Category Conferences

Norman Imposition: The Medieval Castle and the Urban Space, 1050–1150 Session: New Directions in European Castle Research – May 14, 2010By Michael Fradley, University of Exeter (read by Dr. Oliver Creighton, University of Exeter)This paper deals with castle archeology and use in post-Conquest EnglandCastles are often looked at solely as military structures, but this is only one way of looking at them and it is being called into question.

Trials for Sorcery in Early Fourteenth-Century AvignonSession:Politics, Condemnation, and Sorcery in the Fourteenth CenturyBy Robert Ticknor, Tulane UniversityThis paper dealt with the question of magic and sorcery and the bridge between abstract theological questions and actual magic.The general category of magic is crucial to the understanding cultural mores in societies.

Defining Poison ca. 1300–1600By Frederick Gibbs, George Mason UniversityGiven at the International Congress on Medieval Studies (2010) – Session: Poison and Medicine in the Fourteenth CenturyThis paper discussed the definition of poison and its growing medical interest throughout the 14th to 16th centuries.

Maleficae et Maledictae Feminae: Fourteenth-Century Sources for Key Featureof the Learned Interpretation of Witchcraft in Italy at the End of the MiddleAgesSession: Politics, Condemnation, and Sorcery in the Fourteenth CenturyBy Fabrizio Conti, Central European UniversityThis paper discusses Italian witchcraft in the 14th and 15th centuries.

Poison, Medicine, and the Medieval ApothecarySession: Poison and Medicine in the Fourteenth CenturyBy Marie A. Kelleher, California State Univ.–Long BeachThis paper explored the role of the medieval apothecary as a semi-medical agent and merchant. It also examined how apothecaries were viewed by the authorities and the rules developed surrounding their profession.

In the Shadow of Zengi: Diplomatic Relations between Damascus and the Crusader States during the Reign of King Fulk of JerusalemPaper by Basit Hammad Qureshi, University of MinnesotaGiven at the Crusades I session at the 45th International Congress on Medieval Studies (2010)Until recent years, the image of Imad ad-Din Zengi, Atabeg of Mosul (1128-1146) was that he was an ardent enemy of the Crusaders and struggled continuously to fight the Christian presence in Syria and Palestine after the First Crusade.

Future Research Directions for European Castle StudiesSession: New Directions in Castle ResearchBy Kieran D. O’Conor, National University of Ireland – GalwayThis paper explored some thoughts on the topic of Castle Studies.People incorrectly assume that all castles are medieval and that there is little new to learn about them.

The Court of Charlemagne: Lay Participants in the Aula Renovata Session: Carolingian Studies: Secular Culture II – May 13thBy Jennifer Davis, Catholic University of AmericaThis paper deals with the court of Charlemagne and its lay influences.The court was the centre of Carolingian society. Laymen were as companions to the king; helping him hunt, bathing him etc…In the court of Charlemagne, laymen were constantly and fundamentally involved.

Employment on a Northern English Farm, 1370-1409By Richard BritnellPaper given at Production, Trade, and Fraud in English Medieval Agriculture session at the 45th International Congress on Medieval Studies (2010)Professor Britnell spoke about the manorial accounts from a small farm in Durham called Houghall, which belonged to Durham Priory.

The 45th installment of the International Congress of Medieval Studies was another highly successful affair, bringing in over 3000 scholars and delivering hundreds of papers. Our Site was on hand to listen to the papers and enjoy the conference. Here is our personal thoughts about the congress:Sandra: As always, I had a great time in Kalamazoo with Peter attending some really interesting sessions.

Poison and Medicine in the Western World before the Appearance of the Treatises about Poisons (End of the Thirteenth Century)Session:Defining Poison ca. 1300–1600By Franck Collard, University de Paris X–NanterreThis paper discusses medical authors and their contributions to poison treatises during the 13th and 14th century.

Reflections of Reality in the Manor Court: Sutton-in-the-Isle, 1308–1391Session: Rural Experience in Late Medieval England: Manorial Records and Law By Erin McGibbon Smith, Independent ScholarThis paper dealt with manorial court records in 14th century England.What can manorial court records tell us?

The Spiritual Authority and Ideological Conservatism of the Bishops of Kraków in Post-Gregorian Little PolandSession: Eastern Europe in the Middle Ages – May 13thBy Sebastian Bartos, Georgia College and State UniversityThis paper dealt with the role of the Bishops of Kraków and their attempt to create a reciprocal relationship secular laity and the Church.

Written Culture and the Late Medieval Manor CourtBy Charlotte Harrison, University of LiverpoolSession: Rural Experience in Late Medieval England: Manorial Records and LawThis paper discussed the court roll as a seigneural device that challenged the verbal culture that was used before and examined whether this change was organic or forced.

Acknowledging the Annals: A New Perspective on Witchcraft in the AliceKyteler TrialSession:Politics, Condemnation, and Sorcery in the Fourteenth CenturyBy Vanessa R. Taylor, Catholic Univ. of AmericaThis paper dealt with the witch trial of Alice Kyteler.The trial of Alice Kyteler was a turning point in how heresy and witchcraft were defined by the Medieval Church in the 14th century.

Debating Lordly Landscapes: the Deer Park of Earlspark Loughrea, Co. GalwaySession: New Directions in Castle ResearchBy Fiona Beglane IT Sligo and NUI GalwayPaper given at the 45th International Congress on Medieval Studies (2010)This paper explored the Medieval Peer Park and its social meaning in medieval Ireland and England.

Bloodletting in Monastic CustomariesBy Sarah Matthews, University of IowaPaper give at the ‘Regimens of Health: Housebooks and Everyday Medicines’ session at the 45th International Congress on Medieval Studies (2010)Matthews’ paper dealt with the practice of bloodletting, which she sees as one of the maligned and misunderstood aspects of medieval medicine.

Dealing with the Past and Planning for the Future: Contested Memories, Conflicted Loyalties, and the Partition and Donation of the Duchy of PomeraniaSession: Eastern Europe in the Middle AgesBy Paul Milliman, University of ArizonaThis paper deals with the Pomeranian Prince, Mściwój II, Poland and the duchy of Pomerania.

Call for Papers: International Medieval Congress, Leeds, 11-14 July, 2011Something for Nothing: Pictorial and Material Austerity in the Visual Arts of the Middle AgesThe use of lavish materials to manifest invisible spiritual truths has long been a prominent theme in discussions of medieval art, but medieval artists and patrons also turned to visual austerity and representations of poverty in order to convey their spiritual ideals, and an emphasis on forsaking worldly goods for the greater riches of salvation played a significant role in defining the subject matter and shaping the pictorial strategies of the visual arts.

The Book Trade in the Italian Renaissance: Structure and RegulationBy Professor Angela Nuovo, Universita di Udine46th Annual Erasmus LectureGiven at the University of Toronto, October 21, 2010Professor Nuovo spoke about how the book trade developed in Italy following the introduction of the printing press in the 15th century.