12th century England

This is a brief treatment of the world map produced in 1506 by Giovanni Matteo Contarini and Francesco Roselli and how they incorporated references to the allegorical story of Prester John onto the map at the northern latitudes revolving around 72°. The story of Prester John was the story of the 12th century constructed baptistery in North America.

Google Drive Word document (62.3 MB): https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BIWNVS8RLcYmO43VhkZN5Irt8-xCvUM_/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=116070484337093837945&rtpof=true&sd=true

Google Drive PDF (3.3 MB): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cN613DWWbwyRhoraoCnbMWyZAetyw6qb/view?usp=sharing

• Colloquia Aquitana XII-2-3-VIII-2025 •

• L'Eglise St-Pierre-ès-liens de Monbos (XIe-XIIe s.) : Joyau de l'architecture romane en Nouvelle-Aquitaine dans le Périgord « pourpre » •

• Appel à contributions | Call for Papers | Aufruf für Beiträge  •
• (Date limite : 1-VI-2025)  •

• Ce colloque international constitue la 12e édition des Colloquia Aquitana, implantés en Nouvelle-Aquitaine depuis 2005 (https://www.colloquiaaquitana.com/?page_id=28). L’événement aura lieu les samedi 2 et dimanche 3 août 2025 en l’église Saint-Pierre de Monbos (architecture romane du XIe-XIIe s.), organisé conjointement par l’Association des Amis de l’église de Monbos, présidée par Hubert Digne (hubert.digne@gmail.com / monbos.aem3@gmail.com), l’Association des Amis de la Chapelle prieurale de Tresséroux, présidée par Arlette Dreux-Thouvenin, par l’Association Vox Nova et l’Association La B.I.R.E. (Bibliothèque Interdisciplinaire de Recherche Européenne), présidées par Illo Humphrey, PhD-HDR, médiéviste-musicologue: CNU-Section 18 | Musicologie  (illo.humphrey@free.fr / illohumphrey01@gmail.com), et ce sous l’égide de la commune de Monbos, avec le soutien du Conseil départemental de la Dordogne,  et en partenariat avec les Archives départementales de la Dordogne.

• L’objectif des Colloquia Aquitana XII-2025 est de mettre de nouveau en relief, dans le contexte géographique de l’ancien diocèse de Sarlat, ce joyau de l’art roman qu’est l’église Saint-Pierre de Monbos, puis de réunir des intervenants et spécialistes régionaux et internationaux.
• Les thèmes transdisciplinaires sont comme suit : archivistique, héraldique, architecture, sculpture, musique, musicologie [monodie et polyphonie], paléographie musicale, organologie [l'art de fabriquer des instruments de musique], liturgie, spiritualité monastique, l'Abbaye Saint-Martial de Limoges, littérature et poésie occitanes, histoire de l’art, histoire politique et religieuse, culture régionale, toponymie, topographie, géographie, agriculture, etc., en rapport avec la région. Le colloque sera agrémenté par des concerts de spécialistes de musique médiévale, des tables-rondes, des ateliers, et, en vedette, par l’exposition : « Aliénor d’Aquitaine [*1122-†1204], reine des lettres occitanes », prêtée pour l’occasion par les Archives Départementales de la Dordogne.

• Nota bene : Les Colloquia Aquitana XII-2025 sont couverts par le contrat d’assurance GMF : U114534.001E •

• © Illo Humphrey | Médiéviste-Musicologue | PhD-HDR | CNU-18 •
• Directeur-Fondateur des Colloquia Aquitana •
• Scripsi et subscripsi •

amount of labor and ingenuity which went into tracking down the sources and the care and good sense that went into making the text. The usefulness of the edition is greatly enhanced by indices of scriptural citations, names, significant words, and subjects, although there is unfortunately no bibliography. Thomson is to be thanked and congratulated on having provided us with an excellent edition of an important text.

When Henry II accepted the Leinster king Diarmait Mac Murchada as his liegeman in 1166, he forged a bond between the English crown and Ireland that has never been undone. Ireland was to be changed forever as a result of the momentous events that followed – so much so that it is normal for professional historians to specialise in either the pre- or post-invasion period. Here, for the first time, is an account of the impact of the English invasion on the Irish kingdoms in the context of their strategies across the whole twelfth century.

