Medieval — Plague Doctor

The Dancing Plague Of The Middle Ages

We all heard of the Bubonic Plague, Black Plague, the Plague, or the Black Death, all synonyms for the same illness that killed a third of the world’s population. But do you know about the Dancing Plague?

But First, The Black Plague!

Europe in the Middle Ages suffered from many illnesses and diseases as they developed in various societies. The popularity of trading ports expanded the horizons of kingdoms but also had them face new pathogens, bacteria and germs their lives did not accustom them to. 

Nothing prepared their immune system for the possibility of contagion. Their limited knowledge of medicine also led them to die in great numbers. The Church spread it was either God punishing them for their sinful ways or Satan spreading its diseases. Either way, the morale was down. 

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The Last Kingdom — BBC-Netflix

The Last Kingdom Is A Gothic, Historical Story

Sometimes history hides heroes deep in the art and leaves a battlefield without a name. The Last Kingdom is about one of those men.

Where It Came From

The Last Kingdom is a gothic, historical story. But where to begin? History is an infinite source of ideas for authors.

It is becoming a series that has people glued to their small screens. Netflix didn’t waste time and jumped on Bernard Cornwell‘s work of The Saxon Stories and called it The Last Kingdom.

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Medieval — Plague Doctor

The Black Death History Of The Middle Ages

When the words Black Plague come together, we automatically think of the Middle Ages. Most recently, the term Dark Ages turned inappropriate but remained used, as it has another meaning for us goths, the Bubonic Plague.

The Overall Meaning Of The Black Death

The term Black Death resonates with an outburst of bubonic plague turned into a pandemic. It occurred in Western Euroasia and spread down to North Africa. Its period of spread was between 1346 to 1353.

This era was the most brutal and fatal death-spreading pandemic in human history to this day. Nothing has ever come close to the number of deaths related to a disease. 

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Church

Gilles de Rais Went From Noble Warrior to Serial Killer

Serial killers aren’t always made. Sometimes they are born and asleep until one spark ignites. Gilles de Rais is one of human history’s most horrific figures. His descent to Hell is one of the infamous tales of France.

The Proof That Stereotypes Are Wrong

It’s incredible how some of the most infamous serial killers can also be the ones you never expect. A famous example in recent times is Ted Bundy. Bundy worked alongside Ann Rule at a women’s shelter.

Bundy helped counsel many women. Yet simultaneously, he hid from being a serial killer. He murdered many women in his time. The disturbing part was Ted going home afterwards and acting as a dedicated husband and father.

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Lycanthropy

Lycanthropy Is Much More Than Howling At The Moon

We know the word werewolf, but the technical term is lycanthrope, and the accurate clinical term is lycanthropy. But what does that mean?

What Is Lycanthropy, And Where Did It Come From

The delusion that someone must metamorphose into an animal or be one is a psychiatric syndrome. The scientific community calls it Clinical Lycanthropy

The term itself leads to the affliction of physically morphing into a wolf. Of course, it is impossible and linked to the paranormal phenomenon that is a werewolf. However, it is, to this day, still a disorder despite its rarity. 

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Corvin Castle - Hungary

Before The Birth Of Vlad The Impaler There Was His Father

When we think of Romania, we often think about Vlad the Impaler, but every historical figure has a beginning and an origin story. Let’s go back to the beginning to unveil the man behind the larger-than-life figure he became.

An Only Child With No Friends By Choice

I was the odd kid parents warned their children about. I was the nightmare blowing through mindless youngsters’ hair. No grown-up liked me, and I hadn’t a care. All I needed were books, blank papers, crayons, and one person from history to kick-start my story.

My maternal grandparents raised me as I was their only child’s child. My grandpa worked at a printing and binding company and often would come home with boxes of expensive books that didn’t make the cut. It was a minor mistake, like the margin’s width or not the right colour, and so on. As an only child surrounded by books all the time, I started reading ahead of other children my age and went to a performing arts school.

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Romania — Transylvania — Fortress Castle

An Epic Wallachian Battle In Most Gothic Times Won By Basarab I of Wallachia

Many battles occurred during the Middle Ages, often due to pride or religion. Some of the epic battles were between Wallachia and Hungary. This is the story of the Battle of Posada.

Wallachia Was Small, But Mighty

Between November 9th and 12th of 1330, the Battle of Posada took place between Basarab I of Wallachia and Charles I of Hungary, who shared the name, Charles Robert. Wallachia, known today as Romania, had a small army with Basarab at the head. The cavalry and archers lived in a land of mountains and would mostly travel on foot.

Historians claim that the Turks’ nomadic people, the Cumans, helped Wallachia in their battle. However, because of the substantial number of Cuman-Hungarian people, there is no proof to back the claim. Charles referred to Basarab as Voivode, a Romanian word and term translating as Warlord, but nothing above it. Charles did so due to Wallachia being a vassal to Hungary in 1324.

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Medieval Dungeon - Torture

The First Witch Trial In The British Isles

In the history of witch trials, we can go as far back as the beginning of Christianity and later on Catholicism. Being part of the church didn’t even ensure your safety among your people. History is cruel to those who dare be just a little different.

Women And Witchcraft

Throughout history, we have read about the various women who, back in the early days, suffered persecution and accusation of witchcraft. When anything wrong seemed to happen, they were the ones to blame. 

The women were at fault, and they viewed it as suspicious if it happened more than once. The suspicion turned towards the idea that the female must be at fault and a witch.

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The Moosham Castle The Cruelest Trial In Witch Hunt History

When we think about the European witch hunt, we think about the mediaeval period, but what if I told you one castle hosted children as its primary victims?

The Moosham Castle Purpose

The Austria spur castle can sit over a Roman fortress’ foundation. A spur castle is a term used to indicate a mediaeval fortress resting on the spur of a hill or mountain as a defence mechanism.

Another example is the Poenari Castle in Romania, which belonged to Vlad the Impaler. Usually, the only weakness of such a castle resides where the hill links to the spur from which it projects. It also means that the spur castle would have three sides by steep hillsides for the best protection.

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Knights Templar Fan Art

The Knights Templar Downfall At The Hands Of A French King

The Dark Ages weren’t magic. They were unforgiving. It was a time for kingdom divisions and assertions of power for lands. But Kings and Queens weren’t the only sources of power. So were the Church and their most powerful Order, the Knights Templar.

What Do We Know Of The Knights Templar?

I am an ancient history nerd. My favourite era is the Iron Age and the Dark Ages. Because of my passion for history, the Assassin’s Creed video game franchise from Ubisoft became an obsession of mine. Their accuracy and storytelling are compelling, and so are their villains. 

The Assassin’s Creed might not be real in history—or maybe it is, and it’s all part of the conspiracy!—Joking aside, the assassins aren’t real, but the Knights Templar were and still exist to this day. Most of what we know about them comes from conspiracy theorists or fiction. In fact, the most accurate depiction of the Order comes from Assassin’s Creed and the History Channel series, Knightfall.

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