Author Archives: Ruth

First Crusader Loss: Melitene, 1100

Posted on January 4, 2023 by Ruth

n 1100, Bohemund Prince of Antioch was called on to fulfill his feudal vows and help protect a northern part of Armenian Cilicia. A tribe of Turks called the Danishmends (after their leader, whose name “Danishmend” in Persian means “wise … Continue reading →

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Which Crusader Will Rule Jerusalem? 1099

Posted on January 4, 2023 by Ruth

With Jerusalem conquered and slowly being cleaned up from the stench and disease of rotting body parts, the big question was who should become its ruler. The Princes’ Crusade set out with a number of ambitious aristocrats, but by three … Continue reading →

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War Gear of the First Crusade

Posted on January 4, 2023 by Ruth

When the organized Princes’ Crusade armies set out, they had the best standard weaponry of the time. So what did the average soldier carry? The most important weapon of the era was the spear, whether it was a throwing lance … Continue reading →

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Candlemas: End of Christmastide

Posted on January 4, 2023 by Ruth

The formal end of the holiday season was Candlemas, the Feast of the Presentation or Purification. It commemorated the day when, according to Jewish law, Mary presented herself at the Temple for ritual purification. It was 33 days after a … Continue reading →

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Twelfth Night Parties

Posted on January 2, 2023 by Ruth

Christmastide lasted for twelve days, just as in the song. The Twelfth Night also commemorated Epiphany, the coming of the Magi to see Jesus. Its celebration required a feast that, over time, accumulated some unique customs. Twelfth Night parties required … Continue reading →

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Medieval Hanukkah: Food and Light

Posted on December 17, 2022 by Ruth

Hanukkah celebrates the recovery of Jerusalem and rededication (chanukkah) of the Temple in 164 BC. The Maccabees, priests who also served as secular rulers, discovered that the holy oil (among other things) had been profaned, with only enough pure oil … Continue reading →

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Christmas: Yule and Evergreens

Posted on December 16, 2022 by Ruth

When Pope Gregory first sent Latin missionaries to the outer northern wilds of Europe, he instructed them to make it easy for converts. If they were used to gathering on a hilltop somewhere on a certain day, find a saint’s … Continue reading →

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Advent Fasting: Fish

Posted on December 3, 2022 by Ruth

The chief issue in fasts was to avoid all animal products, so most obviously, meat was right out. Fish, on the other hand, was okay for some reason. I don’t think there’s any real logic to it, though maybe others … Continue reading →

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Advent Begins

Posted on December 3, 2022 by Ruth

Advent, in Latin “the coming,” was the time of mental preparation for trying to experience, emotionally, the birth of Jesus. In monasteries, it would have been a sober, thoughtful time. In secular life, it was still officially a fast, though … Continue reading →

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November Holidays

Posted on December 3, 2022 by Ruth

This is a break from the Muslim history series for the month of December, 2022. Feast days were the points around which illiterate people organized their sense of time. In November, they had Martinmas (St. Martin of Tours) and Catterntide … Continue reading →

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