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Surprise-Index
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Click on the months to open the popup-windows with texts, information and links!
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Subjects:
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The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
Anonymous Poems
Bartholomäus Anglicus
Byrhtferth of Ramsay
Geoffrey Chaucer
John Gower
Thomas Hoccleve
William Langland
John Lydgate
Syr Thomas Malory
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The Pearl- (Gawain-) Poet
Thomas Usk
The Owl and the Nightingale
Medieval English Drama
Medieval English Lyrics
Medieval English Romances
Medieval Art
Medieval Music
Historical Letters
Records and Chronicles
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The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle A.D. 1004
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January 2004
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The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, The Year A. D. 1004
(What happened 1000 years ago?)
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March 2006
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The New Anglo-Saxon Chronicle: Anno MMV Hreðmonað
(Last Year's News in Old English: March 2005)
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Anonymous Poems
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July 2007
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The Land of Cokaygne: Introduction
(A description of the Land of Milk and Honey)
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June 2008
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Allegorical Debate Poem: Winner and Wastour
(A Tournament of Allegorical Impact)
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Bartholomaeus Anglicus (13th. century)
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February 2004
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Bartholomaeus Anglicus, On the Properties of Things, Book IX, Chapt. 30:
On Lent (A medieval view on the 40 days of Lent )
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April 2008
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Bartholomaeus Anglicus, On the Properties of Things, Book IV, Chapter 1:
On the Elements (A medieval view on the Four Elements)
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Byrhtferth of Ramsay (c. A.D. 1000)
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June 2005
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Byrhtferth of Ramsay, Enchiridion: “Part II, 1: The twelve months”
(On seasons, elements, qualities and humours)
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Geoffrey Chaucer (1340-1400)
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January 2003
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Geoffrey Chaucer, Canterbury Tales, “The Merchant’s Tale”
(Old January marries young May)
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February 2003
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Geoffrey Chaucer, The Parliament of Fowles
(Birds meeting on St. Valentine’s Day)
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April 2003
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Geoffrey Chaucer, Canterbury Tales, “The General Prologue”
(How it all started in The Tabbard in April)
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July 2004
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Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales: GP: The Wife of Bath’s Portrait
(About herself & her pilgrimage to Santiago - July 25)
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August 2004
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Geoffrey Chaucer, Treatise On The Astrolabe, 10. Circle of the Months of the Year (Why is this month called August?)
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April 2005
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Geoffrey Chaucer, Canterbury Tales, “The Canon’s Yeoman’s Tale”
(All about fools in the Middle Ages)
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July 2005
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Geoffrey Chaucer, Treatise On The Astrolabe 21. The signs of the Zodiac
(About the Signs of the Zodiac and the Zodiac Man)
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August 2005
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Geoffrey Chaucer, Canterbury Tales, “The Miller's Tale”
(About the life of medieval students)
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August 2006
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Geoffrey Chaucer, Minor Poems, “Proverb”
(A good advice for a hot summer)
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March 2008
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Geoffrey Chaucer, Canterbury Tales: The Nun's Priest's Tale
(What is Chauntecleer doing in the yard in March?)
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July 2008
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Geoffrey Chaucer, Canterbury Tales: The Franklin's Tale
(A prayer to the sun-god)
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September 2008
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Geoffrey Chaucer, Canterbury Tales: GP: The Monk's Portrait
(How to be all the richer for renouncing worldly life)
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November 2008
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Geoffrey Chaucer, Chaucer’s Wordes unto Adam, His Owne Scriveyn
(Don’t trust a word your scribe writes)
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John Gower (1330-1408)
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October 2003
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John Gower, Confessio Amantis, Book VII: On Astronomy
(A medieval description of the night sky)
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January 2005
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John Gower, Confessio Amantis, Book IV: On the Seven Deadly Sins
(All about Idleness ...)