Ireland’s leading men battled for spheres of influence, for recognition of their hegemonies and, ultimately, for the coveted title of ‘king of Ireland’. But what did it mean to be the king of Ireland when no one dynasty had secured their hold on it? This book takes a close look at each pretender, asking what it meant to them – and whether the political dynamics surrounding the role had an impact on the course of the invasion itself.

https://liverpooluniversitypress.co.uk/doi/book/10.3828/9781835538449

This paper presents an analysis of lead from the original roof of the Cistercian abbey Church of Sorø which burned in 1247, compared to fragments of lead from the coffin of Archbishop Absalon, who was buried in Sorø 1201. His coffin was made of south English lead and the roof by lead from around the cities of Aachen and Cologne in northwestern Germany. This is compared to the rather exclusive evidence of Absalon as a possible buyer of lead on the international market at the end of the 12 th century. A survey of extant traces of original roofing material on churches in Scania challenges the general view of lead as the predominantly used roofing material in medieval Denmark in the 12 th and 13 th centuries. Further research into the origin, use and distribution of lead is recommended.

Nghiên cứu nhằm so sánh kết quả của GTNMC ngực có hỗ trợ của siêu âm để xác định khe liên đốt sống với GTNMC ngực thường quy dựa vào mốc giải phẫu. Nghiên cứu thử nghiệm lâm sàng ngẫu nhiên có đối chứng trên 63 bệnh nhân phẫu thuật ngực trên tại bệnh viện Đại học Y Hà Nội từ tháng 4 – 8 năm 2018, nhóm I: 31 BN GTNMC có hỗ trợ của siêu âm; Nhóm II: 32 BN GTNMC thường quy. Kết quả cho thấy tỷ lệ phù hợp giữa xác định vị trí khe liên đốt sống trên MGP so với trên SÂ là 63,3%. So sánh kết quả của GTNMC có hỗ trợ của siêu âm so với GTNMC thường quy: số lần chọc kim qua da và sự đổi vị trí khe đốt sống ít hơn, tỷ lệ GTNMC thành công sau lần chọc đầu tiên cao hơn, mức độ đau sau mổ (điểm VAS) thấp hơn. Kết quả ban đầu cho thấy GTNMC có hỗ trợ của siêu âm có kết quả tốt hơn GTNMC thường quy dựa vào mốc giải phẫu.

If a narrative lacks the key ingredients of a compelling tale, yet still manages to cast influence over the evolution of Western literature, the question is no longer: is the Romance of Tristran valuable? Its value is vindicated by our contemporary discussion of Béroul. The question becomes: what is the nature of Béroul’s enduring value despite its shoddy design? How can we make sense of its overwhelming 12th century popularity despite our contemporary bewilderment? A question of brow-raising intrigue to the undergraduates who instinctively recoil from Béroul.

Devoid of inscriptions, titles, or written notes, the thirty-two full-page illuminations in New York's Morgan Library MS M.736 (fols. 7r-22v) tell the life and miracles of St. Edmund, King of East Anglia. Challenging the reciprocal relationship between text and image, pictorial elements such as ladders, tau-staffs, spears, and feet extend beyond the manuscript's frames and margins, providing cues to the narrator. In doing so, the manuscript’s dual scheme becomes a vital feature in bridging the gap between surface and space, as well as between viewers and listeners. On a theoretical level, my paper critically explores the opposition between "Fläche" and "Raum" (Otto Pächt) developed in reference to the Morgan cycle's miniatures, contributing to the broader discourse on the place of "surface" in art historiography.

Do  Rei  ao  marginalizado,  a floresta  terá  sido  utilizada  pelos  mais diversos    grupos    que compunham    a sociedade medieval. Como espaço importante, dela a população obtém recursos animais  e  vegetais,  é  palco  do  exercicio  da caça,    porém,    é    igualmente    um    local perigoso,  por  onde  deambulam  indivíduos que se encontram à margem da sociedade, e que  podem  atacar  e  saquear  quem  por  nela viaja.  Este  medo  encontra-se  igualmente associado  a  um  outro  tipo  de  receio –o sobrenatural.  É  na  floresta  que  se  dão  os encontros  com  seres  maravilhosos,  que encontramos  presentes  nos  mais  diversos textos literários da Idade Média. Através da leitura e análise de fontes literárias inglesas, procura-se  analisar  as  duas  dimensões  da floresta medieval –o real e o imaginário. E, assim, compreender a relação da população com  este  espaço,  com  os  seus  ocupantes  e com  os  seres  que  compõem  o  mundo  do sobrenatural. Ao mesmo tempo, com foco na cultura  popular e  na  análise  e  compreensão da  mentalidade  dos  indivíduos  dos  séculos XII e XIII.

https://www.exeterpress.co.uk/products/the-green-children-of-woolpit
:

Two medieval chroniclers, William of Newburgh and Ralph of Coggeshall, reported the mysterious appearance of a pair of ‘Green Children’—with green skins and speaking an unknown language—in the Suffolk village of Woolpit in the mid-twelfth century. The story is well known today, usually as a Suffolk folktale about fairies and a fairy otherworld. Retold many times, it continues to inspire novels, poetry, songs, plays, and even operas.

