Medieval Insight - Page 2 of 4 - Life, War and Faith in the Middle Ages

Some weapons need years of engineering. Others need a tree, a few dozen strong arms and a door you would

Did Vikings Wear Horned Helmets?

Picture a Viking. Go on. Big beard, round shield, fierce scowl and, sitting proudly on his head, a helmet with

Some books you read on the bus. The Book of Kells is not one of them. Made by monks some

Today, people walk hundreds of miles for charity, for fitness or because their satnav gave up. In the Middle Ages,

Hollywood has a very clear idea of medieval clothing: brown sacks for the peasants, shiny armour for the knights, and

Inheriting a kingdom in the Middle Ages was a bit like inheriting a car with no keys. Technically it was

Castle walls had one simple job: keeping people out. So medieval armies came up with an equally simple, if slightly

Here’s a “fact” you’ve probably heard since primary school: in the Middle Ages, everybody believed the Earth was flat, sailors

Before printing, if you wanted a book, somebody had to make it by hand. Not just write it: make it.

If you think your alarm goes off too early, spare a thought for the medieval monk. His first church service

Picture a medieval peasant in a film and you can almost smell the screen: matted hair, grubby face, a fine