The Battle of Hastings

On Saturday the 14th of October, 1066, Harold Godwinson assembled his foot soldiers upon a ridge at Senlac Hill, not far from the village of Hastings. His men had marched South rapidly following the successful Battle of Stamford Bridge, and were now preparing to face William the “Bastard”, Duke of Normandy, who had invaded the […]

Medieval Weapons – The Quarterstaff [Ep5]

The Quarterstaff became extremely popular in Medieval Europe, notably England, and was used as an informal, close-combat weapon.

Medieval Weapons – The Mace [Ep4]

Maces, or as they were otherwise known, bludgeons, became extremely popular in the Middle Ages in Eastern Europe, where the poorer soldiers could arm themselves cheaply with an easy-to-produce weapon with deadly potential.

Five (More) Commonly Asked History Questions

1. Did the Romans really control a quarter of the world? No, they didn’t. They conquered the majority of Europe, a slice along the North of Africa and mostly dominated the east. This map shows the extent of the Roman Empire in the year 117AD, at around the height of its landmass and power. It […]

Top 10 Rules Of The Knights Templar

1. Always Obey Orders The sheer fighting skill and discipline of the Templars depended on complete obedience to instructions, and it was the duty of any of these Knights to carry out the commander’s orders to the best of his ability. No matter the circumstance, the Templars would always have to act like fighting machines […]

A brief history of Christmas through the ages…

In the oldest, darkest of Ancient Times, there existed a period of great celebration stretching from around late December to the first days of January, known to the pagans and druids of the cold and icy North.

What was medieval farming like?

How did they follow the seasons? What tools did they use? How long did they work? How much were they payed?

Drawing a sword from your back? Nonsense.

We’ve seen it all, in movies, books, exaggerated but unhistoric illustrations and oftentimes our imaginations. But the question is, did swordsmen ever really pull a sword from a back scabbard, and how practical would it have been to carry your weapon out of your view – and potentially out of your reach?

In what ways could you be executed in Medieval Times?

The 13 unlucky ways you could be put to death for your crimes in the Dark Ages. These include medieval ways of public and private execution, and certainly some of the most painful and brutal methods in history.

The crossbow – Medieval weapons #3

The crossbow was able to release heavier, thicker bolts with more puncturing potential from a stored source of energy.

The longsword – Medieval weapons #2

The longsword was also known as the Bastardsword and became popular in Europe between 1100 and 1400.

The Longbow – Medieval Weapons #1

The longbow, a devastatingly powerful long range weapon, was highly popular with English armies in the Middle Ages, although it was the Welsh who designed such a practical and deadly device. English Kings brought it into common use following defeated attacks on Wales.

How were medieval swords made?

Welcome, Knight Errant! I see you want to be talked through the steps in the process of forging your own medieval sword! We won’t be making no flimsy wooden swords here – grab your swordsmith and we can get to work blacksmithing a new weapon!

Medieval Battle Simulator iOS First Try

Article Updates #1

I’ve been making additions to some of my blog posts – adding new facts, trying to elaborate more on my points and checking grammar. Here is the article of editing today:

How to build a medieval castle

Castles were impressive structures by nearly all definitions and a key aspect of medieval society. They served as miniature administrative offices, defensive positions and markers of realms. How they were built is truly astonishing, and required huge amounts of manual, human labour without necessarily advanced measuring equipment or machinery.

What Did Knights In The Middle Ages Eat?

What kept those valiant warriors fighting to the end? Today we look at what kinds of food medieval Knights ate to energise and strengthen them, ready for combat on the battlefield.

Medieval Table Manners Were More Sophisticated Than You Think

What image comes to mind when you think of Medieval feasting? Roudy men getting outrageously drunk and people flinging bones all over the floor? Surely most people imagine this.