This book analyses the story in its historical and geographical context, and considers the numerous ways in which it has been interpreted, recounted, and reimagined by historians, folklorists, philosophers, and writers. Folklorists have mined it for ‘folktale motifs’ without considering whether it is truly a folktale. Historians have used it as a key to understanding the motives of one or other of the two chroniclers who recorded it. ‘Fortean’ researchers have tried to find a convoluted core of historical fact.

Returning to the two original Latin accounts, this book translates them afresh and analyses them side by side for the first time, allowing us to conclude that both writers were drawing on the same source. Such an interdisciplinary study is necessary when considering the many modern ‘explanations’ of the events that have been offered, from mundane to extraterrestrial. The volume presents an example of how extraordinary events reported by medieval chroniclers can be studied analytically, and will appeal not only to medievalists but to anyone interested in folklore and fairylore—and perhaps inspire others to fresh reworkings of this perpetually intriguing story.

Die Begegnungen zwischen Kaiser Heinrich VI. und Richard Löwenherz, die in den Jahren 1193 und 1194 stattfanden, waren wohl die ungewöhnlichsten Herrschertreffen des ganzen europäischen Mittelalters. Auf der einen Seite stand der wohl radikalste aller römisch-deutschen Kaiser – man denke nur an seinen „Erbreichsplan“ oder an jenes höchste Angebot“ an den Papst, das in dieser Art weder von seinem Vater noch von einem anderen seiner Vorgänger jemals unterbreitet worden sei, wie er selbst schrieb. Auf der anderen Seite war sein Gefangener der am meisten verehrte Kreuzfahrer seiner Zeit. In England wurde Richard kurz nach seinem Tode stupor mundi genannt, und er galt als Vorbild für künftige Könige. Es waren jedoch nicht nur seine Untertanen in Frankreich und England, die ihn bewunderten. Dies galt gleichfalls für seine Feinde.

• Les 7 Antiphonae maiores ad Magnificat in tempore Adventus ad Vesperum •

• Sequentes Antiphonae maiores ad Magnificat incohantur die 17 decembris, et singulae ante et post Magnificat integrae sicut in Duplicibus dicuntur per ordinem usque ad diem ante Vigiliam Nativitatis.  Si vero Festum fuerit, dicuntur post Orationem Festi, pro commemoratione Adventus •
• O Sapientia | O Adonai | O Radix Iesse | O Clavis David | O Oriens splendeur | O rex gentium | O Emmanuel •

• Les grandes antiennes « Ô » qui suivent, commencent le 17 décembre, et chacune est chantée en entier à tour de rôle en double tous les jours [à l’Office des Vêpres] avant et après le Magnificat, [et ce] selon le bon ordre jusqu’au jour précédent la veille de Noël [c’est-à-dire, le 23 décembre]. Si toutefois elles sont chantées pour une fête, elles sont récitées après l’oraison de ladite fête, en souvenir de l’Avent • © Traduction : IH | ih | PhD-HDR | 19-XI-2023 •
• Ô Sagesse | Ô Seigneur | Ô Racine de Jessé | Ô clef de David | Ô orient, splendeur | Ô Roi des nations | Ô Emmanuel •

• BIBLIOGRAPHIE : Cf. Antiphonaire contenant les chants des heures monastiques copié, semble-t-il, par le moine Hartker (†1111 / 1117 [?]), Sankt Gallen, Stiftsbibliothek, manuscrit 390 (Xe s.), p. 40-41 • Antiphonale monasticum pro diurnis horis juxta vota RR. DD. abbatum congregationum confœderatarum ordinis sancti Benedicti a Solesmensibus monachis restitutum, Société de Saint-Jean-l'Évangéliste et Desclée et Cie. (n° 818), Tournai, 1934, p. 208-211 • René-Jean Hesbert, OSB (*1899-†1983), Corpus antiphonalium officii, 6 Tomes, Rome (Herder), 1963-1979 •

• © Illo Humphrey, PhD-HDR | Médiéviste-Musicologue | Baryton-Concertiste | Université Bordeaux Montaigne | UR 24142 Plurielles-LaPRIL | 10-XII-2023 •

