A newly uncovered medieval document has emerged as the earliest known source suggesting that the Shroud of Turin…long believed to have wrapped Jesus’ crucified body…is not authentic.

The findings, published in the Journal of Medieval History, add weight to the idea that doubts about the Shroud’s authenticity existed even in the Middle Ages.

In the document, medieval theologian Nicole Oresme dismissed the Shroud as a forgery, describing it as a “clear” and “patent” fake, allegedly the result of deceptions by “clergy men.”

No surprise there then!

Meanwhile, BBC’s King & Conqueror, which depicts the glory years of Saxon rule in Britain and Harold Godwinson’s attempts to resist William of Normandy, has seen ratings plunge.

Critics have cited poor casting, historical inaccuracies, and general boredom, with viewing figures continuing to fall.

Again…no surprise there!

And in other news, a recent YouGov poll found that the word most Americans associate with the Middle Ages is…. “violent.”

While medieval towns may seem rife with random violence…every alley a potential crime scene, every tavern brawl ending in bloodshed…historical records tell a more nuanced story.

In 14th-century London, York, and Oxford, lethal violence was concentrated in a few hotspots, often no more than 200 or 300 metres long. Just as in modern cities, crime was unevenly spread, clustering where people, goods, and status converged.

Interestingly, in the Middle Ages, the busiest and wealthiest areas were often the most dangerous!