The 13th century

The Middle Ages, Genghis Khan and the Crusades.

While the passage of time means the stories here are as remote to us as any fictional story, their echos reverberate across the centuries and are visible around us in many intangible ways.

Follow the stories here to see what I’ve looked at that comes from, or is influenced by, the 13th century.

All my 13th Century articles

1200 – 1209

  • The Abbey of Bourgueil August 2, 2025 - In 990, Emma of Blois leveraged her dowry and family alliances to found an abbey in Bourgueil, France. The abbey grew into a regional powerhouse over the next 500 years… Continue Reading
  • The lost Cathedral of St Sophia March 5, 2025 - In occupied Cyprus, across the demilitarised zone in Nicosia, the French gothic cathedral of St Sophia is now Selimiye mosque. The building was at the heart of Cypriot crusader history,… Continue Reading
  • Prague’s Powder Tower: The Full History May 18, 2015 - Tourists crowd around the Powder Tower for selfies and videos and who can blame them? The city is photogenic; this tower is one of the iconic scenes people have in… Continue Reading
A photo of the Abbey - Bourgueil, France
The Abbey – Bourgueil, France

1210 – 1219

  • The lost Cathedral of St Sophia March 5, 2025 - In occupied Cyprus, across the demilitarised zone in Nicosia, the French gothic cathedral of St Sophia is now Selimiye mosque. The building was at the heart of Cypriot crusader history,… Continue Reading
  • Learn all about Drimnagh castle May 25, 2020 - You’d think a city of Dublin wouldn’t be the place to hide a castle. Yet many Dublin natives had no idea what I was talking about when I mentioned Drimnagh… Continue Reading
A photo of Selimiye mosque - Nicosia, TRNC
Selimiye mosque – Nicosia, TRNC

1220 -1229

A photo of the organ and choir at St Clementine's - Prague, Czechia
The organ and choir at St Clementine’s – Prague, Czechia

1230 – 1239

  • When Bohemia reached the Adriatic September 16, 2026 - Bohemia wasn't always a land-locked nation, which may surprise some cartographers. For a short time in the 1th century, one Bohemian king built a chain of power from Prague towards… Continue Reading
  • The significance of the little bridge November 19, 2025 - Prague's Můstek neighborhood and metro station has a fascinating story behind it. This area represents a remarkable convergence of medieval history and modern urban development. What appears today as a… Continue Reading
  • The Hilsner Affair December 5, 2023 - Anti-Jewish sentiment has long been a problem - even before the Nazis. This article describes the infamous Hilsner affair from Bohemia. Continue Reading
A photo of the old bridge that gives Mustek its name - Prague, Czechia
A photo of the old bridge that gives Mustek its name – Prague, Czechia (By Nina Belyavskaya)

1240 – 1249

  • When Bohemia reached the Adriatic September 16, 2026 - Bohemia wasn't always a land-locked nation, which may surprise some cartographers. For a short time in the 1th century, one Bohemian king built a chain of power from Prague towards… Continue Reading
  • The Abbey of Bourgueil August 2, 2025 - In 990, Emma of Blois leveraged her dowry and family alliances to found an abbey in Bourgueil, France. The abbey grew into a regional powerhouse over the next 500 years… Continue Reading
  • The Púchov Culture June 11, 2025 - A fascinating and complex culture in late Iron Age Europe is the Púchov culture. It shows remarkable cultural synthesis and adaptation in the mountanous regions of present-day Slovakia and eastern… Continue Reading
  • Learn all about Drimnagh castle May 25, 2020 - You’d think a city of Dublin wouldn’t be the place to hide a castle. Yet many Dublin natives had no idea what I was talking about when I mentioned Drimnagh… Continue Reading
  • The mystical messianic troglodyte of Comino January 20, 2020 - One early scholar of Kabbalah was a 13th century mystic called Abraham Abulafia. He had visions, tried to convince the Pope of his reasoning and lived in Malta. But who… Continue Reading
  • Český Šternberk Castle August 26, 2019 - It’s not everyday you find castles still owned by the original family. Czechia's Český Šternberk ? towers over the town of the same name, and is one of the few… Continue Reading
A photo of Drimnaugh castle - Dublin, Ireland
Drimnaugh castle – Dublin, Ireland

1250 – 1259

  • When Bohemia reached the Adriatic September 16, 2026 - Bohemia wasn't always a land-locked nation, which may surprise some cartographers. For a short time in the 1th century, one Bohemian king built a chain of power from Prague towards… Continue Reading
  • The lost Cathedral of St Sophia March 5, 2025 - In occupied Cyprus, across the demilitarised zone in Nicosia, the French gothic cathedral of St Sophia is now Selimiye mosque. The building was at the heart of Cypriot crusader history,… Continue Reading
  • The lost Judith bridge January 24, 2025 - Prague's Charles bridge is the main attraction in this medieval city. Few have heard of its predecessor and fewer have heard about the stories behind it. This article delves into… Continue Reading
  • From a Duchy to a Kingdom August 7, 2024 - In the 12th century, Otakar I was the Duke of Bohemia. Through wily politics, he elevated his duchy to a kingdom, forever enhancing Bohemia in the process. This article explains… Continue Reading
  • The church that moved June 8, 2020 - We often hear of buildings being “in the way” of new developments. It’s a constant argument between conservationists and modernisers. Sometimes, ancient treasures are even lost in our quest to… Continue Reading
  • The lost rotunda of St Wenceslas January 6, 2020 - Rotundas used to be common in Central Europe. Prague was no exception and it is a shame so many have disappeared. This article explains how archaeologists re-discovered St Wenceslas’ rotunda… Continue Reading
  • The surprising connection between Prague and Rome October 28, 2019 - Architectural connections between cities are interesting because they show how influences affect architects visions. The connection alone tells a story about how something came to be. In this article I look into the… Continue Reading
A painting of the Judith bridge
Ludomir Herc’s impression of what the Judith bridge may have looked like – Prague, Czechia (Public Domain)

