#excalibur-knights

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fromMedievalists.net
1 day ago

Secret Letter Detailing Late Medieval Britain Fully Decoded - Medievalists.net

The letter, dated 25 July 1498, is eleven pages long and was written while Pedro de Ayala was in London, brokering peace negotiations between England and Scotland.
History
fromMedievalists.net
4 days ago

New Medieval Books: Vikings, Knights, Elves, and Ogres - Medievalists.net

This collection of essays honors Shaun F.D. Hughes by sharing scholarship that engages deeply with Middle English, Old English, Icelandic, and Old Norse traditions, while also breaking new ground.
History
#john-boorman
fromInverse
1 week ago
Independent films

45 Years Ago, A Polarizing Director Revived His Career With An All-Time Fantasy Epic Classic

John Boorman's film Excalibur marked his creative rebirth, successfully retelling the Arthurian legend and achieving significant box office success.
fromInverse
1 month ago
Film

The Best Lord Of The Rings Movie That Never Was Is Finally Getting A 4K Upgrade

Director John Boorman's unrealized Lord of the Rings adaptation influenced his medieval epic Excalibur, which blends landscape beauty with brutal violence and magical atmosphere in Arthurian legend.
Independent films
fromInverse
1 week ago

45 Years Ago, A Polarizing Director Revived His Career With An All-Time Fantasy Epic Classic

John Boorman's film Excalibur marked his creative rebirth, successfully retelling the Arthurian legend and achieving significant box office success.
fromMedievalists.net
4 days ago

The Strange Ritual Before Medieval Duels: Why Opponents Touched - Medievalists.net

The handgrasp ritual before combat among medieval duelists illustrates a surprising attempt to create a final opportunity for peace, even at the brink of violence.
History
fromMedievalists.net
5 days ago

10 New Medieval Studies Articles You Can Read Right Now (Free & Open Access) - Medievalists.net

Extreme weather in the 1430s triggered a major economic crisis in England, leading to food shortages, livestock deaths, and widespread disruption, reshaping landholding practices.
History
History
fromMedievalists.net
1 week ago

New Online Course: William Marshal: 'The Greatest Knight of all the World' - Medievalists.net

William Marshal, a landless knight, became regent of England, showcasing the rise of English elites in the 12th century.
History
fromMedievalists.net
1 week ago

Did People Run in the Middle Ages? - Medievalists.net

Running as a physical activity in the Middle Ages is underexplored despite its presence in historical accounts.
#highlander
fromArs Technica
1 month ago
Film

There can (still) be only one: Highlander is 40

Lambert's casting as MacLeod brought humor and optimism, while the Kurgan evolved into a more complex villain despite initial one-dimensionality.
fromInverse
2 months ago
Film

34 Years Later, 'Highlander' Is Blending Canon With A Crucial Character

Jeremy Irons will play the leader of the Watchers in the Henry Cavill-led Highlander reboot, integrating TV-show canon into the film continuity.
Writing
fromBig Think
1 month ago

The medieval "love story" that was really a tale of psychological abuse

Resilience is essential in facing challenges, as exemplified by Odysseus and Penelope's enduring hope and strength during their long separations.
History
fromenglish.elpais.com
2 weeks ago

Henry V, the great medieval English king, offers an uncomfortable example of nobility and leadership to the current Windsor monarchy

Henry V is celebrated not only for his military victories but also for his complex life and character beyond the battlefield.
History
fromOpen Culture
3 weeks ago

How Everything in a Medieval Castle Worked, from Its Moats to Its Dungeons

Medieval castles were complex structures designed for defense, featuring elements like barbicans, moats, and parapets.
fromThe Atlantic
1 month ago

Today's Atlantic Trivia: Movie Stars and the Middle Ages

Silent reading was so uncommon before the Middle Ages that Saint Augustine devoted space in his fourth-century C.E. Confessions to how astounded he was by the way his mentor's eyes 'ran over the columns of writing and his heart searched out the meaning, but his voice and his tongue were at rest.'
Miscellaneous
History
fromMedievalists.net
4 weeks ago

The Size of Armies in Early Medieval Warfare - Medievalists.net

The size of early medieval armies remains debated, with some scholars arguing for small warbands while others suggest larger fighting forces existed.
Television
fromInverse
2 months ago

Trial Of Seven? Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms Just Invoked An Ancient Tradition

An ancient Andal 'trial of seven'—a seven-on-seven trial by combat—was invoked, replacing one-on-one trials and setting a bloody precedent.
Books
fromOregon ArtsWatch * Arts & Culture News
2 months ago

