Books, Blogs, Resources and Research on the Medieval World
A short selection of books, on-line writings by historians and collections of resources on the Middle Ages. Hopefully they will contribute to enhancing the knowledge and confidence of teachers new to teaching about the Middle Ages.
The James Ford Lectures 2019
After the Black Death: Society, economy and the law in fourteenth-century England by Professor Mark Bailey (University of East Anglia)
This series of six lectures reassesses the main social, economic, legal and cultural responses to the great mortality during the second half of the fourteenth century and explores how they were shaped by the prevailing institutional framework—the rules, laws and belief systems—regulating social and economic behaviour in England.
See the lectures HERE …
Alice le Fynch and new ways of seeing medieval society from below
A blog by Professor Dyer discussing key features of peasant life and society, linked to his book Peasants Making History, Living in an English Region 1200-1540
See the blog HERE …
The Five Minute Medievalist
Podcasts and YouTube features from Daniele Cybulskie
A wide range of interviews with historians, including Ruth Karras on medieval marriage, David Green The Hundred Years War and Helen Castor on medieval queens and Daniele herself talking about some o the most outrageous and unhelpful myths about the Middle Ages.
Daniele’s website is HERE …
Podcasts are available HERE …
Misconceptions about the Middle Ages
Stephen Harris and Bryon L Grigsby (eds)
A collection of 30 articles of varying lengths which challenge widely-held ideas about life in the Middle Ages, grouped under the headings of Religion, War, Science, The Arts and Society
See the resources HERE …
And, as featured above, a podcast from The Five Minute Medievalist HERE …
The National Archives
Classroom Resources on Richard II
Sources, tasks and notes for teachers exploring the question ‘Were the troubles facing England in the 1370s and 1380s due to Richard II’s age and inexperience?’
See the resources here HERE …
Medieval Children
Review of Professor Nicholas Orme’s book
The reviews section on the Institute of Historical Research website is a very accessible window into historians’ research. The reviews are lengthy, containing detailed summaries of the books being reviewed as well as the reviewer’s analysis which often places the book in its historiographical context. In many cases the author’s reply to the review is included too.
See the review here HERE …
Dr Kathleen Neal:
‘Science’ existed in the Middle Ages
A brief but very clear reminder of the place of science and reason in the Middle Ages and their relationship to religion and ‘the Church’. Science may not seem to have anything in common with the item on chastity belts below but both challenge negative generalisations about the Middle Ages and periodisation.
See the article HERE …
Professor Sarah Bond:
Unlocking the Dark Ages: A Short History of Chastity Belts
‘The truth about chastity belts is that they are largely a fiction constructed in the Renaissance and Early Modern periods in order to conjure a more “barbaric” middle age that had come previously.’
A great way into getting A level students (or anyone else) thinking about periodisation – that the periods we usually work with were not the 11th commandment but were created by historians with agendas and therefore can be and ought to be questioned and challenged.
See the article HERE …
Professor Andrew Holt:
The Crusades (and other aspects of the Middle Ages)
A website of particular interest to anyone teaching the Crusades, including interviews with other historians. The interview with Professor Helen Nicholson, for example, is on The State of Crusader Studies but also touches on other issues such as how and why Professor Nicolson became enthused by this topic.
See the website HERE … and the article here HERE …
Professor Carole Rawcliffe:
The Form and Function of Medieval Hospitals
Despite the specific title, this lecture illuminates medieval thought and attitudes in general, exploring how thought and religion were central to the development of medical care. There’s 35 minutes of illustrated lecture plus questions and answers e.g. at 41 minutes the importance of not being condescending to medieval people over public health. The last question provides a brilliant example of the difference between medieval and modern thinking about medical care
See the lecture HERE …
Royal Holloway Citizens800 Project:
Resources for schools
The page introducing their resources for schools is HERE …
And their YouTube channel is HERE …
Don’t be put off by the references to AQA as the resources are useful to everyone.
They include short videos on Magna Carta, the development of Parliament and 1381. (And if you have never heard of the battle of Sandwich the animation is worth a look for the demise of King John and the departure of Prince Louis!)
Professor Sara M Butler:
Just how lawless were the Middle Ages?
Violence is one of those topics that are central to popular perceptions of the Middle Ages. Many people, including students, believe that the Middle Ages was an age of unrestrained, unthinking violence. In this article, Professor Butler explores with gusto some of the issues central to this misconception
See the article HERE …
Professor Butler discussed her book Forensic Medicine and Death Investigation in Medieval England in a question and answer session on the website of writer and historian Candace Robb. The topic may sound intimidating but once you’ve read that Professor Butler originally wanted to call her book CSI: Medieval England you know it’s going to be enjoyable as well as illuminating and you MUST read the story of 2 year-old Roger, son of Gervase
Professor Gwilym Dodd:
Medieval Parliaments
A very clear outline in 4 pages of the development of parliament to c.1500, context for those occasional references to parliament in Key Stage 3 and for students at GCSE and A level.
See the outline HERE …
In addition the History of Parliament website here contains biographical articles on all individual MPs, articles on each constituency and parliament and also on the development of parliament in each period.
Visit History of Parliament HERE …
Dr Dolly Jorgensen:
Medieval public health and our perceptions of the period
Dr Jorgensen is a leading environmental historian whose doctorate was on urban sanitation in England and Scandinavia from 1350-1600. A number of her articles on public health in medieval England are available online.
See the articles HERE …
The articles include a critique of Dan Snow’s BBC programme on medieval London in the Filthy Cities series in 2011. The article here demonstrates how misleading a picture that programme created – worth reading for both the evidence about public health and the broader discussion of how negative interpretations of the Middle Ages are a product of assumptions about patterns of progress.
Download the PDF HERE …
Historical Association:
Resources on the later Middle Ages
Resources for KS3, GCSE and A level created by teachers on the HA’s Teacher Fellowship programme, including resources on the Paston family added August 2018.
See the resources HERE …