Justine Firnhaber-Baker
@medievalrevolt.bsky.social
Professor of Medieval History at the University of Andrews Author of House of Lilies: The Dynasty that Made Medieval France • The Jacquerie of 1358: A French Peasants' Revolt • Violence and the State in Languedoc, 1250-1400
'Vor dem Bauernkrieg' (Before the Peasants' War), a special issue of Zeitschrift für Historische Forschung, is now out and open access, with an article by me among other good people. (All in German) elibrary.duncker-humblot.com/book/64167/v...
Duncker & Humblot - Berlin: Vor dem Bauernkrieg
Ein Forum für die Wissenschaft seit 1798.
elibrary.duncker-humblot.com
No longer content with pillaging intellectual work and dismembering our environment (already critically weakened), AI companies are now hellbent on destroying books galore including rare editions. Shut down these nefarious enterprises already.
AI labs buy, scan, shred millions of rare books
If you have retreated to physical books because the internet is too full of AI slop, bad news — now they’re shredding the books to feed their AI slop machines.
news.com.au
Justice for Jehanne by @sarannmcd.bsky.social “makes for a fascinating reassessment of medieval norms,” writes @publisherswkly.bsky.social. Read the full review here:
Justice for Jehanne: The Tale of a Medieval Survivor by Sara McDougall
A sexual assault case in medieval France gets reexamined in this colorful account from historian McDougall (Royal Bastards). In ...
publishersweekly.com
The legendary medievalist Caroline Walker Bynum (Left) received an honorary doctorate at the University of St Andrews yesterday and I (Right) gave the laureation. #medievalsky
Are you a 15th century king? Do you want to show that you’re down with this humanism stuff that your scholars keep talking about, but you’re also terrified of your own people & the damn French? Ask your architect if Fancy Renaissance Gate Sandwiched Between Existing Medieval Towers is right for you.
So, when are we going to discuss exactly how much of politics or public decision making is done this way?
Scott Horton@robertscotthorton.bsky.social · 2mo agoBill Gates is the first billionaire to say publicly what many in New York business circles have talked about for years: Epstein blackmailed many of the world’s wealthiest men, he operated like Russian intelligence, gathering kompromat through his network. www.thetimes.com/us/news-toda...
Bit of a long shot but does anyone happen to have access to a copy of an undated letter from Katherine of Aragon to Princess Mary in the British Library's Arundel MS 151 fol. 194r-v? Thank you!
The 'stinging rebuke' is open access here. You don't need to be an historian to applaud it. #Skystorians 2/2
History and the humanities at the University of Hertfordshire – a statement from the Royal Historical Society - RHS
Even for those familiar with bleak times, this has been a particularly bad few weeks in UK higher education. Confirmed job losses at the University of Essex were followed by further bad news from Hert...
royalhistsoc.org
“Westminster needs to wake up to this need for joined-up thinking if we are to limit the number of...Essexes, Hertfordshires & Nottinghams...UK universities are a precious commodity. Ten years of dropping this commodity to see where the pieces land is not an education policy worthy of the name.” 1/2
Research Professional News@resprofnews.bsky.social · 3mo agoHistorians slam ‘marketisation and neglect’ of higher education. Royal Historical Society issues stinging rebuke of English model amid escalating cuts. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-c...
Christianity was founded in personal humility while advocating for social justice, and that remains its best look. Props to Leo for continuing Francis' understanding of that.
Universities would work so much better if admins at all levels knew what lecturers and students actually do.
Margot Finn@eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 3mo agoOr should VCs and the academic members of their senior teams instead be required to lead and teach 1 undergraduate module per term/semester, including all module admin and marking? Non-academic members of SMTs could all annually take a module, completing all assessments. Serious counterproposal. 3/3
I love the cover of the Polish translation of House of Lilies: The Dynasty that Made Medieval France. Particularly keen on the stained glass rose window in the background. It's out next month. #booksky 📚💙
Closure of so many programmes is an act of economic and moral vandalism. Please sign and share: c.org/w4ycxRg6qw
Sign the Petition
Save the Humanities at the University of Hertfordshire
c.org
Dr Jo Edge 🏴@hagenilda.bsky.social · 3mo agoOne more signature for the petition to save Humanities at Hertfordshire to hit 2,500! Please take a minute to sign and share. #UCU www.change.org/p/save-the-h...
