By exploring their sex lives, The Fires of Lust brings ordinary medieval people to life.
Medieval
‘Longer than a big man’s thigh’: The Perfect Penis in Medieval Europe
What did medieval people think about penises?
The Corrupter of Boys: Sodomy, Scandal and the Medieval Clergy
Scandal-averse policies have enabled the widespread sexual abuse of boys and male adolescents within the Church.
The Reputation of Edward II
Edward’s medieval and early modern afterlife was significantly shaped by the influence of literary texts and techniques.
‘Behaviour Which Merits a Horrible and Wretched Death’: Sex, Sin and the Black Death in Medieval England
Medieval people feared that the Black Death was a punishment for sin, and hoped that abstaining from sex could save them.
Gay penguins, medieval heretics, and the place of animals in the history of sexuality
Medieval theologians, like modern activists, used animals to make arguments about human sexuality.
Virgin Whore
A surprisingly prevalent theme in late English medieval literature and culture: the celebration of the Virgin Mary’s sexuality.
