Articles from October 2009

I have added quite a few new pages to the site about Frederick II. This is content that I had on another site, but that I am now bringing into this one. This includes reference to various source material, important events and locations from his life. Enjoy!

I read an interesting report in the Economist about the stabilization of the world’s fertility rate at 2.1. Perhaps that means that the dystopian future we all fear where the world is suffering from overcrowding won’t happen … yet. Or maybe, instead, the industrialization and increased wealth that has helped lead to the fall in [...]

This is a classic myth and misconception about history and its epochs and one I’m sure many people realise. The Renaissance, the rebirth of classical learning made new by writers and scholars such as Michaelangelo and Petrarch, did not start after the Middle Ages, it was actually a phenomenon that started probably in the late [...]

I found this fascinating quote today: Writing for the Web works best when it is scannable. The following tips will help make your articles scannable and ready for the Web.writerscommunity.net, How to Write for the Web, Oct 2009 You should read the whole article. It offers some great ideas such as using: Using Headings Making [...]

If you have read any of my previous posts about Agincourt you’ll know that I’m slightly cynical about the overwhelming effect of the longbow commonly attributed by historians and novelists. The famous longbow, at 6 foot in length required great strength and skill to draw and use properly and is usually seen as the weapon [...]

An interesting bit of medieval trivia for a Friday. During the Peasant’s Revolt of 1381 Flemings in the City of London were particularly targeted by Londoners involved in the revolt – they weren’t too keen on foreign merchants from Flanders coming over and disrupting their livelihood – some things in Britain never change unfortunately! And [...]

I have added a page on the Ars Notoria, a medieval grimoire  attributed to Solomon. Ars Notoria means the Notory Art and was a form of magic that gave the user immediate and quick, note-like, knowledge of everything. A bit like Wikipedia perhaps? Incoming search terms:ars notoria wiki

I decided that the previous title of the blog (marklord.info) was both a bit boring and also a bit egocentric, so I thought I would come up with a funky, weird new title. What does it mean? Praeternatural means beyond nature, and is the more exact term to refer to what happens when demons and [...]

I received my limited edition copy of the Songs of the Dying Earth compilation, the book of short stories compiled by George R. R. Martin in honour of Jack Vance. I must say it’s a lovely piece of work, the leather slip case is immaculate and the cover art and illustrations inside the book are [...]

I just added a new page in the Magic in the Middle Ages section: Cases of Magic in Medieval England This contains a couple of cases mentioned by Henry Charles Lea in his famous History of the Inquisition of the Middle Ages. It is interesting to note that magic was fairly rare as an offence [...]