A fresh retelling of the tale of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight * Oregon ArtsWatch

A contemporary retelling renders Sir Gawain and the Green Knight in modern English, blending skeptical scrutiny of magic with medieval enchantment and antiquarian sonnets.
Video games
fromQueerty
2 months ago

1348 Ex Voto puts a lesbian knight in the jousting seat & she's kicking all the boys' asses - Queerty

A medieval action game centers a lesbian knight's quest and lesbian romance, offering cinematic combat, strong representation, and major early interest.
Arts
fromHyperallergic
2 months ago

A Millennia-Long Fascination With Armor

The Worcester Art Museum's reopened armor galleries present global armor traditions, challenging medieval European romanticism and showcasing one of the nation's largest arms-and-armor collections.
History
fromMedievalists.net
1 month ago

When Charlemagne Became a Thief: A Medieval Tale Retold - Medievalists.net

Charlemagne's legacy includes tales of his youth, notably an adventure involving a thief named Basin, showcasing his character and moral lessons.
#ser-duncan-the-tall
fromInverse
2 months ago
Television

Is Dunk Really A Knight? 'Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms' May Have Just Confirmed A Fan Theory

fromInverse
2 months ago
Television

Is Dunk Really A Knight? 'Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms' May Have Just Confirmed A Fan Theory

fromEsquire
2 months ago

'A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' Is a Sports Story Now. I Love It.

Dunk's story so far in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms has mostly been a comedy. We've watched this big ol' lovable idiot-a pure, mountainous soul (played by Peter Claffey) who is too good for the terribly violent world of Westeros-fumble around as he attempts to make a name for himself. Hell, his newly knighted name is Ser Duncan the Tall, and I'm still calling him Dunk. Even worse? His best friend in the whole world just lied to him.
Books
fromwww.theguardian.com
2 months ago

Heath Ledger knocked my tooth out jousting with a broom': how we made A Knight's Tale

I wrote and directed the Mel Gibson film Payback but got fired during post-production. It was my first film as director and I thought my career was over. It was during this downtime that I wrote A Knight's Tale. I loved the idea that jousting tournaments were medieval sports, but I had never figured out what to do with it.
Film
Film
fromThe Independent
1 month ago

Queen. Bowie. Heath Ledger. No wonder A Knight's Tale is a classic

A Knight's Tale uses anachronistic rock music and committed performance to energize medieval jousting and portray reinvention as authentic self-creation rather than deception.
#a-knight-of-the-seven-kingdoms
History
fromianVisits
1 month ago

Looted from a royal palace: The medieval jug now on display in London

A medieval English bronze jug looted from Ghana's Asante kingdom reveals how European luxury goods became valued ceremonial objects through trans-continental trade networks before colonial appropriation.
fromInverse
2 months ago

Did 'Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' Just Confirm A Connection Between Brienne and Dunk?

Currently, the Game of Thrones universe is defined by Targaryen family. House of the Dragon follows the Dance of the Dragons succession battle between Rhaenyra Targaryen and Aegon II. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms follows Rhaenyra's great-great-great-great-great-grandson Maekar and his sons Aerion and Aegon, and then Game of Thrones picks up with Aegon's great-granddaughter Daenerys. However, that's not the only family connection between the different shows.
Television
Television
fromBusiness Insider
2 months ago

The Trial of Seven in 'A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' nearly kills Dunk. Here's how he actually dies in the books.

Dunk secures a rare seven-versus-seven Trial of Seven after striking Prince Aerion, aided by Ser Lyonel Baratheon, Prince Baelor, and unexpected champions.
Television
fromEsquire
2 months ago

I Already Love Dunk in 'A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms'

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms shifts Game of Thrones toward comedic, gritty irreverence while introducing endearing protagonist Dunk and deflating pomp and forced seriousness.
History
fromMedievalists.net
1 month ago

10 Ways Video Games Have Rewritten the Middle Ages - Medievalists.net

Video games have become a primary way modern audiences encounter the Middle Ages, creating a distinctive form of medievalism shaped by gameplay mechanics that emphasizes warfare and reshapes historical reality.
History
fromMedievalists.net
1 month ago

New Medieval Books: Silence of the Gods - Medievalists.net

Europe's last pagan peoples underwent Christian conversion from the 14th to 20th centuries while maintaining their indigenous religious traditions despite political pressure to adopt Christianity.
fromMedievalists.net
2 months ago

