The hottest Medieval Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Art & Illustration Topics

Rats!

Wrong Side of History • 527 implied HN points • 27 Jan 25
💾 History Epidemics Medieval Society Health Science
  1. The Black Death, caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, spread through fleas that lived on black rats. These rats were common in medieval cities and facilitated the disease's transmission to humans.
  2. Symptoms of the plague could vary, with bubonic plague being the most common form, marked by painful swellings or buboes in the body. Other forms like pneumonic and septicaemic plague had even higher fatality rates.
  3. The historical records show that the plague has struck multiple times through history, leading to massive fatalities and changes in society due to the horrors it inflicted.

The Medieval Monks Who Lived on Top of Giant Pillars

weird medieval guys • 1395 implied HN points • 02 Aug 23
💾 History Medieval
  1. The history of medieval monks living on top of pillars goes back to the mid-third century with figures like Anthony
  2. Monasticism evolved from early hermit communities to more permanent monasteries, but some monks like Simeon Stylites continued extreme isolation on pillars
  3. Living on pillars was a challenging lifestyle with atrophied legs, but it spread widely across the Middle East and was popular for a while before declining
Get a weekly roundup of the best Substack posts, by hacker news affinity:

A (NEW, TRUE) MEDIEVAL GHOST STORY

History, etc • 1081 implied HN points • 31 Oct 23
💾 History Medieval
  1. A chronicler visits a French castle and encounters strange events and stories.
  2. The count of Foix has a mysterious ability to know things instantly, possibly thanks to a ghost named Orton.
  3. Raymond, a lord from a neighboring land, strikes a deal with the ghost Orton, leading to unexpected consequences.

Love in the medieval world

Wrong Side of History • 612 implied HN points • 14 Feb 24
💾 History Medieval Marriage Love Religion Culture
  1. Medieval ideas of love were heavily tied to social status and arranged marriages; noble marriages were often for financial or dynastic reasons, not love.
  2. The Catholic Church's emphasis on consent in marriage was revolutionary, allowing individuals to marry by choice rather than parental arrangement.
  3. The Church's rules on cousin marriage and restrictions on marrying relatives promoted individualism by breaking down extended family structures, paving the way for modern ideas of romantic freedom.

Time Off in Old Times

Maximum Progress • 314 implied HN points • 26 Oct 23
💾 History Medieval Labor Quality of Life Industrial Revolution Leisure
  1. Medieval peasants had more time off due to frequent breaks, long holidays, and seasonal slow downs in paid farm labor.
  2. Comparing work hours between medieval and modern times may not be accurate as the nature of work and leisure is different.
  3. Historia Civilis' analysis overlooks the harsh realities of medieval life, including torture by landlords and mandatory household chores.

2.2 Early & Medieval Physics

Fields & Energy • 179 implied HN points • 27 Dec 23
💾 History Medieval Science Philosophy Mathematics Physics
  1. The Ptolemaic model explained how planets move in terms of circles and smaller orbits called epicycles. This model was clever, even though it was eventually replaced by simpler ideas in science.
  2. During the Middle Ages, many people thought that science was stuck, but some scholars made important contributions and kept the spirit of experimentation alive, especially figures like Albertus Magnus and Roger Bacon.
  3. The study of more complex shapes, like conic sections, was overlooked for a long time. Eventually, scholars at places like Oxford started to explore motion more deeply and share their findings across Europe.

Plagued Again

Diane Francis • 479 implied HN points • 23 Dec 21
💾 History Medieval Epidemics Europe Public Health Social Impact
  1. The Black Death was a major pandemic that hit Europe in 1348, causing massive deaths. It spread through fleas and rats, showing how important hygiene is in preventing disease.
  2. In response to the plague's recurrence in the 1600s, people used primitive methods like quarantining the sick. This shows how societies have tried to control outbreaks even with limited knowledge.
  3. Marking houses with red crosses symbolized the danger of disease and isolation. This historical practice reflects the ongoing struggle to manage public health crises.

The Jester of Death

Marlene’s Newsletter • 4 implied HN points • 28 Jan 25
💾 History Medieval Folklore Biography Legends Ghost stories
  1. Tom Skelton was a jester at Muncaster Castle, but he had a dark side. He sometimes directed travelers to their doom, showing his cruel nature.
  2. Tom was involved in a murder plot, killing a carpenter to please a nobleman. This act led to tragedy for many people, especially the nobleman's love interest.
  3. After his death, strange happenings at the castle continued, and his ghost is said to haunt the place, making it a site for eerie stories.

On the Geography of Hell

Autoscriptorium • 19 implied HN points • 19 Feb 23
📚 Literature Epic Medieval Poetry Cosmology Symbolism
  1. Certain human principles like justice may seem inevitable, and there is a satisfaction in poetic justice.
  2. Dante's _Commedia_ intricately weaves together theology, history, and philosophy, creating a unique map of Hell and a spiritual journey.
  3. The medieval model of the universe, as seen in Dante's work, portrays Earth at the center surrounded by celestial spheres, demonstrating a cosmic order and divine influence.

Shrewd Monk, Stubborn Emperor (Part III)

Homo Ludens • 0 implied HN points • 15 Apr 24
💾 History Medieval Monarchy
  1. The conflict between the Pope and the Emperor didn't stem from lay investiture, but from the papacy seeking influence over Northern Italy and opposing German Emperor's claims.
  2. Subinfeudation was a common political challenge in medieval monarchies, where nobility could claim control over lands, weakening the central monarch's power.
  3. Excommunicating a monarch, as Gregory VII did with Heinrich IV, was a potent political tool at the time, affecting the monarch's legitimacy and support.

Shrewd Monk, Stubborn Emperor (Part IV)

Homo Ludens • 0 implied HN points • 15 Apr 24
💾 History Medieval Conflict Politics Religion Power
  1. Gregory VII's ex-communication of Heinrich IV and the Italian archbishops weakened the ecclesiastical support for the German monarch in northern Italy during the Investiture Controversy.
  2. Heinrich IV strategically sought redemption from Gregory VII's ex-communication, leveraging the pope's priestly obligation to allow him to seek forgiveness and restore his power within the Church and kingdom.
  3. The Investiture Controversy between Gregory VII and the German emperors ended with no clear resolution on who was supreme, showing the failure of medieval theocracy and highlighting the complexity of political and religious power struggles.