Greetings {{first name | Producer}},
Welcome to the Weekly Herald for the week of 02 August 2026.
Each week, we return to the chronicles of the Middle Ages, marking anniversaries, revisiting battles, and tracing the enduring consequences of medieval history.
This week in the Middle Ages, a rebel earl makes his last stand against a future king, Viking armies suffer a crushing defeat in England, and a naval battle changes the balance of power in the Mediterranean. From the fields of Evesham to the waters off Italy, the medieval world is once again filled with battles that changed history.
Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester, in rebellion against Henry III, dies at the Battle of Evesham (James William Edmund Doyle/ Public Domain)
The Battle of Evesham
04 August 1265
For years, England had teetered on the edge of civil war. King Henry III's unpopular reign had provoked open rebellion, and for a brief moment, Simon de Montfort (the powerful formidable Earl of Leicester) looked poised to redefine the English monarchy itself.
That uprising ended at the hands of Prince Edward, the future Edward I, whose ruthless campaign cornered de Montfort's forces and crushed the uprising. Thousands died, de Montfort among them, bringing a violent close to one of medieval England's defining power struggles.
But the ideas he had unleashed refused to die with him. De Montfort's parliament, remarkable for including representatives from towns and counties, not just the nobility, planted a seed that would go on to shape the future of English government.
📚 Explore the Second Baron’s War:
– The Second Baron’s War: Simon de Montfort and the Battles of Lewes and Evesham by John Sadler
– Henry III: The Great King England Never Knew It Had by Darren Baker
THIS WEEK IN THE MIDDLE AGES
05 August 910 - The Battle of Tettenhall Ends the Viking Threat in England
For generations, Viking armies had terrorized the kingdoms of England. But at Tettenhall, an alliance between Mercia and Wessex delivered one of the most significant defeats ever suffered by Scandinavian raiders.
The victory helped secure Anglo-Saxon control and marked a turning point in the long struggle between the English kingdoms and Viking invaders.
07 August 936 - Otto I Crowned King of Germany
At Aachen, Otto I was crowned King of Germany, beginning a reign that would transform European politics.
A brilliant military commander and ambitious ruler, Otto would later defeat the Magyars at the Battle of Lechfeld and be crowned Holy Roman Emperor, laying the foundation for centuries of imperial rule in central Europe.
05 August 1305 - William Wallace Captured by the English
The legendary Scottish resistance leader William Wallace was betrayed, captured near Glasgow, and transported to London.
His brutal execution shocked Scotland, but his story endured. Wallace became one of the most enduring symbols of Scottish independence and resistance against English rule.
06 August 1284 - The Battle of Meloria
At the Battle of Meloria, Genoa destroyed Pisa’s fleet in one of the largest naval battles of the medieval period. The defeat ended Pisa’s dominance at sea and reshaped the balance of power in medieval Italy.
THE ILLUMINATION
Bayeux Tapestry, Scene 44 (Public Domain)
44 - ODO EP[ISCOPU]S WILLEM[US] ROTBERT
(44 - Bishop Odo, William, Robert)
THE HERALD'S LEXICON
Word of the Week: VASSAL
A person who held land from a lord in exchange for service and loyalty.
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FROM THE ARCHIVES
The Medieval Papacy series continues to cover the popes of the Middle Ages. If you missed any articles you can find them on the Medieval Papacy Page.
On the battlefront, the Medieval Warfare series is covering all the famous (and forgotten) battles of the Middle Ages. View the archives and learn more about the battles.
PODCAST OF THE WEEK
Vikings were more than blood thirsty killers who pillage and plunder, they were also adventuring explorers who discovered new lands and some even set aside their Viking ways to adapt in new societies
News from the Archives
A new trailer dropped for the upcoming movie The Uprising, a historical drama based on the Peasants’ Revolt of 1381.
The Royal Question of the Week
By the 9th century, a huge swath of England was governed entirely by Viking customs. What was this geographical and legal area called?
- Answer
“Against the disease of writing one must take special precautions, since it is a dangerous and contagious disease.”
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Terri Brisbin
Jessica Philpott
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