Talking Templars: Assassins versus Templars - Medievalists.net

The Assassins and the Knights Templar have become two of the most iconic groups of fighters from the period of the Crusades. In recent times, they have been popularised through the video game and movie franchise, Assassin's Creed. But who were they really and how did they interact in the Holy Land? It's an intriguing story that Dr Steve Tibble and Tony McMahon investigate in the first episode of their new podcast series, Talking Templars.
History
History
fromMedievalists.net
2 months ago

The Magical Gemstones of King John of England - Medievalists.net

King John's gemstones reflect medieval belief in jewels' protective and healing powers; Victorian and Edwardian historians judged monarchs as 'good' or 'bad' by parliamentary contributions.
History
fromMedievalists.net
2 months ago

New Medieval Books: Celtic Magic - Medievalists.net

Ancient and medieval Celtic-speaking peoples maintained distinctive magical beliefs and practices whose evidence appears in inscriptions, classical accounts, medieval manuscripts, charms, and medical recipes.
History
fromwww.medievalists.net
2 months ago

Hattin and the Templars' Last Stand

The Templars' desperate rear-guard charge at the Horns of Hattin in July 1187 failed disastrously, marking a pivotal collapse of the Crusader army.
fromMedievalists.net
2 months ago

Online Course: The Normans in Europe - Medievalists.net

We get started by exploring the origins of the Normans in the county and then duchy of Normandy. We will understand their Norse background and their relationship with the Carolingians. The timeline approach will help us discover all the counts and dukes of Normandy, and what they contributed to their realm. This will set the foundation for the interconnected stories that will lead us to England and the Mediterranean.
History
History
fromMedievalists.net
2 months ago

New Medieval Books: The Horse in History - Medievalists.net

Eleven studies examine horse equipment, training, folklore, and material culture across time and Europe, emphasizing archaeological evidence and diverse methodological approaches.
History
fromMedievalists.net
1 month ago

New Online Course: En Garde! Fencing in Late Medieval and Early Modern England - Medievalists.net

A six-week course explores fencing instruction and martial arts careers in late medieval and early modern England, taught by medieval studies expert Dr Jacob H. Deacon.
fromWorld History Encyclopedia
2 months ago

Seven Kings Must Die Film - Historical Accuracy

Seven Kings Must Die (2023) is a historical drama film based on Bernard Cornwell's novel Warlord (2020) and is a sequel to the TV series The Last Kingdom (2015-2022). Directed by Edward Bazalgette and produced by Carnival Films, it depicts the build-up to and the Battle of Brunanburh (937), in which King Aethelstan of England (reign 924-939) defeated an alliance of Scots and Vikings. Background & The Last Kingdom The film's protagonist is the fictional warrior and nobleman Uhtred of Bebbanburg (modern-day Bamburgh).
History
History
fromMedievalists.net
2 months ago

25 Tips from the Middle Ages - Medievalists.net

Medieval practical literature provided specific everyday guidance on posture, hygiene, conversation, remedies, and social behavior, blending useful tips with odd, superstition-based methods.
History
fromMedievalists.net
2 months ago

Military Education in Early Medieval Europe: Learning from Books - Medievalists.net

Early medieval military leaders learned warfare from books—Roman manuals, handbooks, and case studies—informing campaigns, sieges, and logistical planning.
History
fromMedievalists.net
1 month ago

15 Plots Against William the Conqueror - Medievalists.net

William the Conqueror survived numerous plots, conspiracies, and betrayals throughout his life, demonstrating how fragile medieval power was despite military conquest and dynastic authority.
History
fromMedievalists.net
2 months ago

The Battle of Verneuil (1424) - Medievalists.net

The Battle of Verneuil saw English forces confront a Franco-Scottish army in Normandy after Henry V's death, becoming one of the war's bloodiest battles.
fromMedievalists.net
2 months ago

New Medieval Books: The Forsaken 14th Century - Medievalists.net

In this volume, the authors aim to provide a truly global overview of the 14 century, with each region given approximately the same space. It is obviously impossible to cover every event in every country of the world in a single volume, just as you would not be able to visit every city in every country if you traveled around the world for a year.
History
fromMedievalists.net
2 months ago

The Battle of Dupplin Moor (1332) - Medievalists.net

Scotland's in turmoil in the 1330s-and Edward III spots an opening. In this episode of Bow & Blade, Michael and Kelly break down the Battle of Dupplin Moor, where tactics, terrain, and timing turn chaos into catastrophe. The hosts of Bow & Blade: Kelly DeVries is a Professor at Loyola University in Maryland and Honorary Historical Consultant at the Royal Armouries. You can learn more about Kelly on his university webpage.
History
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