The Middle Ages, usually dated from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, were a period of striking contrasts. Castles rose across Europe, knights pledged their loyalty to their owners, and entire ...

Isn't history more fun when you can actually picture it?

Myths get busted: Medieval people bathed regularly, invented soap, and understood the Earth was round—contrary to long-standing stereotypes. Science meets history: Bioarchaeological research reveals ...

In Death and the Miser, a Dutch painting from around 1490, a hideous skeletal figure—a medieval version of the grim reaper—comes knocking at a man’s bedroom door. As death watches, the dying miser ...

It is hard not to shake one’s head when hearing feminist activists describe misogynistic speech and other attacks on women’s dignity as “medieval” — especially for those who have taken the trouble to ...