Medieval Europe
Song of the Vikings
As I’ve mentioned before, My Own True Love and I are in countdown mode for a history nerd trip to Iceland. As a result, my head is full of Vikings. * We’re going on a tour based on Nancy Marie Brown’s excellent Song of the Vikings: Snorri and the Making of Norse Myths. The heart…
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Here There Be –Sea Monsters?
My Own True Love and I are in countdown mode for a trip to Iceland. You can expect future posts to be full of Vikings and other things Nordic. Here’s a little something to get us all in the mood: In 1539, Swedish mapmaker Olaus Magnus produced what was then the most detailed map of…
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Shin-kickers From History: Joan of Arc
Several months ago, I asked a group of family and friends to tell me what they knew about Joan of Arc, aka St. Joan, aka the Maid of Orleans–no stopping to look up the details. I needed to know how familiar the average smart, well-read, non-specialist is with her story.* The accuracy and detail of…
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