medieval

Firm and Tone—the Medieval Way!

Want to train like a troubador? Crush it like a crusader? Become lean as Lancelot? Here’s how! (Note: this workout is reserved for members of the nobility, males only of course. Before embarking on any physical exercise program, check with… Read More

Fetching Names

In case you’ve recently acquired a new dog, and are wondering what to name it, look no further than the early fifteenth-century manuscript called The Master of Game. Appended at the end is a list of suitable names for your… Read More

Medieval Medicine

By now it’s pretty well-accepted among medieval historians that the civilizations most responsible for preserving ancient Greek and Roman scholarship after the fall of the Roman Empire were the Arabs. Crusader-knights witnessed firsthand how much more advanced many of the… Read More

To Wield a Shield

The shields of medieval knights, made of heavy oak and rimmed with iron, routinely weighed in at 25 pounds or more.… Read More

What Not to Wear: Pajamas

Most men and women of the 14th and 15th centuries slept naked. If a traveler needed lodging for the night, he joined the throng in the bed.… Read More

Splish Splash

In medieval France, many wealthier families could afford bathtubs. It was polite to invite your guests to bathe with you before dining.… Read More