If all of Spain’s history is inherently complex—much more than simplifications tend to suggest—perhaps the medieval period takes the cake in close competition with ancient times, both due to the scarcity of sources and the existence of numerous royal and noble domains—some Christian, some Muslim—that changed hands, borders, and names frequently. One of the lesser-known […]
Middle Ages
Posted inMiddle Ages, Science
Icebergs in Constantinople and a Frozen Black Sea: Climate Anomalies Triggered by Eruptions in Iceland at the Beginning of the Middle Ages
It was one of the coldest winters the region has experienced: in the year 763, large areas of the Black Sea froze, and icebergs were seen in the Bosphorus. Contemporary historians recorded this unusual weather phenomenon during the winter of 763/764 in their accounts of Constantinople, now Istanbul. Now, an international and interdisciplinary study conducted […]
Posted inMiddle Ages
The Turbulent Life of Andronicus I Comnenus, who Managed to Become Emperor by Escaping after 12 Years in Captivity
It’s tough to imagine a life more turbulent and extravagant than that of Andronicus Comnenus, Byzantine emperor and the last of his dynasty. Charismatic, contradictory, lover of worldly pleasures, expert military man, his strong character and lack of scruples led him to experience extreme situations, including twelve years of captivity, numerous military campaigns, scandalous love […]
Posted inMiddle Ages
How the Republic of Venice was Born within the Byzantine Empire as a Defense Against the ‘Barbarians’
As it’s known, the Most Serene Republic of Venice, that mighty maritime state born in the 8th century (independent since the 9th) and lasting until the late 18th century, was governed by a series of institutions (Great Council, Senate, and Council of Ten) under the supreme command of the Doge. Although the Doge was elected […]
Posted inMiddle Ages
The Story of Khutulun, the Mongolian Female Warrior who Inspired Puccini’s Turandot
The idea of a woman who considers no man worthy of her and sets strict conditions for suitors has led to various more or less famous creative works. However, it has a historical precedent glossed over by none other than Marco Polo in his Book of Wonders: the Mongolian princess Khutulun, an expert warrior, cousin […]
Posted inGeography, Middle Ages
The Stunning Fortress of the Berlengas Archipelago in Portugal
Located on the west coast of Portugal, almost at the westernmost tip of Europe, lies the Berlengas Archipelago, a group of islands and islets in the Atlantic Ocean, about 10 kilometers from the town of Peniche. The archipelago consists of three groups of granite islands and islets, the main ones being Berlenga Grande (the only […]
Posted inCulture, Middle Ages
Rare Andalusian Astrolabe Discovered in Verona Reveals Islamic, Jewish and Christian Scientific Exchange
An old astrolabe was recently discovered in a museum in the Italian city of Verona. It dates back to the 1100s, which makes it one of the oldest astrolabes ever found. Astrolabes are early scientific calculators that could measure time, distances, the position of stars, and even make horoscopes predicting the future. The newly discovered […]
Posted inMiddle Ages, Travel
Merv, the City in Present-Day Turkmenistan that was the World’s Largest City in the 12th Century
To the south of present-day Turkmenistan, near the modern town of Mary, lie the remnants of what was once one of the most important oasis cities on the Silk Road. So significant was it that not only did it become the capital of the Seljuk Empire, but during the 12th and early 13th centuries, it […]
Posted inArt, Middle Ages
The Most Inaccessible Church in the World is Excavated Inside a Sandstone Spire at an Altitude of 2,580 Meters (8,500 Feet)
In the Gheralta Mountains of the Tigray region in northern Ethiopia, inside a vertical rock wall at an altitude of 2,580 meters, lies the most inaccessible church in the world. It is called Abuna Yemata Guh, one of the nine saints who, according to tradition, arrived in northern Ethiopia between the late 5th and early […]
Posted inMiddle Ages
The Cave Monastery of Vardzia Has More than 500 Rooms on 19 Levels
Nestled on the rugged cliffs along the Kura River Valley in southern Georgia is one of the most unusual and astonishing medieval monasteries in the world: Vardzia. Carved entirely into the rock of Mount Erusheti for over 500 meters, Vardzia is an architectural marvel with up to 19 levels of chambers. The site has a […]