On this day, July 27, in medieval history: 1214 – Battle of Bouvines: King Philip II of France defeated the forces of Otto IV (Holy Roman Emperor), the count of Flanders, and King John of England, in effect establishing a stronger position for the French monarchy Read contemporary accounts of… Read More »Timeline: Today in Middle Ages History
Old Wardour Castle, located near Tisbury in the English county of Wiltshire, sits on a slight rise above a lake and was once the home of Baron John Lovell, the fifth Baron Lovell. John Lovell acquired the land from the St. Martin family when Sir Lawrence de St. Martin died… Read More »Medieval Castles: Old Wardour Castle
I’m in the process of reading (actually listening) to Armageddon’s Children (The Genesis of Shannara Book 1) by Terry Brooks. I’ve been listening to it on my commute to work. It’s not a great book by any means. Actually, I plan to return it before finishing, which is not something… Read More »Discussion Topic: Audio Books vs. The Printed Word
The detailed service records of 250,000 medieval soldiers – including archers who served with Henry V at the Battle of Agincourt – have gone online. The database of those who fought in the Hundred Years War reveals salaries, sickness records and who was knighted. More at BBC News. I didn’t… Read More »Online Medieval Battle Records
George R.R. Martin has posted on his blog a list of actors that have been cast — thus far — for the HBO series A Song of Ice and Fire. The list includes: Sean Bean as Lord Eddard Stark Mark Addy as King Robert I Baratheon Jack Gleeson as Joffrey… Read More »Casting for HBO “A Song of Ice and Fire” Series
I’ve compiled a list of blog topics related to medieval history, historical fiction, fantasy, fiction writing, or industry news. Here’s a brief rundown: Mark Lord dicusses Medieval Myths about Witchcraft and Sorcery ABC will air an hourlong documentary about the woman behind the boy wizard, “J.K Rowling: A Year in… Read More »Blogs of Interest
Victor Verney is the author of Warrior of God: Jan Zizka and the Hussite Revolution. Read more about the author on his Web site. 1. How did you become interested in Jan Zizka and why did you choose to write about him? Did your Slavic ancestry have anything to do… Read More »Interview with Victor Verney, Author of Warrior of God
The Battle of Barnet, one of the critical battles in the Wars of the Roses, involved the forces of Edward IV and Richard Neville, the Earl of Warwick. At one time, Edward and Richard had been allies, both of them overthrowing Henry VI (of Lancaster) and putting Edward on the… Read More »Battles in Medieval History: The Battle of Barnet, 1471
In his essay, “The Accu-Thump of Googletarity,” author John Crowley gives his take on writing historical fiction. The particular example he uses is from the World War II era in America, but the principles can be applied to whatever historical period (medieval or any other) you are writing about. The… Read More »Author John Crowley on Historical Fiction