24 Apr Bladesmith Arming Sword vs Longsword: What’s The Difference? 26 March 2024 By Charles J Lockett Two of the most iconic types of sword in Medieval Europe were the arming sword and the longsword. Both types are ... Continue reading
10 Apr Medieval History Emma of Normandy: England’s Norman Kingmaker 26 March 2024 By Charles J Lockett Matilda, Lady of the English. Eleanor of Aquitaine. Queen Isabella. These are some of the most important figures ... Continue reading
28 Mar LARPing What is a LARPer? 26 March 2024 By Charles J Lockett In the aftermath of the January 6th 2021 attack on the United States Capitol in Washington D.C., the word ‘LARPer... Continue reading
02 Jan Bladesmith, Uncategorised The Best Bladesmithing Books 8 December 2023 By Charles J Lockett So – we’ve seen how bladesmithing is an ancient craft, with roots which stretch back into the medieval era and be... Continue reading
18 Dec Medieval History, Uncategorised King Canute the Great, Ruthless Viking Emperor: Part 2 – The North Sea Empire 8 December 2023 By Charles J Lockett In the spring of 1017 CE, Knútr Sveinsson - known to the English as Canute – was crowned King of England by the A... Continue reading
12 Dec Medieval History, Vikings King Canute the Great, Ruthless Viking Emperor: Part 1 – The Rise of Canute 8 December 2023 By Charles J Lockett At first, the Vikings were just traders, bearing rare luxuries from the frozen north. Then, they began raiding th... Continue reading
04 Dec Anglo-Saxons, Medieval History, Uncategorised Was King Ethelred Really Unready?: Æþelræd Unræd, King Sweyn Forkbeard and the Danegeld 30 October 2023 By Charles J Lockett Anglo-Saxon England died a slow and torturous death. The date of 1066 CE is an easy date for historians: when Wil... Continue reading
27 Nov Bladesmith The Most Essential Bladesmithing Tools 30 October 2023 By Charles J Lockett The ancient craft of bladesmithing is far from a lost art – it’s undergoing a huge renaissance (no pun intended).... Continue reading
20 Nov Anglo-Saxons, Medieval History, Uncategorised Aethelflaed, Lady of Mercia: The Anglo-Saxons’ Only Queen 28 November 2023 By Charles J Lockett The Viking Great Heathen Army had devastated the Anglo-Saxon world. Four Anglo-Saxon Kings were dead or exiled, ... Continue reading
13 Nov LARPing Is LARPing Still A Thing? 30 October 2023 By Charles J Lockett LARP is over. So declare several online articles, decrying the end of the LARP phenomenon. Their general argument... Continue reading