Except for the general expulsion of the Jews from England in 1290, the York massacre of 1190 is arguably the most momentous and disruptive event in the history of the relationship between Christians and Jews in medieval England. Contemporaries, both Christian and Jewish, in England and elsewhere remarked on the enormity of the massacre in which around one hundred and fifty people are estimated to have died. As a subject of historiography, the York massacre can be framed in different contexts. First of all, there is the wider history of the relationship between Christians and Jews in twelfth-century England. Secondly, there is the more immediate context of the late twelfth century which witnessed an increasing hostility towards Jews in England. Thirdly, there is a crusading context. The York massacre took place during the preparatory phase of the Third Crusade, in which the English King Richard I played a leading role. This makes sense because, since its beginnings at the end of the eleventh century, the crusade movement carried with it a potential for anti-Jewish violence which intermittently led to pogroms against Jews perpetrated by crusaders. The York massacre of 1190 can, in fact, be understood as a typical example of the structural violence with which the crusading movement confronted European Jewry. It is this third frame, that is the connections between crusading and the York massacre, which will be the focus of this article.

In this article I want to discuss the importance of cultural memory within the plot of one of the lais written by Marie de France and to show that the character who is the "custodian" of cultural memory is also the one who can solve the crisis brought about by the other characters' alienation from traditions. I will argue that this cultural background is the Christian tradition, which is completed by, and not opposed to, some pre-Christian (profoundly natural, rather than super-natural) knowledge, which precedes the cultural one. I will use Jan Assmann's theory on cultural memory, in order to identify the elements of the cultural background which is defining for Eliduc, the longest lai written by Marie de France. Discussing the issue of cultural memory in this lai is relevant, as the scholar can identify the source of Guildeluec's superiority, namely her position of guardian of cultural memory. The elements of the cultural memory: Christian principles, Celtic h...

This article deals with oak window frames in the medieval churches of the Diocese of Lund. The medieval Diocese of Lund consisted of Scania with Bornholm, Blekinge and Halland. The region was also referred to as Skåneland and was the second largest region in medieval Denmark, with an archbishop's seat from 1104. The window frames in Lund's diocese are compared and discussed with frames from the rest of medieval Denmark, but also with frames from other parts of Europe. The frames are analysed primarily from a craftsmanship perspective, where the 12th century view of craftsmanship and church windows is also included as an important aspect of understanding the conditions for craftsmanship. The intention is to approach possible contemporary perspectives on both the technical execution, the result in the form of frames that were intended to serve as light inlets and the underlying ideological content of the church windows. By examining and comparing a larger number of frames, new knowledge has emerged that provides an insight into craftsmanship methods as well as the type of wood and quality that was preferred. In the Diocese of Lund, 41 churches have so far been documented that have, or have had, walled-in oak frames in double-hung window openings. The frames are divided into two main types: those that are made of a standing plank and those that are composed of several parts whose upper part consists of a horizontal plank. As examples of types, the following are highlighted and discussed: the plank frame from Norra Åsum church, the composite frame from Fulltofta church and the composite stone frames of Bornholm churches. The article presents a number of recent dendrochronological dates of window frames from the Diocese of Lund and compares the results with previous analyses of Danish frames. Norra Åsum church, dated to 1185, and its plank frames are placed in the context of Archbishop Absalon, the Scanian-Halland rebellion and its aftermath, the struggle for natural resources and an archaic rune stone. Norra Åsum's stone church with built-in wooden frames is also juxtaposed with the modern brick material used in the construction of Gumlösa Church, which was consecrated in 1192, and its window frames made of brick instead of wood.

Karin Becker / Vincent Moriniaux / Martine Tabeaud: L'alimentation et le temps qu'il fait Der Zusammenhang von (extremer) Witterung sowie Klimaveränderungen und Ernährung wurde in den letzten beiden Jahrzehnten immer wieder diskutiert, wenn auch zumeist nur mit Bezug auf schwere Hungersnöte, wie "The Great Famine" in den 1310er-Jahren [1], die Nahrungsknappheit im Zuge des sogenannten Spörer-Minimums im 15. Jahrhundert [2] oder die Hungerkrise im Rahmen des "Jahres ohne Sommer" 1816 nach dem Ausbruch des Vulkans Tambora. [3] Dass die Verknüpfung dieser Themenfelder aber auch viel weitreichendere Ansätze zulässt, beweist der vorliegende Sammelband, der insgesamt 26 Referate

In 1083, a priory of Benedictine monks was founded at Durham Cathedral, in the process displacing a college of secular canons that originated with the cathedral's foundation in 995. In the process, the new priory took possession of the body and cult of St Cuthbert of Lindisfarne. In the early 12th century, an ambitious ideological project to legitimise the new priory and their claims to both Cuthbert's power and his historical legacy were underway, foregrounded by Symeon of Durham, blending and reinterpreting the ancient past and the near present to present a unified history that was realised in the landscape of Northern England, including Cuthbert's own Lindisfarne. This paper will examine the historical and archaeological evidence for the priory's activities in the late 11th to early 12th century, and how they represent an alternative model for cult promotion and institutional legitimisation to the shrine and its corporeal remains.

