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Christopher Mielke
  • Budapest, Hungary
    Lothian, Maryland, United States
Here the artistic sources of Piroska-Eirene of Hungary (d. 1134), wife of Emperor John II Komnenos (d. 1143) are analyzed. Rather than being a retiring empress shunted from power, Piroska-Eirene here emerges as an empress who employed... more
Here the artistic sources of Piroska-Eirene of Hungary (d. 1134), wife of Emperor John II Komnenos (d. 1143) are analyzed. Rather than being a retiring empress shunted from power, Piroska-Eirene here emerges as an empress who employed seals of her own and who made use of imagery to strengthen her own position.
This article re-examines József Deér’s claim that the crown uncovered in the tomb of Constance of Aragon (d. 1222) was originally her husband’s. His argument is based entirely on the shape of the crown itself, and ignores the context of... more
This article re-examines József Deér’s claim that the crown uncovered in the tomb of Constance of Aragon (d. 1222) was originally her husband’s. His argument is based entirely on the shape of the crown itself, and ignores the context of her burial and the other idiosyncrasies of Frederick II’s burial provisions at Palermo Cathedral. By examining the contents of the grave of Constance, and by discussing patterns related to the size of medieval crowns recovered from archaeological context, the evidence indicates that this crown would have originally adorned the buried queen’s head. Rather than identifying it as a ‘male’ crown that found its way into the queen’s sarcophagus as a gift from her husband, this article argues that Constance’s crown is evidence that as a category of analysis, gender is not as simple as it may appear. In fact, medieval crowns often had multiple owners and sometimes a crown could be owned, or even worn, by someone who had a different gender than the original owner. This fact demonstrates the need for a more complex, nuanced interpretation of regalia found in an archaeological context.
Sex work in the Middle Ages could occur at an official city brothel, at a bathhouse, in a private residence, or on certain streets. While the locations of municipal brothels are known in five cities from medieval Hungary, little has been... more
Sex work in the Middle Ages could occur at an official city brothel, at a bathhouse, in a private residence, or on certain streets. While the locations of municipal brothels are known in five cities from medieval Hungary, little has been discussed about other sites of prostitution. The first part of this paper aims to better understand what kind of women interacted with bathhouses in the Kingdom of Hungary and determine if there is any link between the city brothels. The second aspect explored will be using etymological history to understand the geographic links between brothels, bathhouses, and streets associated with sex work in medieval Hungarian cities.
Art as propaganda is traditionally thought to be used as a tool of monarchs in cementing their role. In addition to coins with the king's face and seals featuring the king in majesty, the king's face could also appear on public art such... more
Art as propaganda is traditionally thought to be used as a tool of monarchs in cementing their role. In addition to coins with the king's face and seals featuring the king in majesty, the king's face could also appear on public art such as statues, stained glass, and even frescoes. This essay seeks to understand four pieces of stonework visible to the medieval public which would have featured two fourteenth-century queens of Hungary: Elizabeth of Poland (d. 1380), wife of Charles I Robert, and Elizabeth of Bosnia (d. 1387), wife of Louis I 'the Great' (r. 1342-1382).
This paper examines the material culture of Queen Gertrude of Meran (d. 1213), wife of Andrew II of Hungary (r. 1205-1235) for a volume published 800 years after her brutal murder.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
In 2012, CEU Medieval Radio was launched as an effort not only to bring medieval music to everyone but also to make complex, high-quality scholarship more approachable to the general public. Over seventy interviews were recorded for CEU... more
In 2012, CEU Medieval Radio was launched as an effort not only to bring medieval music to everyone but also to make complex, high-quality scholarship more approachable to the general public. Over seventy interviews were recorded for CEU Medieval Radio's program "Past Perfect!" with the intent of bridging the gap between "ivory tower" academia and the listeners at home. In this volume, sixteen first-rate scholars kindly sat down before the microphone and got the chance to explain their work in a friendly and accessible way. Scholars like Natalie Zemon-Davis and Patrick Geary represent some of the international guests, János Bak and József Laszlovszky discuss amazing new research from Central European University, while Richard Unger and Benedek Láng are part of the CEU Medieval Radio team's personal favorites, talking about topics such as beer, queens, and code-breaking. From Apocalypses to Zooarchaeology, CEU Medieval Radio's long time host, Christopher Mielke, asks the tough questions that have made this program so memorable.
For the full book, see: https://trivent-publishing.eu/home/116-past-perfect-five-years-of-interviews-with-ceu-medieval-radio.html
The front matter for a book which examines the medieval queens of Hungary primarily through their material culture and through the spaces they built, renovated, or restored. Showcases common features with the west as well as how the... more
The front matter for a book which examines the medieval queens of Hungary primarily through their material culture and through the spaces they built, renovated, or restored. Showcases common features with the west as well as how the queens had to deal with court structures unique to Hungary. Argues that queens used material culture and space to prop up their own position when it was weakened by external circumstances