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Middle Ages ‑ Stories

The Middle Ages, the medieval period of European history between the fall of the Roman Empire and the beginning of the Renaissance, are sometimes referred to as the "Dark Ages."

Crusader Shipwreck Tells a Golden Knights’ Tale

A sunken ship and its cargo discovered in Israel’s Bay of Haifa appears to provide evidence of a dramatic escape attempt during the fall of the Crusader city of Acre in 1291.

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The cave interior. (Credit: Michael Scott/ Caters News)

Is This a New Templar Temple?

Everyone loves a good Knights Templar story. And photos of a shadowy cave complex coming out of England this week were no exception. But real history buffs say this “grotto” tells a much more modern story.

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Lathgertha, 1913. Lathgertha is a semi-legendary Danish Viking shieldmaiden, one time wife of Ragnar Lodbrok. Illustration from The Northmen in Britain by Eleanor Means Hull, published 1913. (Photo by Historica Graphica Collection/Heritage Images/Getty Images)

What Was Life Like for Women in the Viking Age?

Women in the Viking Age enjoyed more freedom and held more power in their society than many other women of their day.

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A scene from the Bayeux Tapestry, depicting the Norman Invasion of 1066.

The 950‑Year‑Old Battle That Changed the Way You Talk

Find out how the Battle of Hastings forever changed England—and the English language.

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Black Death

Microbe Behind Black Death Also Caused Devastating Plague 800 Years Earlier

Scientists have confirmed that the Black Death and another huge plague epidemic in the sixth century were caused by different strains of the same bacterium.

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6 Reasons the Dark Ages Weren’t So Dark

The centuries following the fall of the Roman Empire in 476 A.D. are often referred to as the Dark Ages—but were they really?

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These Are the 7 Weapons the Barbarians Used to Take Down Rome

The Romans described the civilizations that lived beyond their borders as savage “barbarians,” but these ancient tribes were anything but primitive.

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Battle of Crécy. (Credit: Public Domain)

How long was the Hundred Years’ War?

The series of intermittent conflicts between France and England that took place during the 14th and 15th centuries wasn’t classified as the “Hundred Years’ War” until 1823. Traditionally, the war is said to have begun in 1337 when Philip VI attempted to reclaim Guyenne (part of the region of Aquitaine in southwestern France) from King […]

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Joan of Arc ring sold at auction. (Credit: TimeLine Auctions Limited)

Joan of Arc Ring Back in France After 600 Years in U.K.

Owners of a French theme park have purchased a ring believed to have belonged to Joan of Arc for $425,000 and returned it to France after 600 years in the United Kingdom.

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Viking king depicted by modern human.

6 Things We Owe to the Vikings

Despite their barbaric reputation, the Vikings left a legacy of achievements that forever changed the way we speak, travel, exercise—and even groom ourselves.

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battle of agincourt, hundred years war

9 Things You May Not Know About the Battle of Agincourt

Explore nine key facts about the most famous battle of the Hundred Years’ War.

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An alchemist's workshop by David Teniers. (Credit:  Imagno/Getty Images)

What was the philosopher’s stone?

From the Middle Ages to the late 17th‑century, the so‑called “philosopher’s stone” was the most sought‑after goal in the world of alchemy, the medieval ancestor of chemistry. According to legend, the philosopher’s stone was a substance that could turn ordinary metals such as iron, tin, lead, zinc, nickel or copper into precious metals like gold […]

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