The Fires of Lust: Sex in the Middle Ages

By Medieval 0 comments

By exploring their sex lives, The Fires of Lust brings ordinary medieval people to life.

‘Longer than a big man’s thigh’: The Perfect Penis in Medieval Europe

By Medieval 2 comments

What did medieval people think about penises?

The Corrupter of Boys: Sodomy, Scandal and the Medieval Clergy

By Author Interviews, Childhood and Youth, Medieval, Religion and Sexuality, Sexual Violence 0 comments

Scandal-averse policies have enabled the widespread sexual abuse of boys and male adolescents within the Church.

The Reputation of Edward II

By Author Interviews, LGBTQ, Medieval 0 comments

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

By Medieval 1 comment

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

By Medieval 0 comments

Medieval theologians, like modern activists, used animals to make arguments about human sexuality.

Virgin Whore

By Author Interviews, Medieval, Religion and Sexuality 1 comment

A surprisingly prevalent theme in late English medieval literature and culture: the celebration of the Virgin Mary’s sexuality.