Overviews and Looking Ahead
Medieval World: Culture & Conflict launched in May 2022 with an inaugural issue that looked at the Holy Roman Empire in the Late Middle Ages. Since then, we have published new content every 2 months on themes ranging from the history and cultural heritage of Kyivan Rus, to women in the Middle Ages, and much more!
The magazine website now features an "MWCC Overview" page where you can find details and the table of contents of all the issues published to date. This is a wonderful resource for quick content searches or to see who are our new or recurring authors. If you would like the content details separated by "Theme" or "Features", then check out the individual pages for each issue.
The current issue, MWCC.5, is already listed on this new overview webpage. In issue 5, you can read about the history and visual culture of Sicily in the Middle Ages through contributions that focus on the early conflicts between Arabs and Byzantines over the island, its Norman rulers, and several of its key monuments and their transformations over time.
The cover image features the impressive mosaic that adorns the transept arch of Monreale Cathedral in Sicily. It shows king William II (r. 1166–1189) dressed in Byzantine imperial garb, presenting a model of the cathedral to the Virgin Mary. Such dedicatory images were common throughout the Middle Ages, and often found in the interior of religious buildings close to the altar. Set against a golden background, the symmetrical and colorful composition accentuates the interactions between the figures and William’s proximity to the divine. We thank Ghigo Roli for capturing this impressive photograph of the Sicilian mosaic.
Looking ahead, you can expect to read about Louis IX, medieval mysteries, late Byzantium, and much more in 2023! Keep an eye on our "Editorial Plan" page for updates. If you would like to propose a theme or a contribution, please get in touch here.
Don't forget, if you have exciting news to share related to current projects on medieval topics, new discoveries in the field, etc., submit details here for consideration!
