Greetings {{first name | Producer}},
Welcome to the Weekly Herald for the week of 01 March 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, we celebrate the birth of one of the most influential men born in the Middle Ages, whose artistic genius would go on to shape the Renaissance, Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni, better known as Michelangelo.
The Last Judgement, Michelangelo (Public Domain)
Michelangelo, Italian artist and sculptor (1475-1564)
Michelangelo was born on March 6 into a world where art, religion, and power were closely connected. He came out of the late medieval tradition, trained in disciplines that demanded patience and a deep understanding of the human body. Even as his skill grew, his work stayed rooted in a world shaped by strong religious belief.
He didn’t confine himself to one form of art. Michelangelo worked as a sculptor, painter, and architect, bringing the same intensity and seriousness to each discipline. His figures are powerful and emotional, showing both spiritual struggle and human dignity.
Throughout his career, Michelangelo worked for popes and other powerful patrons, creating art meant to be admired and to inspire. Much of his work focused on religious subjects, presenting biblical stories and sacred figures with a scale and weight that reflected medieval values.
Although later generations would see Michelangelo as a turning point toward the Renaissance, his life and work remained deeply connected to medieval traditions.
THIS WEEK IN THE MIDDLE AGES
03 March – The Statute of Rhuddlan
This formally brought Wales under English control, reshaping its governance and marking a lasting shift in medieval British political authority.
04 March – Death of Saladin; Age 56
Saladin’s death marked the passing of a key figure of the Crusading era, best known for his conflicts with Richard the Lionheart during the Third Crusade. He is remembered for his leadership and influence across both the medieval Islamic and Christian worlds.
07 March – Death of Thomas Aquinas; Age 49
One of the most influential thinkers of the Middle Ages, Aquinas left a legacy that shaped theology, philosophy, and medieval scholarship for centuries.
THE ILLUMINATION
Creation of Adam, Michelangelo (Public Domain)
The Creation of Adam by Michelangelo, forms part of the Sistine Chapel's ceiling
THE HERALD'S LEXICON
Word of the Week: PORTCULLIS
A heavy grated door dropped vertically to block a gateway.
FROM THE FORGE
This week on the site, our Medieval Papacy series turns to Pope Clement V, a pope whose reign left a lasting mark on medieval Europe.
We’re also expanding Medieval Battles with a look at the Battle of Lake Peipus (1242), a defining moment of the Northern Crusades.
Settle the Record
Would you rather:
attend a medieval feast OR a medieval tournament?
Reply: FEAST or TOURNAMENT
Wonder is the desire for knowledge.
~Thomas Aquinas
The record continues.
The Archivist
Passing the Weekly Herald along to a fellow history enthusiast is one of the simplest ways to support Medieval Archives.
Medieval Archives is independently owned and operated. There are no universities or corporations peddling their influence over the show or topics discussed.
Medieval Archives is supported entirely by its readers and producers, and remains ad‑free.