Britain having many colonies and commonwealth countries has been regarded as one of the most significant countries in the world due to its international politics. Tracing back to 12 th century, kings and queens had an authority over other countries from which Britain could benefit economically, culturally, financially, or simply socially in terms of cultural interactions. While there are a wide range of countries and regions that Britain has dominated, Bangladesh holds a crucial position as it has witnessed a colonial process and rise of British power within its boundaries. Besides having boundaries and close associations with India, which was a former colony of Britain, Bangladesh has experienced the rise of British power and penetration of Britishness in terms of society, politics, institutions, education, social norms and ultimately language. This paper aims at presenting the development of colonial power which was achieved by Britain in Bangladesh touching upon demographic aspects, cultural norms, language and institutional things by at the same time offering a general overview regarding the outcomes of colonization in Bangladesh.

In his 1907 book, "Die Liturgische Gewandung im Occident und Orient", Joseph Braun theorized that the mitre evolved linearly from a cone-like mitra" to the "horned mitre" we know today. Using the technique of experimental archaeology, models were made of each of his four "mitra" stages. Terminology was corrected, i.e. the confusing "horned mitra" was replaced by "peaked mitre". Conclusions were reached that dismissed Braun's theory completely, finding that the four "mitras" in his linear development theory were actually three different hats -- one hat with two variations (coned and round) and two mitres -- with completely different construction methods.

The psalter was one of the most important, most copied and most read books in the Middle ages. Its primary content was the 150 psalms traditionally ascribed to King david, sometimes complemented by other material, chosen on the basis of the intended use of the book. The psalter was the backbone of the holy office, the daily hours celebrated week after week, year after year in churches and monasteries. The psalter was also a school child's first acquaintance with the Latin language, and it constituted the core of laymen's private worship, at least until the Book of Hours began to surplant it as the private book par excellence during the second half of the thirteenth century. Nevertheless, psalters were used in churches, in schools and in privileged private homes throughout the Middle ages, and most people with a minimum of education had seen a psalter, even if they did not own their own copy. The psalter was in all likelihood as important in Norway as it was in the rest of Europe. In spite of its significance, the majority of the few remaining psalters and many fragments from psalters used in Norway in the Middle ages have until now remained largely unstudied.

Phonology is the study of the sound system of language. This research is very important because in English the pronunciation of the word one is very similar to the pronunciation of the word other. The limited phonology learning media is an obstacle for students to improve understanding of English Phonology. It was determined that linguistics knowledge is necessary for students to have, as is e-learning for linguistics instruction. Phonetics, phonology, syntax, and semantics, the five subfields of linguistics, are regarded as essential. Words and word production are a topic in the study of phology. Even though students are already in their teens or decades, they are not childhood anymore, their phonological system is still developing. This phonological development is also called the acquisition of phonology in language, which in this case is English. The English language skills of students in Indonesia cannot be separated from the role of English teacher. This research uses library research method. The research information was gathered from phonology books, papers, and other related publications. English phonology is a topic that all foreign language learners must grasp in order to acquire the language. However, many students are still unaware of the value of studying English phonology and have little motivation in doing so. Additionally, there has been minimal research on students' preferences for learning English phonology, despite the fact that this information is important for improving learning results.
Keywords: Teaching Materials, Strategy, English Phonology

This article proposes a retro-futurist mode of science fiction based on seventeenth-century technology and culture. After a brief account of retro-futurist subgenres, named for the technology they are based on with the suffix -punk, I introduce my own poetic reworking of Francis Godwin's 1638 novel The Man in the Moone, one of a group of texts inspired by early modern New Astronomy. The novel's hero flies to the moon in a craft of his own invention drawn by a flock of migrating birds (swans in the original). Godwin's narrative is enjoyable for modern readers for its combination of vivid imagination, accurate speculation and, with hindsight, intriguing counter-factuality. My treatment aims to emphasise these aspects, eliminating other parts of the text such as the picaresque adventures that open the novel. Treated in this way, the story offers similar pleasures to more established modes such as steampunk. Godwin and his contemporaries were heavily dependent on animals for...

