William II, also called “Rufus,” was the second son of William I (“The Conqueror”) and was king of England from 1087 – 1100. William Rufus, in advance of the news of the death of his father, hurried from Normandy to Winchester, and with the support of Archbishop Lanfranc, gained the… Read More »William II (Rufus), King of England
Investiture Pronunciation: [in-ves-ti-cher, -choor] Function: noun Etymology: Middle English, from Medieval Latin investitura, from investitus, past participle of investire The act of formally putting someone into an office or landholding; it was a major occasion of dispute in the eleventh and twelfth centuries when reformers opposed lay rulers who invested clergy… Read More »Medieval Term of the Day: Investiture
Heriot Pronunciation: \hare-E-et\ Function: noun Etymology: Middle English, from Old English heregeatwe, plural, military equipment, from here army (akin to Old High German heri army) + geatwe equipment a) A payment which a feudal lord may claim from the possessions of a dead serf or other tenant, essentially a death… Read More »Medieval Term of the Day: Heriot
Scutage Pronunciation: \?skü-tij, ?skyü-\ Function: noun Etymology: Middle English, from Medieval Latin scutagium, from Latin scutum shield Date: 15th century The sum that the holder of a knight’s fee may pay his lord in lieu of military service. Sometimes used as a form of tax.
I came across this article by Mark Schatzker on “How do medieval-themed restaurants get it wrong?” It’s an interesting read concerning the accuracy of food served at such restaurants as Medieval Times. He dispels several myths in regards to the eating habits of medieval people: Myth No. 1: Medieval food… Read More »How Accurate Are Medieval Themed Restaurants?
Constructed in little more than 12 months by Richard I of England (“The Lionheart”), Chateau Gaillard was an imposing castle upon the French landscape, built to deter King Philip Augustus of France from invading Richard’s Norman territories. The stronghold was placed along the Seine River on a cliff extending above… Read More »The Siege of Chateau Gaillard
The following are some medieval history resources I have run across online. Please let me know of any interesting sites you may have found as well. Internet Medieval Sourcebook – contains many writings by contemporaries of the medieval period The-ORB: Online Reference Book for Medieval Studies – an academic site for scholars… Read More »Medieval History Resources Online
I was chatting on a forum the other day, and the conversation sparked the idea for this blog post. When writing your novel, what is the best way to incorporate research and historical details into your writing? I’m not sure there is a best practice for doing this; everyone most likely… Read More »Writing and Historical Research
The following is a list of blogs/sites I’m currently subscribed to: Historical Fiction: Carla Nayland Historical Fiction – A blog mainly about researching, writing, and reading historical fiction Elizabeth Chadwick: Living the History – Historical fiction author Elizabeth Chadwick uses this space to discuss her work, her research and share her love… Read More »What I’m Reading