News and Events
The Medievalist Toolkit’s most recent event - MEDIEVAL JOY - was enabled by the generous support of the Medieval Academy of America’s Centennial Grant and took place at Seattle University and the Nordic Museum, April 5-6, 2025. Check out the YouTube Videos of DAY I and DAY II.
April 2026 NEW ARTICLE ALERT!
“Literary ‘Pure’ Ancestry: How Medieval Norse Writing Created Genealogies” by Marcus Lindenburg
Did you know that “it is not uncommon for a Norse Saga to begin by explaining every member of a subject’s extended family before even getting to the titular character”? “Notably, Egils Saga takes an entire 1/3 to mention Egill himself.” Learn more about how Norse sagas are used for genealogical claims in the twenty-first century.
September 2025 NEW ARTICLE ALERT!
Read about European medieval knighthood and Japanese samurai as envisioned by Inazō Nitobe (1862-1933)!
May 2024 NEW ARTICLE ALERT!
“A Note on Names” by Patrick DeBrosse
Have fun learning about why we should consider calling Saladin “Joe Jobson” and what’s at stake when naming people from the past.
Mission
The Medievalist Toolkit is a public history project that aims to de-politicise uses of the medieval past and its legacy by providing public-oriented tools that encourage evidence-based discourse. Our main activity lies in building bridges between existing academic outreach, addressing misuses of the medieval past, and teachers, students (K-12 and undergraduate), journalists, and social workers who are engaging with history.
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Project: Who We Are & What We Do
Tools
Access our Glossary, Articles, and Teaching Resources
Image: Lombard goldsmith’s grave goods, 6th century, Czech Republic, Source: Wikimedia Commons
