Archive for February, 2014

The medieval period is growing in popularity among history buffs and fantasy fans alike. Medieval clothing can be seen being incorporated into today’s fashion, television shows and movies are more popular than ever, and museum exhibits displaying the rich history of the medieval period are always well-attended. It seems like people can simply not get enough of medieval times. But if you ask fans where the word “medieval” comes from, many of them probably won’t know. Curious about the origin of the word? Here’s a short history of where this mysterious word comes from.

Like many words, medieval has its origins in Latin, coming from the term medium aevum, meaning “middle age.” The time period we now know as the medieval period was only first known as such in the 19^th century. During that time, history scholars thought of the medieval period as being the time between the fall of the Roman Empire and the Renaissance.

There has been debate over when exactly the medieval era happened. Depending on which historian you talk to, the medieval era could have taken place anywhere between the 5^th century and the 15^th century, which would place it somewhere at the end of the Ancient period and the beginning of the Early Modern Age.

Nowadays, HBO’s hit show Game of Thrones is the toast of the medieval enthusiast world. Featuring great pieces of authentic medieval jewelry and fashion and realistic battles, Game of Thrones is one of the most popular shows on television now. It isn’t, however, the first series to showcase the lush world of the medieval period. Here’s a look back at some medieval shows from TV’s past.

• ThunderCats (1985) – Sure, this one is a little out of left field, but its combination of science fiction and alternate-history medieval time period has made this cartoon a favorite among medieval fans, many of whom were first exposed to the medieval era through this show.
• Hercules: The Legendary Journeys (1995) – This wildly popular show featured Kevin Sorbo as a swashbuckling Hercules. This show also featured Bruce Campbell, already a favorite in the medieval fan community for his role in the film, Army of Darkness. Hercules: The Legendary Journeys led to the equally successful spin-off, Xena: Warrior Princess.
• The Tudors (2007) – One of the only medieval-set shows without a magical or fantasy component, this show chronicled the reign of King Henry VIII of England. After lasting only four seasons, this show proved to be extremely popular, spawning new interest in historical fiction.
• Gargoyles (1994) – Another cartoon, this one is particularly notable due to its many Shakespearean themes, complex characters, and Scottish mythology. There aren’t many kids’ shows that can boast that!

What are some of your favorite medieval TV shows? We’d love to hear about them. Let us know in the comment section!

Ever since the steampunk trend began picking up steam (I know, I’m sorry…), people have been incorporating the fun style into many aspects of daily life. One popular way to have a good time with steampunk is to throw a steampunk-inspired party. Have your guests don their best steampunk costumes, decorate your space with old-fashioned gears, clocks, and other imagery, and mix some steampunk cocktails. Steampunk cocktails?! Yep, some very clever people have put together some delicious steampunk-style cocktails. Here are some easy recipes:

·       Mr. Jacobson’s Emerson

2 oz. Hayman’s Old Tom Gin (do not substitute regular London dry gin; it’s not sweet enough)
1 oz. sweet vermouth
1/2 oz. fresh lime juice
1/2 oz. maraschino liqueur (it’s the raffia-covered bottle at the back of the bar)
Turbinado sugar
Maraschino cherry

Wet the rim of a cocktail (aka “martini”) glass and dip the moistened rim in the Turbinado sugar. Set glass aside, preferably in freezer to chill.

Pour the gin, vermouth, lime juice, and maraschino liqueur into a cocktail shaker with ice cubes. Shake well. Strain into rimmed, chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with maraschino cherry and serve. Repeat as needed.

·       The Pauline Charteris Hindenburg Cocktail

3 oz kirschwasser
A tad less than 1/2 oz dry vermouth
A splash of Grenadine
Lemon peel*
(*A peel… just the oily skin… not a “twist” with the bitter white pith.)

Shake with ice, enough to make cold, but not enough to dilute too badly.

·       Tinkerton’s Steam Cloud

1oz Brandy
2oz half and half
2 t sugar
1/4 t Vanilla extract

Combine ingredients in shaker and stir until sugar is dissolved. Add Ice and shake vigorously (this makes it thick and foamy like a shake) and strain into glass. Add a light sprinkle of cinnamon on top and enjoy.

For more ideas, check out the book Steamdrunks: 101 Steampunk Cocktails and Mixed Drinks and throw yourself a great steampunk costumes party!

At PearsonsRenaissanceShoppe.com, we try to keep our fans and customers up to date on all things Renaissance wear. Every so often, a truly great news story comes along about the clothes or time period of the Renaissance. Here are some of our favorite recent stories!

• A Renaissance-era prayer book was recently sold for a cool $13.4 million at Christie’s London. This prayer book, commissioned around 1505 by a member of the imperial court of the Netherlands, was acquired by the Rothschild family collection in the 19^th century. Beautifully illustrated, it is considered one of the highest achievements of Flemish Renaissance painting. http://bit.ly/1ddSYLa
• A Renaissance Faire reality show? It seems it is coming soon. According to nerdapproved.com, BBC America is currently looking for Ren Faire enthusiasts to participate in a show described as, “Survivor meets 1890 House, with a touch of Game of Thrones tossed in.” Well, hopefully, people won’t be experiencing a Red Wedding of their own. http://bit.ly/1a7l5Rk
• This Medieval Joker armor costume made quite a splash online recently. Both incredibly cool and unspeakably terrifying, this costume, inspired by the famous Batman villain, will surely give anyone at a Ren Faire nightmares. http://bit.ly/1aJDmSI
• As scientists try to figure how to successfully traverse the surface of Mars, one scientist has designed a space suit, inspired by medieval armor. “Mars is totally unforgiving and we must never forget that,” says Dr. Gernot Groomer. Understatement of the year? http://cnn.it/1fhbJQo

Have you heard or read any stories about Renaissance wear? Let us know in the comments!