Readers of the doings of the abbots of St. Albans, the Gesta Abbatum of the Rolls series, are familiar with the short account there given of Christina of Markyate, the spiritual counsellor of abbot Geoffrey, and of her remarkable feats of endurance, and some will have known of the existence of a medieval Life, from which these details were drawn, existing in the Cottonian collection, but so injured by the fire of 1731 as to have been declared indicipherable. Now, thanks to the perseverance of Dr. Talbot, and the use of an ultraviolet ray lamp and photographs, a text has been produced in which a few gaps and uncertainties remain, but which is in all essentials adequate. We are in consequence presented with a rare gift, the first edition of a contemporary biography of a personage of the early twelfth century. The life of Christina gives a vivid picture of life and manners among a group of well-born and well-todo English people in Huntingdon forty years after the Norman Conquest. Christina's father and mother, bent only upon marrying-off their daughter, use every kind of force and fraud to accomplish their design, while the object of their schemes, privately vowed to virginity, harassed by attempts upon her honour and ultimately caught by some kind of verbal betrothal, eludes the pursuit of bishop Ranulf Flambard, who had previously seduced her aunt, and her fiance 1 , in a series of vivid adventures, ultimately escaping to spend six years in concealment, at first with another recluse at Flamstead and later in a small annexe of the hermitage of the saintly Roger at Markyate. Christina was unquestionably a very remarkable person. In the course of her young womanhood she attracted, either physically, emotionally or spiritually, a whole succession of men besides Flambard and a number of suitors; Thurstan of York and two eminent Anglo-Norman abbots of St. Albans were her admirers; and in her struggle to fulfil her vocation she showed unusual courage and resourcefulness in eluding undesirable advances and escaping from her parents. The descriptions of the feast in the gildhall at Huntingdon and of Christina waiting by the Ouse for the horse astride of which she fled in male costume, are unusually precious glimpses of life in the England of Domesday. It is regrettable that the writer of the Life, who shows himself such a talented reporter of what he must have heard from Christina's lips, should have been less successful in conveying a living portrait of the mature recluse who was clearly a woman of wisdom and real sanctity. She was also, as we know from other sources, a distinguished craftswoman in embroidery, who provided pope Adrian IV witfi mitres and sandals; and the eagerly awaited monograph on the Albani Psalter, edited by Professor F. Wormald and Dr. O. Pacht, will show her also as a patroness of the St. Albans school of illumination in its first great period.

Coins of Ukraine with images of mammals.-Igor Zagorodniuk.-The history of coins with images of mammals in Ukraine is reviewed. Since 1998, 22 coins have been issued (excluding the silver and nickel silver), which form 5 series. The principal ones are the "Flora and Fauna series" (including Nature Reserve Fund objects) and "Fauna in Cultural Monuments of Ukraine". However, fauna objects are presented in several other series as well. In particular, mammals are featured in the series "Various" (e.g., "Year of Bats"), "The Smallest Gold Coin" (e.g., "Marmot", "Hedgehog", "Boar" and "Deer" in sub-series "Scythian Gold") and "Monuments of Ancient Cultures of Ukraine" (picture of Scythian deer in sub-series "Scythia"). The zoological accuracy of the images, the series' similarity with those from other countries (e.g., Belarusian coins depicting the bison, Russian coins with images of the sand mole rat and other rare species) and the issue dynamics, which has a slight tendency to increase in number of coin types, are analysed. K e y w o r d s : mammals, fauna, images, coins, numismatics, Ukraine.

William fitz Stephen was one of the five witnesses to the murder of Thomas Becket and, along with John of Salisbury and Herbert of Bosham, one of his posthumous biographers as well as one of the greatest promoters of his cult. 1 As is the case with Guernes and William of Canterbury, little has been divulged of William fitz Stephen's own biography. 2 Only what he reveals in his work is known with certainty. 3 It is logical to think that the interest towards the authors of the Vitae only resides in the nature of their relationship with Becket and in the greater or lesser influence they had in the life of the archbishop. Thus, it is widely accepted that fitz Stephen was from London and that he served as a clerk at Becket's household for ten years. It is also known that at least from 1158 he was employed in the chancery as he witnessed firsthand the lavish embassy to Paris. 4 It also appears that, once in the chancery, he was appointed subdeacon in Becket's chapel with full authority in diocesan matters and in charge of reading and sorting through all the documents that involved the diocese. 5 Fitz Stephen's other duties included acting as a draftsman and advocate at Becket's court in addition to serving as his legal spokesman at the Council of Northampton. 6 Consequently, and, due to his academic 1 M. Staunton, The Lives of Thomas Becket (Manchester: Manchester Univ. Press, 2007), p. 4. 2 For instance, nothing is known about his date of birth, just as there are certain doubts about when he died

HISTORY. The historical drama television serie “Vikings” written by Michael Hirst and produced between 2013 and 2020 presents Rollo (Clive Standen) as the brother of Ragnar (Travis Fimmel). Of course, this is absurd: Ragnar took Paris in 845 and Rollo was granted Normandy in 911. However, Michael Hirst might be closer to the truth than most historians who consider that Rollo had no family relationship with Ragnar. Indeed, there is a historical record that suggests that Rollo would have been the grandson of Bjorn Ragnarsson (Alexander Ludwig). Thus, Rollo would not have been an adventurer coming out of the blue, but the natural leader of the Vikings in France.

