The Medieval Beekeeper

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Book Review: Children of the House of Cleves: Anna and Her Siblings by Heather R. Darsie

Children of the House of House of Cleves: Anna and Her Siblings by Heather R. Darsie is a short, tightly written history book that aims to c

This is a really niche history book, but for a certain few, absolutely worth a read.

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This painting of Catherine parr was painted either right before Henry VIII died or right after, and it thought to be an accurate representation of her. It was sold in 2023 for a great deal of money, because Tudor stuff sells.

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This gruesomely adorable image is just one of many gorgeous details from the Isabella Psalter, which was giving to twelve-year-old Isabella of France by her husband, Edward II, as a wedding gift. And it really does give Medieval Creepypasta vibes all throughout.

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Who doesn't love a Medieval Elephant? The anonymous monk who drew this one, which is from the Isabella Psalter, did really well in that it looks like an elephant. That's too many knights, though.

The extraordinary psalter was given by Edward II to his twelve-year-old bride, Isabella, on their wedding day.

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That Time Edward II’s Stalker Pretended to be the Real Edward II

While Edward II was away in Scotland in 1318, a handsome one-eared man showed up at Beaumont Palace in Oxford and started acting like he own

Celebrity stalkers have always been a thing, even in the Middle Ages!

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Yes, I do think the awesome Elizabeth de Clare was a spiritual twin to Daria Morgendorffer. Both absolutely thought everyone around them was lame. I wrote up a whole blog about it.

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False Margaret and the irresistible lure of false hope

Something very peculiar happened in Norway in 1300. A woman with streaked white hair and a German husband in tow came ashore and told a mira

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About the Completely Bogus story That Edward II Gave Piers Gaveston His Wife’s wedding Jewels

One of the most enduring, and frankly homophobic, myths about Edward II and Piers Gaveston is that Edward II was so infatuated with Piers th

The jewel myth drives serious scholars of Edward II bananas. The idea that Piers and Edward II were so out of control they blatantly insulted Queen Isabella seems irresistible to a certain kind of writer, but it is just not true.

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Oh the jewels story! Beloved of fiction writers, hated by historians. It was not invented out of kindness, either.

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The Shrine of the Three Kings at Cologne Cathedral, to which a not dead Edward II allegedly made a pilgrimage

Edward II officially died in 1327, and for many people that’s that. However, if you do subscribe to the possibility that he made a daring es

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I'm not sure whether this photo from the 1938 film Marie Antoinette was colorized or shot in color, but it's notable because the film itself was originally supposed to be shot in technicolor and Adrian designed the costumes to bring out Norma Shearer's eyes, which you can see here.

The film and the costumes were not historically accurate, but they are lush products of their time.

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From the Marie Antoinette (1938)

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I'm not sure whether this photo from the 1938 film Marie Antoinette was colorized or shot in color, but it's notable because the film itself was originally supposed to be shot in technicolor and Adrian designed the costumes to bring out Norma Shearer's eyes, which you can see here.

The film and the costumes were not historically accurate, but they are lush products of their time.

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"It's Easy to Be Good to Those We Love!" A Look at Marie Antoinette (1938)

Although it is outside of my high-middle ages area, Inviting History is one of my very favorite niche history blogs, all about Marie Antoinette. This post is an incredible deep dive into the making of the 1938 classic film. It's completely worth a read.

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About the Completely Bogus story That Edward II Gave Piers Gaveston His Wife’s wedding Jewels

One of the most enduring, and frankly homophobic, myths about Edward II and Piers Gaveston is that Edward II was so infatuated with Piers th

The jewel myth drives serious scholars of Edward II bananas. The idea that Piers and Edward II were so out of control they blatantly insulted Queen Isabella seems irresistible to a certain kind of writer, but it is just not true.

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That Time Queen Isabella Sent Margaret Gaveston Lavish Baby Gifts

During the Christmas season of 1310-11, things were in flux at the court of Edward II. Piers Gaveston was officially exiled, but his very pr

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Bats doodled, late 13th century

Who doesn’t love a Medieval doodle? These whimsical bats can be found on an English illuminated manuscript from the late 1200s, sometime bef

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Til I learned about a slanderous ghost story involving a probably misidentified headless specter of Piers Gaveston luring castle visitors to

I love a good ghost story. Whether you believe or not, tales of restless spirits seeking to resolve their unfinished earthy business tell us

So, when I heard of the obviously ahistorical tale of the murderous ghost of Piers Gaveston running around trying to kill innocent tourists...well, that just can't stand. Piers was far too vain to run around without his handsome head, and he would be fair likely to invite tourists to a feast or a joust.