medieval-history
-
History and Literature of Renaissance England Part 1: The Wars of the Roses
England in the 15th century was a land on edge. After decades of intermittent warfare in France and the unstable reign of Henry VI of England, the kingdom’s nobles were restless, ambitious, and divided. What followed was nearly thirty years of dynastic conflict that would tear England apart: the Wars of the Roses. The war… Continue reading
-
Road to Chaucer: History and Literature of Early England Part 8: The Plantagenets
After the Norman dynasty, England was no longer a fragile land of conquest and survival. The Plantagenets, beginning with Henry II of England in 1154, would rule for over three centuries, and their reign reshaped the country politically, socially, and culturally. England became a place of ambition, law, literature, and story. Henry II inherited a… Continue reading
-
Road to Chaucer: History and Literature of Early England Part 6: End of the Anglo Saxon Period
In our previous we spoke about England under the first king to call himself “King of the English People”: Athelstan. For the first time, the word “England” had real meaning. But Athelstan’s greatness was not only military. His court became a beacon of culture and scholarship. Manuscripts were collected, laws codified, and scholars drawn from… Continue reading
Honey & Prose 🍯🌸 