Daily Medieval

There was more than one period of time called an Interregnum ("between reigns") when a ruler for a specific area was lacking. The ...

The Hohenstaufen family came from unknown origins to be Holy Roman Emperors from 1138 to 1254 (with a break of four years between 1208 and 1...

Born about 1122-23, Frederick (Friedrich) was born in France to the Duke of Swabia. He grew up learning the noble arts of hunting and riding...

When King Stephen I of England died in 1154, the terms of the Treaty of Wallingford meant his rival's son would inherit the throne. Hen...

The Ottonians, the Ottonian dynasty, the Ottonian Period in Germany—all these refer to the same topic: a Saxon dynasty of German monarchs (t...

So far as medieval records go, we usually have good lists of rulers and church personnel, especially since churches/abbeys are most likely t...

The population of Syria is currently about 60% Sunni and 13% Shia Muslim. 'Twas not always thus. Map of ancient Syria, 1683 [ sourc...

Charlemagne is no stranger in this blog, and most people learned in school of his Christmas Day coronation . The truth is, as I mentioned ...

Frederick II of Sicily (1194-1250) has crossed the path of this blog more than once, but has not yet been featured. He declared the Edict ...