1260 – 1269

  • When Bohemia reached the Adriatic September 16, 2026 - Bohemia wasn't always a land-locked nation, which may surprise some cartographers. For a short time in the 1th century, one Bohemian king built a chain of power from Prague towards… Continue Reading
  • The lost Cathedral of St Sophia March 5, 2025 - In occupied Cyprus, across the demilitarised zone in Nicosia, the French gothic cathedral of St Sophia is now Selimiye mosque. The building was at the heart of Cypriot crusader history,… Continue Reading
  • The trek to Drahotuše castle ruins December 16, 2019 - The Drahotuše ruins are magnificent - huge gnarled tree trunks grow through these ruins abandoned since the 15th century. Apart from a brisk hike through the forest, I discovered the… Continue Reading
  • St Christopher and the Alchemist December 18, 2017 - On Prague’s Charles Bridge, statues watch tourists cross this city's ancient route. One of the statues, that of St Christopher, doesn't. He's walking towards the left bank - something no… Continue Reading
A photo of Český Šternberk Castle - Czechia
Český Šternberk Castle – Czechia

1270 – 1279

  • When Bohemia reached the Adriatic September 16, 2026 - Bohemia wasn't always a land-locked nation, which may surprise some cartographers. For a short time in the 1th century, one Bohemian king built a chain of power from Prague towards… Continue Reading
  • Andorra January 21, 2026 - Microstates are fascinating. There’s always a story behind them, and their continued existence in today’s world for that matter. Andorra, sandwiched between Spain and France, is one such microstate. For… Continue Reading
  • The Abbey in Vendome July 16, 2024 - Legends underpin so many historical stories it's hard to tell what is fact and what is fiction. I've found a factual explanation for the legend behind the foundation of the… Continue Reading
  • The mystical messianic troglodyte of Comino January 20, 2020 - One early scholar of Kabbalah was a 13th century mystic called Abraham Abulafia. He had visions, tried to convince the Pope of his reasoning and lived in Malta. But who… Continue Reading
  • The trek to Drahotuše castle ruins December 16, 2019 - The Drahotuše ruins are magnificent - huge gnarled tree trunks grow through these ruins abandoned since the 15th century. Apart from a brisk hike through the forest, I discovered the… Continue Reading
  • The Cathedral of Bones May 22, 2017 - I seem to have written many morbid articles about ossuaries, ghosts and skeletons lately. There are plenty of these stories here in Czechia so this shouldn't be surprising. I haven't written… Continue Reading
A photo of the road leading to Andorra from France
The Rotunda of the finding of the Holy Cross – Prague, Czechia

1280 – 1289

  • Andorra January 21, 2026 - Microstates are fascinating. There’s always a story behind them, and their continued existence in today’s world for that matter. Andorra, sandwiched between Spain and France, is one such microstate. For… Continue Reading
  • The mystical messianic troglodyte of Comino January 20, 2020 - One early scholar of Kabbalah was a 13th century mystic called Abraham Abulafia. He had visions, tried to convince the Pope of his reasoning and lived in Malta. But who… Continue Reading
Abraham Abulafia

1290 – 1299

  • A Medieval Marriage That Never Was January 2, 2026 - The idea that noble medieval families' marriages were all political is neither new nor surprising. It's rare to see situations where the wife-to-be is the one who ended up benefiting… Continue Reading
  • The lost cathedral of St Nicholas December 2, 2022 - In Famagusta, Cyprus, there is a building that used to be a cathedral dedicated to St Nicholas. It saw major events of the country's history and is now a mosque. Continue Reading
  • The mystical messianic troglodyte of Comino January 20, 2020 - One early scholar of Kabbalah was a 13th century mystic called Abraham Abulafia. He had visions, tried to convince the Pope of his reasoning and lived in Malta. But who… Continue Reading
  • Frydberk castle November 18, 2019 - The criminals who built Frydberk ? castle terrorised the Bohemian countryside in mediaeval times. Conquered, plundered, turned into a ? brewery and then the Church built a place of worship… Continue Reading
  • Jičin – A scenic Bohemian pit stop April 16, 2018 - Driving through Bohemia heading to (or from) Poland means driving through some beautiful landscapes. If you're looking for a pit stop but don't want a faceless motorway cafe, I'd recommend… Continue Reading