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Few Byzantine emperors had a life as tumultuous as that of Manuel II Palaiologos (1350-1425). Living and ruling during the last decades of the Byzantine Empire, Manuel witnessed civil wars between the members of his own family, socio-economic problems and theological disputes. His paths crossed with many famed rulers and scholars of the age. His […]
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In the last decade, Western Europe’s two main systems of alliance – NATO and the EU – have both experienced crises that threatened their existence. From battles over economic austerity, to demands that some NATO partners increase their military spending, to the process of Brexit, the challenges confronting both alliances may seem unprecedented in their […]
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When I started to dream up my book Paper in Medieval England: from Pulp to Fictions, I wanted to find out why medieval people were interested in paper and how paper became a success story in pre-modern times. It was a project of discovery as well as deep frustration. Paper seemed to have quite a […]
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The popularity and spread of the rite of self-coronation reached its zenith with Napoleon’s imperial self-coronation in Paris in 1804. This event achieved world notoriety in large part because of the monumental painting by the court artist, Jacques-Louis David, currently on display at the Louvre. This picture, and the popular belief around the ritual of […]
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The rewriting of history to suit a current political agenda is not new. Nor is the creative representation of particular individuals or institutions only a modern phenomenon. The extraordinary serial biography of the ancient and early medieval popes known as the Liber pontificalis (Book of Pontiffs) is an example from the sixth century, composed within […]
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The current pandemic and global health and economic crisis has overshadowed an event that would normally have enjoyed a lot more discussion and attention: the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe on May 8, 2020. Yet, then as well as now it forced individuals and organizations to come to terms […]
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Historians have long argued that the value of their field lay in its applicability to the present day. It serves society best, according to a recent formulation, as a guide that encourages broad perspective and careful judgement among policy makers in the public sphere. The judgments appear particularly appropriate now, as the world endures a […]
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What happens in the afterlife has been one of the ‘burning’ questions that preoccupy humanity. As such, its representations provide a perfect platform to dip into the past by looking at art through the eyes of its contemporary people. So, please join me for a brief visit in the fourteenth century. The year is 1373. […]
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