The image below is often shared as an example of bad medieval hygiene, specifically to support the idea that emptying a chamber pot out of the window was a normal, generally accepted, common and/or regular occurrence in Medieval Europe.But the truth is a little different. First some of the technical details, the image comes from … More Analysing the Narrenschiff window scene (1494)
This may sound like a boring book but for me, a historian obsessed with debunking the old myth that medieval people were dirty, rarely bathed, etc. it’s quite a fascinating read and I think it has plenty of interesting details in it that most people will find interesting. So as I read the book I … More Book review: ‘Water technology in the Middle Ages’, by Roberta J. Magnusson (2003)
Medieval Hygiene hasn’t been a serious topic of research for historians till relatively recently, the topic is more related to the daily life of common people, not knights, royals or other famous people, so less interesting for some, but for a long time the old opinions held since Victorian times were just repeated for generations.Luckily … More Book review: ‘Community, Urban Health and Environment in the Late Medieval Low Countries’ by Janna Coomans (2021)
For a long time historians have been more interested in the stories of royals, nobles, knights and other important and powerful people, than they have been in the lives of the common folk.But I’ve always cared more about what life was like for people like me, not rich, not powerful, not living in palaces, etc. … More Book review: ‘Urban Women: Life, Love, and Work in the Medieval Low Countries’ by Andrea Bardyn, Chanelle Delameillieure, Jelle Haemers (2019)
I love history books that are all about a specific subject, it shows that a historian has become obsessed about one thing and that they’ve likely spend more time than is healthy researching it.Which is of course a good thing because it can result in the ultimate publication on the topic and I think that’s … More Book review: ‘The medieval pig’ by Dolly Jørgensen
I recently read ‘Het middeleeuwse openbare badhuis’ by Fabiola van Dam, I read it twice. I realise it is not available in English and VERY specific, but it had some interesting stuff in it I want to share with you anyway, so here we go. Oh if you’re a history book publisher, check this book … More Book review: ‘Het middeleeuwse openbare badhuis’ by Fabiola van Dam (2020)
This photo has been going around the internet claiming to have been taken in an old abandoned medieval village in Scotland. It wasn’t. It is a gorgeous photo and a wonderful setting, it makes your imagination run wild, where exactly is it, would you be able to visit it, why was it abandoned… how has … More NOT an abandoned Scottish Medieval village
This photo of an old looking house has been shared all over the internet with the claim that it shows a house built in 1509 in the town of Argentan, France. Although it looks absolutely lovely, this building was not built in 1509 (which is sort of not Medieval) but in 1955 and most of … More NOT an 16th century house in France
There is so much “fake history” going around about the Medieval Era that I decided to write this article and create this; There are a lot of myths and misconceptions about “The” Middle ages.This era lasted roughly 1000 years and life was very different at certain times and in different places, so it is a … More Medieval Myths Bingo
Fake History Hunter 