15% off in the US for pre-orders at bookshop.org/p/books/char... #CharlemagnesDream #medievalsky
Charlemagne's Dream: The Rise and Fall of the Carolingian Empire
The Rise and Fall of the Carolingian Empire
bookshop.org
James T Palmer@jtpmedieval.bsky.social · 3mo agoIf anyone in the UK fancies pre-ordering my new book #CharlemagnesDream with 20% off this week, that is a thing here: uk.bookshop.org Released this October! #medievalsky (Only the ebook when I checked but I have queried whether the hardback might be included)
Furta sacra! Czech police hunt thief who stole 800-year-old skull of saint from church www.theguardian.com/world/2026/m...
Czech police hunt thief who stole 800-year-old skull of saint from church
Suspect was seen on fuzzy security photo running between benches of church carrying skull, police say
theguardian.com
Writing narrative history, I think about this all the time. Everybody dies. And yet that seems so surprising to so many people.
Karin Wulf@kawulf.bsky.social · 3mo agoOne of the things about being a historian--maybe I've mentioned this--is that you know that everyone dies. Some young and tragically, others older and with grace. There are a million ways to die. It's the worst kept secret! And historically so many (often men in power) desperate not to know it.
Tip for universities trying to increase staff teaching loads
Anna Mazzola@annamazz.bsky.social · 3mo agoSome useful public speaking tips from Freud here.
«Owls are just bird hardware running cat software» Original post
If you were horrified watching elected leaders run & scramble because of gun violence, just imagine how my daughter Jaime felt in school running from an active shooter before she was killed. Now, become a part of the solution & only vote for people determined to address gun violence in America.
An awesome list of #medieval books (and not just because mine is on it). All of these authors are serious scholars who ALSO know how to write for a general audience. Your local indy probably has these in stock. #booksky 💙📚
Matt Gabriele@profgabriele.com · 3mo agohey! it's independent bookstore day! now's a great time to get some books and if you do, why not get some books about the Middle Ages??? so, to help, I partnered with @bookshop.org to make you a (short) list of books to get you going. Enjoy! #medievalsky bookshop.org/lists/so-you...
hey! it's independent bookstore day! now's a great time to get some books and if you do, why not get some books about the Middle Ages??? so, to help, I partnered with @bookshop.org to make you a (short) list of books to get you going. Enjoy! #medievalsky bookshop.org/lists/so-you...
So you want to learn about the Middle Ages?
A starter list of books to get you going, as you explore the Middle Ages in all its horrors and wonders.
bookshop.org
Exactly so and part of what I call “opportunity theft” comprises the cultivation of the expertise needed to enter the conversations that ensure the longevity of scholarly community. bsky.app/profile/sonj...
John Gallagher@earlymodernjohn.bsky.social · 3mo agoA good challenge these days is to look at how universities portray their humanities degrees to potential undergraduates. At the same time as core modules are being hollowed out and made identical to everywhere else, departments are barred from championing specific expertise and unique offerings.
permit me to add that administrators divert shedloads of cash (that they supposedly don't have) to the purveyors of this rot and to 'consulltants' who recommend its utility 😑
Sonja Drimmer@sonjadrimmer.bsky.social · 3mo agoBy acquiescing to demands that we cede class time to tutorials in the use of commercial products we are stealing from our students the opportunity for advanced intellectual development in the subjects we were hired to teach and destroying the future of our fields embodied by those students.
Peter Head@peterheadcbe.bsky.social · 4mo agoWith 150GW solar, India achieved its target of having 50% of its total installed electricity capacity from non-fossil fuel sources in June 2025, reaching this milestone 5 years ahead of its original 2030 deadline set under the Paris Agreement www.pv-magazine.com/2026/04/10/i...