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September 2005
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John Gower, Confessio Amantis, Book VII: Genius talks about Science
(All about the Seven Liberal Arts)
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Thomas Hoccleve (1369-1426)
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October 2004
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Thomas Hoccleve, The Regiment of Princes, Lament for Chaucer's Death
(About October 25, 1400)
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October 2008
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Thomas Hoccleve, Letter of Cupid, Satirical Translation of Christine de Pisan
(Lovers’ behaviour from her and from his perspective )
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William Langland (1330-1386)
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June 2004
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William Langland, Piers Plowman: The Prologue, The Fair Field of Folk
(A summer day’s dream)
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March 2005
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William Langland, Piers Plowman, Passus 16 (ll. 121-166)
(Maundy Thursday and the Last Supper)
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John Lydgate (1370-1451)
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February 2007
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John Lydgate, The Minor Poems, A Kalendare: Februarius
(Who does Lydgate choose as his Valentine?)
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Syr Thomas Malory (1405-1471)
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May 2004
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Syr Thomas Malory, Le Morte Darthur, Book I, Cap. VII
(At the feast of Pentecost Arthur was crowned king)
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May 2008
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Syr Thomas Malory, Le Morte Darthur, Book I, Cap. XXVII (Pref. by Caxton)
(About children born on May-day)
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The Pearl-(Gawain-)Poet (14th century)
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August 2003
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Pearl
(The most famous medieval dream vision)
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September 2004
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Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Passus II: Gawain’s Journey
(An important day in the year: Michaelmas)
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November 2006
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Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Passus II: Gawain's Journey
(Halloween at Arthur's Court)
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Thomas Usk
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September 2006
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Thomas Usk, The Testament of Love
(About love and lovesickness)
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The Owl and the Nightingale (13th century)
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July 2003
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The Owl and the Nightingale
(A heated debate on a hot summer evening)
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Medieval English Drama
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June 2003
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Corpus Christi Plays, The Wakefield Pageants: Processus Noe
(How Noah nearly couldn’t build the Ark ...)
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December 2007
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Corpus Christi Plays, The Wakefield Pageants: The Second Shepherds' Play
(Shepherds’ comment on the apparition of the angel)
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April 2004
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The York Cycle, Play 36: The Death and Burial of Christ
(Good Friday in a medieval play)
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May 2005
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The York Cycle, Play 42: The Ascension
(Ascension Day in a medieval play)
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Medieval English Lyrics
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December 2003
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Christmas Carols, The fyrst day of yole have we in mynd
(A Carol about the 12 days of Christmas)
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December 2005
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Christmas Carols, Jolly Jankin
(A Carol about what can happen on Christmas Day)
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December 2004
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Early English Carols, In Patras, ther born he was
(December 6: St. Nicholas)
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March 2003
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The Harley Lyrics, Lenten ys come with loue to toune
(About the beginning of springtime)
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March 2004
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The Harley Lyrics, Bytuene Mersh ant Aueril
(About love in spring)
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January 2006
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The Harley Lyrics, Ase y me rod this ender day
(About the Five Joys of Mary)
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April 2007
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The Harley Lyrics, When þe nyhtegale singes
(What happens, when the Nightingale sings in April?)
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June 2007
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The Harley Lyrics, Sumer is icumen in
(The most famous medieval English summer-song)
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May 2003
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Macaronic Lyrics, To the one I love most
(A medieval loveletter in three languages)
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May 2006
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Political Carols, The Agincourt Carol (1415)
(How the English defeated the French)
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June 2006
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Political Carols, The Song of Lewes (13th/14th century)
(Simon de Montford against Henry III)
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November 2003
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Secular Lyrics, The Occupations of the Months
(What medieval farmers do during the year)
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July 2006
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Snatch of Poetry, The Bewteis of the Fute-ball (1582)
(All about Soccer in the Middle Ages)
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Medieval English Romances
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October 2006
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Havelok the Dane, The stone-throwing contest (13th century)
(About strength, power and envy)
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January 2007
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Sir Orfeo, Orfeo and his harping
(Middle English adaption of a classical legend)
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Medieval Art
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August 2007
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Anonymous painter: Circle of the Months, August: Harvest (c. 1400)
(Labours of the Months in a Medieval Fresco)
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January 2008
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Anonymous painter: Circle of the Months, January: Snowball fight (c. 1400)
(Winterly pleasures, even for the nobles)
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April 2006
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The Bayeux Tapestry, The Battle of Hastings (1066 A.D.)
