Sverre Sigurdsson (1151-1202): The Brothers’ Civil War and Faroese Boy Destined to be Norway’s King
Sometime after his victory at the Battle of Kalvskinnet in 1179, near Trondheim, Norway, King Sverre Sigurdsson (1151-1202), in the second year of his tenuous reign, beckoned an Icelandic abbot named Karl Jonssen, of the Tingeyre (Þingeyri) monastery, in the windswept coast of northwest Iceland, to chronicle his life and ensure his story would prevail through the ages.
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Pazzi Conspiracy: Calculating Schemers of the Renaissance
The Pazzi Conspiracy, one of the most infamous events in Renaissance Italy, remains a compelling tale of treachery, ambition, and the ruthless pursuit of power.
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Chivalry and Brocade: A Glimpse Into The Extravagant Lifestyle of Medieval Times
Medieval times, spanning roughly from the 5th to the 15th century, was an era of chivalry, castles, and knights. While commonly associated with a lack of amenities and harsh living conditions, the Medieval times also saw the emergence of a distinct luxury culture.
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Haakon the Good Battles the Sons of His Brother, Eric Bloodaxe, 953-961
Around the year 934, shortly after the death of the Norway’s legendary King Harald Fairhair, his youngest son Haakon – raised in Northumbria by King Athelstan (Æthelstan) – returned to usurp the throne bequeathed to Harald’s beloved but unpopular son Eric Bloodaxe.
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Croatia’s Medieval Enigma: The Mysterious Figure Carved on a Marble Relief
Mysterious figure in marble, 11th century. Image: CC BY-SA 3.0 Nestled within the serenity of Jupiter’s Temple in Split, Croatia, a pagan sanctuary turned into a baptistery during the medieval era, and etched onto the marble, an enigmatic relief of the king weaves together the grace of royalty and the allure of historical mystery, captivating all […]
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