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Greetings {{first name | Producer}},
Welcome to the Weekly Herald for the week of 19 July 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, two of the era’s most powerful rulers clash on the battlefield as Timur defeats Ottoman Sultan Bayezid I at the Battle of Ankara. The stunning victory shatters Ottoman power for a generation, plunging the empire into civil war and altering the balance of power across the eastern Mediterranean.
In Iberia, the foundations of new kingdoms are forged through conquest and conflict. The Battle of Guadalete marks the beginning of the Muslim conquest of Visigothic Spain, while centuries later the Battle of Ourique becomes a defining moment in the rise of Portugal and the reign of its first king, Afonso Henriques.
In Scotland, William Wallace and the forces of resistance face a devastating defeat at the Battle of Falkirk, where King Edward I’s English army demonstrates the deadly effectiveness of the longbow and temporarily halts the Scottish struggle for independence.
Meanwhile, in the Holy Land, the First Crusade reaches a turning point as Godfrey of Bouillon assumes leadership of Jerusalem as Defender of the Holy Sepulchre, helping establish the foundations of the Crusader states that would shape the politics of the region for generations.
Battle of Ankara (Met Museum/Public Domain)
The Battle of Ankara: The Day Timur Broke the Ottoman Empire
20 July 1402
On July 20, 1402, two of the most powerful rulers of the medieval world met on the plains near Ankara in one of the most important battles of the late Middle Ages. On one side stood Bayezid I, the Ottoman sultan known as “The Thunderbolt,” whose armies had expanded across Anatolia and into the Balkans. Opposing him was Timur (Tamerlane), the legendary Central Asian conqueror who had built a vast empire stretching from Persia to Central Asia and was determined to prevent the rise of a rival power on his western frontier.
The conflict was the result of years of growing tension between the two rulers. Bayezid had been rapidly expanding Ottoman influence, defeating Christian armies at the Battle of Nicopolis in 1396 and establishing himself as one of the dominant powers in the region. Timur viewed the Ottoman advance into eastern Anatolia as a challenge to his own authority. After a series of diplomatic insults and failed negotiations, war became inevitable.
The Battle of Ankara was a disaster for the Ottomans. Timur’s forces, which included experienced cavalry units from across his empire, outmaneuvered Bayezid’s army. Many of Bayezid’s Anatolian allies switched sides during the battle, weakening the Ottoman position. By the end of the day, the Ottoman army had been shattered, and Bayezid was captured by Timur’s forces.
The defeat nearly destroyed the Ottoman Empire. After Bayezid’s capture, his sons fought a decade-long civil war known as the Ottoman Interregnum, leaving the empire fractured and vulnerable. Although the Ottomans eventually recovered under Mehmed I and his successors, the Battle of Ankara delayed Ottoman expansion for years and reshaped the balance of power in the eastern Mediterranean.
📚 Explore the Ottoman Empire & Tamerlane:
– Osman's Dream: The History of the Ottoman Empire by Caroline Finkel
– Tamerlane: Sword of Islam, Conqueror of the World by Justin Marozzi
THIS WEEK IN THE MIDDLE AGES
19 July 711 – The Battle of Guadalete
The forces of Tariq ibn Ziyad defeated the Visigothic king Roderic at the Battle of Guadalete, beginning the rapid Muslim conquest of the Iberian Peninsula. The battle marked the collapse of the Visigothic Kingdom and the beginning of centuries of Islamic rule in parts of Spain.
22 July 1298 – The Battle of Falkirk
King Edward I of England defeated Scottish forces led by William Wallace at Falkirk, dealing a major blow to the Scottish resistance during the Wars of Independence. The battle demonstrated the devastating effectiveness of English longbowmen and remains one of the most famous conflicts of medieval Scotland.
22 July 1099 – Godfrey of Bouillon Becomes Defender of the Holy Sepulchre
Following the capture of Jerusalem during the First Crusade, Godfrey of Bouillon was chosen to lead the newly established Crusader state as Defender of the Holy Sepulchre. He refused the title of king, declaring "I will not wear a crown of gold in the city where Our Lord Jesus Christ wore a crown of thorns."
25 July 1139 – The Battle of Ourique
Prince Afonso Henriques defeated Almoravid forces at the Battle of Ourique, a victory seen as a foundational moment in Portuguese history. The battle helped pave the way for Afonso’s transformation from regional lord into the first King of Portugal.
THE ILLUMINATION
Bayeux Tapestry, Scene 42 (Public Domain)
42 - HIC COQUITUR CARO ET HIC MINISTRAVERUNT MINISTRI
(42 - Here the meat is being cooked and here the servants have served)
THE HERALD'S LEXICON
Word of the Week: POTTAGE
A thick soup or stew that was a staple food in many medieval households.
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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
What did medieval people think of an eclipse? Some thought it was a dragon eating the sun. Did any of them know the actual cause of an eclipse?
News from the Archives
The latest edition of Medieval News Weekly is now available, featuring the return of the Bayeux Tapestry to England, a castle still under construction after 25 years, and fascinating new discoveries from medieval archaeology.
The Royal Question of the Week
What incredibly violent, anti-noble peasant uprising tore through northern France during the chaotic summer of 1358?
- Answer
“Don’t depend too much on anyone in this world because even your own shadow leaves you when you are in darkness.”
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Terri Brisbin
Jessica Philpott
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