(The Norman Conquest on 70 m of embroidered fabric)
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December 2008
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The Art of Medieval Illumination, Breviary of Martin of Aragon: Nativity
(Watch out! Angels hiding everywhere)
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March 2007
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Simon Bening, Book of Hours, March: Farming & Gardening (16th century)
(What peasants do, when spring is coming)
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August 2008
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Simon Bening, Book of Hours, August: A Break During Wheat Harvest
(High Noon in Medieval peasants’ lives)
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September 2003
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Les Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry, “September” (15th century)
(The most famous medieval Book of Hours)
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May 2005
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Les Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry, “The Ascension” (15th century)
(The most famous medieval Book of Hours)
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July 2005
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Les Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry, “The Zodiac Man” (15th century)
(The most famous medieval Book of Hours)
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April 2005
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(scroll down to:) Hieronymus Bosch: The Ship of Fools (1494)
(Who is a fool in the Middle Ages?)
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October 2007
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Pieter Breugel the Elder: The Flemish Proverbs
(All about medieval Proverbs)
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February 2005
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Pieter Brueghel the Younger, The Fight Between Carnival and Lent (1559)
(On the verge of Ash Wednesday)
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March 2004
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Miniatures of the Codex Manesse (14th century)
(Medieval courtly life)
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December 2004
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(scroll down to:) Fra Angelico: The Perugia Triptych (1437)
(The story of St. Nicholas)
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December 2003
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(scroll down to:) Giotto di Bondone, Adoration of the Magi (1305)
(Giotto transformed the Star of Bethlehem into a golden comet)
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December 2005
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(scroll down to:) Giotto di Bondone, St. Francis and the Miracle of the Crib
(Frescoe of Giotto in the Basilica of St Francis, Assisi, 1260-63)
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March 2005
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(scroll down to:) Leonardo da Vinci: The Last Supper (1498)
(Famous Fresco in Santa Maria delle Grazie, Milano)
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January 2005
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(scroll down to:) Maître François: Heavenly City and Earthly City (1480)
(The Earthly City with virtues and vices)
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February 2006
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Andrea Mantegna (1431-1506), The Presentation of Christ at the Temple
(The story of Candlemas, February, 2nd)
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November 2004
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Master of James IV of Scotland, Isabella Breviary (15th century)
(St. Martin of Tours)
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January 2006
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(scroll down to:) Hans Memling, The Seven Joys of Mary (1480)
(Especially about Nativity and the Adoration of the Magi)
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May 2004
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(scroll down to:) Rabbula-Evangeliar, Syria (A.D. 586)
(The oldest illumination of the Pentecoste-Feast)
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November 2003
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Various masters: Labours of the months (15th century)
(What medieval farmers do during the year)
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Medieval Music
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October 2005
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John Dunstable, O Rosa Bella
(A medieval hit, the composer and his colleagues)
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November 2005
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George Cely, Papers 1474
(A 15th century wool merchant and his music lessons)
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February 2008
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Alfred the Great and "Rule, Britannia": The connection 878 / 1740
(Short History of the “Song of Songs”)
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Historical Letters
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May 2007
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Joan of Arc, Letter to the King of England, 1429
(A declaration of war in troubled times)
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December 2006
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The Paston Letters, Margaret Paston to John Paston
(A Christmas Letter)
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Records and Chronicles
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September 2007
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City of London Memoranda Rolls: The case of the wine carriers (1349)
(How easy to be sent to Newgate Prison!)
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November 2007
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John of Reading, Chronica: Extremes of Fashion
(There’s no accounting for tastes ...)
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to be continued ...
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go to surprise archives
2003, 2004, 2005, 2006,
2007, 2008
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