Old Sarum is one of the most enthralling and historically important sites in southern England. Uniquely, it combines a royal castle and cathedral within an Iron Age fortification, and for 150 years was a major centre of both secular and ecclesiastical government. Neither castle nor cathedral was occupied for long: in 1226 the cathedral was moved to Salisbury, although the castle remained an administrative centre into the 14th century. Old Sarum lived on, however, as a notorious ‘rotten borough’ which continued to elect members of Parliament until 1832.

EARLY OCCUPATION
An Iron Age hillfort may have been established here about 400 BC. It was then occupied shortly after the Roman conquest of Britain (AD 43), when it became known as Sorviodunum.

Three Roman roads from the north and east converged outside the east gate of the hillfort, and two sizeable Romano-British settlements were also established outside the ramparts. Little is known of this period, though it has been suggested that in the early Roman period a military fort was set up within the earthworks, with a civilian settlement outside.
The civilian settlement formed the nucleus of one, or both, of the extra-mural Roman settlements. As the need for a fort dwindled, meanwhile, the area within the ramparts was converted to become the precinct for a Romano-British temple.

We have no evidence of the fate of Sorviodunum at the end of the Roman period, and the Anglo-Saxon period as a whole is poorly recorded. In 1003, however, a mint was sited within the old hillfort;and archaeological finds suggest there was late Anglo-Saxon settlement outside the ramparts, so there is evidence of life in and around Old Sarum before the Conquest.

THE MEDIEVAL CASTLE
It is William the Conqueror’s recognition of Old Sarum’s potential shortly after the Conquest that has left the greatest mark on Old Sarum. A motte was thrown up in the centre of the hillfort, creating an inner set of fortifications, with a huge outer bailey wrapped around this inner core.

Not only could this have been done quickly, but the scale of the outer bailey is sufficient to accommodate a large body of troops. Old Sarum's position on the road network may have recommended the hillfort as an ideal army base in the early stages of the Norman Conquest.

The inner castle became home to a complex of towers, halls and apartments, while the north-western section of the bailey was selected as the site for a new cathedral. Old Sarum's importance as an administrative base grew thereafter, as the sheriffs of Wiltshire were established in the castle and the new cathedral provided a body of literate clerks who are known to have assisted with major projects.

All early buildings in the castle would have been of timber, and the oldest surviving stone structure, the keep, was probably built early in the reign of Henry I (1100–35). In about 1130, however, the castle was made over to Roger, Bishop of Sarum and regent for Henry I during the king's absences in Normandy.

Roger’s work on the castle is largely undocumented, but although he probably left the major fortifications as they were, the case for attributing a new residence – known as the courtyard house – to him is strong. Roger’s downfall and death in 1139 and the subsequent return of the castle to the king brought to an end a period of great ambition at Old Sarum.

The next period of significant building was between 1171 and 1189, when the gatehouse was refurbished, a new drawbridge was constructed, the inner bailey was surrounded by a masonry wall, and a treasury was built in the keep.

At about the same time Henry II was lavishing a colossal amount of money on his great hunting palace at nearby Clarendon, and the work at Old Sarum may reflect a renewed royal interest in its potential. It also coincides with the period between 1173 and 1189 when Henry’s queen, Eleanor of Aquitaine, was kept under house arrest at Old Sarum for having incited her sons to rebel against their father.   

THE FIRST AND SECOND CATHEDRALS
The cathedral was created after the 1075 Council of London decreed that the see should be moved from Sherborne to Old Sarum. The bishop at the time was Herman, but the major work was completed under his successor, Osmund (1078–99),[5] who shaped the character and constitution of Old Sarum Cathedral.

The first, small cathedral was magnificently extended eastwards by Bishop Roger (1102–39). At his death in 1139 plans to rebuild the nave were abandoned and it was left to Bishop Jocelyn (1142–84) to furnish and fit out the enlarged cathedral, as well as add a new west front.

