent years looking for connections between a church and the illustrious order of medieval warrior-monks, The Knights Templar. Dyas is back in the news this...
The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Armor Conservation Lab houses an intriguing collection of armored gauntlets . Among them is an early 16th-century German mitten-style gauntlet, impressively weighty...
Deep within the annals of history lies the enigmatic group known as the Knights Templar . Originating in 1119, their primary objective was to protect Christian pilgrims embarking on perilous journeys...
A seemingly ordinary cannon purchased for a mere £20 ($25) from a flea market in Hertfordshire, England, and repurposed as a decorative piece for a garden rockery has turned out to be a valuable...
Medieval knights are often portrayed as warriors who spent all their time fighting, wooing noble ladies, participating in tournaments and battling their enemies. However, there was much more to their...
Few stories in English folklore have had the staying power of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table. While many people are familiar with the legend, few people realize how many different...
If you’ve ever watched a royal ceremony on television, been to a medieval fair, or watched a film set in the medieval ages you’ve probably seen a herald busy at work. These brightly dressed men...
Monarchies collect a whole host of traditions through the centuries, and the United Kingdom is no exception. The Most Noble Order of the Garter is an ancient order of chivalry that dates back to 1348...
Most people identify one special chalice as the only Holy Grail. Others point out that the Holy Grail legends composed in Europe during the 12th to 15th centuries enumerate more than ten different...
A highways expansion project in the Tzipori Springs area in Galilee in Israel has uncovered fascinating evidence of a 12th-century Crusader battle camp. Exploratory excavations undertaken by a team...
Medieval chivalric orders are the fabled and idealized stuff of legend. Upstanding knights , standing in defense of their faith and of the innocents, with their sophisticated manners and shining...
On March 18, 1314, Jacques de Molay and a few other Templars, after enduring torture and many other humiliations, were sent to death. De Molay was an old man, tired with life and proud of his...
Soon after the Knights Templar founded their order in the Holy Land in 1118 AD they assimilated into a very ancient gnostic tradition and lineage known as the Johannite Church, which had been founded...