https://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/tag/medieval-ages/RSS feed for Medieval AgesenMon, 21 Sep 2026 19:08:47 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/henry-viii-relied-on-this-courtier-to-enforce-his-orders-during-the-english-reformation-behind-the-scenes-the-tudor-politician-defied-his-king-by-secretly-saving-a-catholic-text-180989541/A newly discovered fragment suggests that John Gage preserved a 15th-century religious manuscript, keeping it "safe when he was meant to destroy books precisely like this one"Mon, 21 Sep 2026 19:08:47 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/henry-viii-relied-on-this-courtier-to-enforce-his-orders-during-the-english-reformation-behind-the-scenes-the-tudor-politician-defied-his-king-by-secretly-saving-a-catholic-text-180989541/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/medieval-manuscripts-preserved-traces-of-a-deadly-virus-for-centuries-180989522/A new analysis of teeth and parchment suggests that the devastating sheep pox virus has been infecting livestock for 3,700 yearsFri, 18 Sep 2026 15:10:43 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/medieval-manuscripts-preserved-traces-of-a-deadly-virus-for-centuries-180989522/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-real-story-behind-the-uprising-and-the-1381-peasants-revolt-when-thousands-marched-on-london-to-demand-a-fairer-society-180989464/Paul Greengrass' new film stars Andrew Garfield as a fictionalized, unnamed farmer who leads a rebellion against unfair taxes and the system of serfdomWed, 09 Sep 2026 17:10:33 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-real-story-behind-the-uprising-and-the-1381-peasants-revolt-when-thousands-marched-on-london-to-demand-a-fairer-society-180989464/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/thieves-steal-3000-year-old-treasure-in-a-super-professional-museum-heist-that-took-only-four-minutes-180989418/Officials were shaken after dozens of ancient artifacts vanished from the local archaeological museum in Villena, Spain. The thieves left only a few pieces from the Bronze Age treasure behindMon, 31 Aug 2026 17:11:11 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/thieves-steal-3000-year-old-treasure-in-a-super-professional-museum-heist-that-took-only-four-minutes-180989418/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-medieval-manuscript-fragments-were-reused-as-parchment-inadvertently-preserving-them-for-centuries-180989398/Recently discovered on Guernsey, one of the Channel Islands, the pages include Bible passages, poems, plays and other texts. They were repurposed as book bindings during the 16th and 17th centuriesWed, 26 Aug 2026 18:20:50 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-medieval-manuscript-fragments-were-reused-as-parchment-inadvertently-preserving-them-for-centuries-180989398/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/centuries-ago-europeans-plagued-constant-flooding-16-major-events-killed-thousands-over-course-three-years-180989378/When researchers went looking for information about the legendary Magdalena Flood, they were surprised to discover that it was just one of many extreme weather events that ravaged the region in the early 1340sMon, 24 Aug 2026 16:43:17 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/centuries-ago-europeans-plagued-constant-flooding-16-major-events-killed-thousands-over-course-three-years-180989378/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/how-did-medieval-builders-construct-complex-cathedrals-before-advanced-mathematics-and-more-questions-from-our-readersyouve-got-questions-weve-got-experts-180989286/You’ve got questions. We’ve got expertsMon, 24 Aug 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/how-did-medieval-builders-construct-complex-cathedrals-before-advanced-mathematics-and-more-questions-from-our-readersyouve-got-questions-weve-got-experts-180989286/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-medieval-mans-injuries-reminded-one-archaeologist-of-modern-day-car-crash-victims-they-turned-out-to-be-the-work-of-an-english-trebuchet-180989346/A skeleton unearthed in Scotland likely belongs to a soldier struck by a high-speed projectile during Edward I's 1304 siege of Stirling Castle. The man suffered more than 160 fracturesFri, 14 Aug 2026 19:49:12 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-medieval-mans-injuries-reminded-one-archaeologist-of-modern-day-car-crash-victims-they-turned-out-to-be-the-work-of-an-english-trebuchet-180989346/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-scallywag-schoolboy-swiped-an-abbots-kneecap-70-years-ago-his-widow-just-returned-it-to-glastonbury-abbey-180989308/George Box kept the knee bone, along with a piece of tile from the same site, throughout his entire life. He confessed the origins of their acquisition to his wife in his later yearsMon, 10 Aug 2026 20:59:58 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-scallywag-schoolboy-swiped-an-abbots-kneecap-70-years-ago-his-widow-just-returned-it-to-glastonbury-abbey-180989308/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/metal-detectorists-thought-theyd-hit-the-jackpot-when-they-discovered-gold-bracelet-dating-to-bronze-age-then-they-found-two-more-180989272/At first, Andy Crammond thought the object was a bull's nose ring. Other artifacts unearthed nearby include a Viking brooch, a Roman coin hoard and a Bronze Age ax headThu, 06 Aug 2026 17:39:55 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/metal-detectorists-thought-theyd-hit-the-jackpot-when-they-discovered-gold-bracelet-dating-to-bronze-age-then-they-found-two-more-180989272/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-medieval-byzantine-shipwreck-boasts-more-gold-treasures-than-any-other-vessel-found-beneath-the-mediterranean-180989217/The vessel sank in the Adriatic Sea in the seventh or eighth century C.E. Its cargo included a gold signet ring likely associated with the emperor Heraclius and gold belts encrusted with rubies, emeralds and pearlsTue, 28 Jul 2026 20:07:44 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-medieval-byzantine-shipwreck-boasts-more-gold-treasures-than-any-other-vessel-found-beneath-the-mediterranean-180989217/