middle ages – Fake History Hunter

Livre du roi Modus et de la reine Ratio, 14th century (Bibliothèque nationale)

Food & ingredients available in Medieval Europe before contact with the Americas

May 10, 2026

It is sometimes difficult to comprehend that many of our most favourite and common foods and spices were not available to ‘the old world’ till after Europeans found their way to the Americas.Yes, once upon a time we somehow managed to survive without potatoes, tomatoes, tobacco and many more delicious things.And yes, till the spice … More Food & ingredients available in Medieval Europe before contact with the Americas

Drinking water in the Middle Ages

February 2, 2026

The idea that medieval people drank ale or beer in stead of water because the water sources in Medieval Europe were usually polluted is a stubborn myth.In reality Medieval people had relatively easy access to clean water and drank lots of it.Ale was a cheap and tasty way to consume grain and provide drinkers with … More Drinking water in the Middle Ages

Book review: ‘Water technology in the Middle Ages’, by Roberta J. Magnusson (2003)

September 21, 2025

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)

Book review: ‘The medieval pig’ by Dolly Jørgensen (2024)

August 5, 2024

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 (2024)