In addition to the cathedral, a precinct for the cathedral canons and bishop's palace had been created to the north under Osmund and Roger, to which a cloister was added, in all likelihood under Jocelyn.

ABANDONMENT
Dissatisfaction with the site and poor relations with the garrison in the castle caused the cathedral to be moved to its present site in Salisbury (New Sarum) in the 1220s, although royal approval for this move had been given much earlier, in 1194.

A foundation ceremony at the new cathedral was held in 1220 and on 14 June 1226 the tombs of Osmund, Roger and Jocelyn were moved to the new cathedral. This latter event marks the ritual abandonment of Old Sarum Cathedral, after which the demolition of the old cathedral began.

The abandonment of Old Sarum by the clergy during the 1220s marked the end of serious royal interest in the castle. The castle continued in use, however. Over £700 was spent on its repair and maintenance during the reign of Edward III (1327–77), though it is clear that some of the structures in the inner bailey must have been abandoned by then. The courtyard house – identified in 1330 as the building ‘in which the sheriff and his officers dwell’ – was the subject of a major overhaul in 1366.

The castle seems to have limped on as an administrative centre into the 15th century, the end finally coming in 1514, when Henry VIII made over the ‘stones called the castle or tower of Old Sarum to Thomas Compton, together with the right to carry away the materials.

Far less is known about the outer bailey and suburbs. By the time John Leland visited Old Sarum in 1540, even the east suburb was no more: ‘Ther is not one house ... [with]in Old Saresbyri or without inhabited. Old Sarum retained its borough status, however, and despite its lack of population continued to send members to Parliament until the 1832 Reform Act formally disenfranchised such ‘rotten boroughs’.

Henry of Blois (d. 1171) was a towering figure in twelfth-century England. Grandson of William the Conqueror and brother to King Stephen, he played a central role in shaping the course of the civil war that characterized his brother's reign. Bishop of Winchester and abbot of Glastonbury for more than four decades, Henry was one of the richest men in the kingdom, and effectively governed the English Church for a time as Papal Legate. Raised and tonsured at Cluny, he was an intimate friend of Peter the Venerable and later saved the great abbey from financial ruin. Towards the end of his life he presided, albeit reluctantly, over the trial of Thomas Becket. Henry was a remarkable man: an administrator of exceptional talent, a formidable ecclesiastical statesman, a bold and eloquent diplomat, and twelfth-century England's most prolific patron of the arts.

In the first major book-length study of Henry to be published since 1932, nine scholars explore new perspectives on the most crucial aspects of his life and legacy. By bringing ecclesiastical and documentary historians together with archaeologists and historians of art, architecture, literature and ideas, this interdisciplinary collection will serve as a catalyst for renewed study of this fascinating man and the world in which he operated.

Contributors: Martin Biddle, Barbara Bombi, John Crook, Claire Donovan, M.J. Franklin, Edmund King, William Kynan-Wilson, Matthew M. Mesley, John Munns

Carn Brea Hill
The story of the castle is intrinsically linked to story of the hill on which it stands. And Carn Brea Hill alone is fascinating, with so many interesting facets there’s no time to explore them all in too much detail here. But it is important to note, however, that the setting in which Carn Brea Castle finds itself is a particularly special one. There is more than 6000 years of human history on this rocky hill.

The outcrop of Carn Brea was once a major Early-Neolithic settlement and tor enclosure. The people who lived there built a series of huge stone walls, two metres high and at least two metres thick. These walls encircled the central outcrops of the hill and were roughly 700m in length. The evidence of burning and the hundreds of arrowheads found on the hill suggest that the inhabitants were attacked at some point in the settlement’s history.

Of course, the story of the little castle began long after these distant events. But it is thought that some of the granite from the ancient enclosure were used to build its chunky walls. And Carn Brea Castle’s past is full of interest and adventure too. This building has had many varied and colourful lives.

Giants
Legend has it that the rocks beneath where Carn Brea Castle now stands were once the seat of a mighty giant. There are also rock formations across the hill called the Giant’s coffin, the Giant’s head and hand, the Giant’s wheel and the Giant’s cradle.

The legend says that the giant eventually grew old and lay down to die on Carn Brea Hill. He turned to stone and the land passed to the Basset family.

Smuggler’s Tunnel
Legends persist of a lost smuggler’s cave on Carn Brea Hill. It was first mentioned in around 1866 and is not completely improbable as there was said to have been an old smugglers route that ran from Godrevy to Stithians, passing close to Carn Brea. A hollow found between the Castle and the Dunstanville Monument is thought to be the Smugglers’ Cave. From here a tunnel was said to stretch through the hillside to Redruth town or St Euny Church below.