Medieval
Including events such as Magna Carta, the Black Death, the Wars of the Roses and The Peasants’ Revolt, the medieval period is one of the most fascinating in history. The Middle Ages, which are said to have lasted from approximately the 5th to the 15th century, saw massive social and economic change, as well as significant developments in agriculture and medicine. Yet childbirth, famine and bad weather threatened the survival of ordinary people, and reminders of death were ever-present in life and art.
Recommended reading
It is one of the most fascinating periods in history, popularised by Magna Carta, the Black Death, and the Hundred Years War. But how much do you really know about the Middle Ages? Here, John H Arnold, professor of medieval history at Birkbeck, University of London, reveals 10 things about the period that might surprise you…
Roast boars and flagons of wine might be what most of us conjure up when we think of medieval cookery. But contemporary sources suggest that our ancestors enjoyed a wide variety of cuisine, and were adventurous in their tastes, too.
This article was first published in August 2014
It was one of the most turbulent and transformative periods in history. But what was life like for ordinary people in the Middle Ages? Here, we take a look at medieval life in pictures…
The year 2015 – the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta – is the ideal time to hold a new debate on the pros and cons of a written constitution, MPs have said
It was one of the most exciting, turbulent and transformative eras in history, but the Middle Ages were also fraught with danger. Here, as part of our Medieval Week, historian Dr Katharine Olson reveals 10 of the biggest risks people faced…
