Royal charter of human rights Magna Carta sold for $21 million

ONE of only 17 remaining copies of the Magna Carta, the iconic 800-year-old English royal manuscript setting out basic human rights, sold at auction at Sotheby's yesterday for $US21.3 million, or $8528 a word.

Arguably the most important document ever to be auctioned, the vellum manuscript was picked up by a telephone bidder, selling for the lower range of its pre-sale estimate of $20 million-$30 million.

It was the only copy in private hands.

The royal charter -- this version dated 1297 and bearing the wax seal of King Edward I -- enshrined the rights of men into English law and is considered the precursor of such landmark historical documents as the US Declaration of Independence.

Sotheby's vice-chairman and the auctioneer of the sale, David Redden, said it was quite simply "the most important document in the world". (cough*lies*cough - Ryan)

It was bought by David Rubenstein, founder of the Carlyle Group private equity fund.
The document established the principle of habeas corpus, which protects people against unlawful imprisonment by ensuring such rights as trial by jury and freedom from unlawful arrest.

Four of the surviving 17 copies date from the reign of King John, eight from that of Henry III, and five from that of Edward I.

The only other original outside Britain was a gift by the country to the people of Australia, and is on display at Parliament House, Canberra.

Mr Rubenstein, a former policy adviser to US president Jimmy Carter, said he would put the document back on public view at the National Archives in Washington.

"I thought it was very important that the Magna Carta stay in the United States, and I was concerned the only copy in the United States might escape the United States as a result of this auction," he said.

The document, written in medieval Latin, was sold by Texas software billionaire and two-time independent presidential candidate Ross Perot.

Mr Perot bought it for $1.5 million in 1984 from relatives of James Thomas Brudenell, the seventh Earl of Cardigan, who led the Charge of the Light Brigade during the Crimean War. The family had owned the document for more than 500 years.

From: News.com.au

MSCU Recipe: Italian Bread Pudding

Today's Recipe: Italian Bread Pudding

1/2 pound bread
1/2 pound raisins
1/3 cup sugar
2 cups milk
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 Tbsp. rose water
3/4 tsp. nutmeg
4 eggs
dates (for garnish)

1.)Remove the crusts from the bread.

2.) Cut it into one-inch cubes.

3.) Mix sugar with raisins and combine with bread cubes, making sure the raisins are distributed evenly.

4.) Place bread mixture in a casserole dish.

5.) In a separate bowl, mix butter, milk, eggs, nutmeg and rosewater.

6.) Pour carefully over bread cubes. Garnish with sliced dates.

7.) Cover and bake in 325° oven for 45 minutes or until a knife put into the center comes out clean.

8.) Sprinkle with a coarse-grained sugar and bake uncovered for 15 more minutes. Serve hot.

From: Medieval Cookery.com

Remains of medieval bishops identified

The bones of six Scottish bishops from the Middle Ages have been idenfied using the latest techniques.

Archaeologists have identified the remains of medieval bishops buried at Whithorn Priory in Galloway, Scotland, 600 years ago.

The bones of the six bishops were discovered over 40 years ago, but have only just been identified using the latest techniques for scientific analysis of remains.

Thought to have died between 1200 and 1360AD, the bishops were found during excavations at the priory between 1957 and 1967, but their identity has remained a mystery until now. Other items, such as fragments from vestments, silver altar vessels and a gold pontifical ring were also unearthed.

Archaeologists from Edinburgh-based Headland Archaeology have employed state of the art analysis to determine who the bishops were and how they died, with the examinations even revealing that they came from southern Scotland or Cumbria and what they ate.

The six remains were known to come from senior ecclesiastical figures, but radiocarbon dating has identified them has bishops John (died 1209), Walter (died 1235), Gilbert (died 1253), Henry (died 1293), Michael (died 1359) and Thomas (died 1362).

Funded by Historic Scotland, the research shows that the bishops lived on a diet of good meat and marine fish such as cod. Experts claim that the studies will create an interesting picture of the lives of clergy in Scotland during the Middle Ages.

From: UKtv.co.uk

On the sixth day of Christmas the MSCU gave to me...

... six (bad) movies a-playing,

five MAN-U-SCRIPTS,

four French kings,
three books of Dante,

two feuding popes,

and Dr Kwakkel in a library.

MSCU Recipe: Onion Tart

Today's Recipe: Onion Tart

1 medium onion, finely chopped
6 eggs
1/2 lb. (2 cups) soft cheese, grated
pinch saffron
pinch salt

1.) Beat eggs, add other ingredients, and pour into an unbaked pie crust.

2.) Bake at 350°F until lightly browned on top - about an hour.

From: Medieval Cookery.com

Britons 'healthier in medieval times'

People in medieval times were healthier than modern Britons because they did not suffer from cholesterol related diseases, it was claimed yesterday.

While those living in the Roman and Tudor periods faced hazards such as the "pox and plague", it seems that their daily diet lacked foods which could lead to heart disease.

Excessive levels of cholesterol were non-existent in Roman and medieval times. It is a current phenomenon and a direct result of modern excess and a lack of exercise.

Research by Lloydspharmacy, the chemist chain, found that the daily diet consumed by Britons in the Roman period of fruit, fish, whole grains, vegetables and olive oil washed down with red wine amounted to approximately 120g of fat, 80g of protein and 600g of carbohydrates.

Two thousand years later the average British diet is higher in fat, lower in fruit and vegetables and higher in refined sugar, all of which have contributed to the rise in obesity-related disease and cholesterol.

Roger Henderson, a GP who carried out the research, said his findings suggested the medieval diet was by far the healthiest for the average man - low in saturated fats and transfats, high in vegetables and a moderate amount of weak alcohol daily.

Combined with a highly active workload this meant their risk of heart disease, diabetes and diseases linked to obesity were much less than in 2007.

But the average lifespan in medieval times was about half of what it is now because many died in childbirth or from infections. Dr Henderson said: "The Roman diet was healthy provided you were wealthy enough to afford the fresh fruit and vegetables and fish so common in the Mediterranean diet. It was probably higher in fat overall than the medieval diet but far healthier than today."

The research also claimed that daily exercise has decreased by at least an average of 96 per cent since Roman and medieval times from eight hours a day to less than 20 minutes due to increasingly sedentary lives.

From: Telegraph.co.uk

Today in the Middle Ages

17 December, 1271 - Kublai Khan renames his empire "Yuan," officially marking the start of the Yuan Dynasty of China.

In Xanadu did Kubla Khan ... wait... I forgot what I was going to say. I had something really great thought up, but then I just forgot it. Oh well, I guess I should lay-off the opiates for a while.

On the fifth day of Christmas the MSCU gave to me...

...five MAN-U-SCRIPTS,

four French kings,

three books of Dante,
two feuding popes,
and Dr Kwakkel in a library.

MSCU Recipe: Zabaglione

Today's Recipe: Zabaglione

6 eggs
1 cup sweet wine (Marsala)
1/4 cup sugar

1.) Mix ingredients together well.

2.) Place in a saucepan over medium heat and cook until thick, stirring constantly with a whisk.

Serve warm or cold.

From: Medieval Cookery.com

On the fourth day of Christmas the MSCU gave to me...

... four French kings,

three books of Dante,

two feuding popes,

and Dr Kwakkel in a library.

MSCU Recipe:Parsley and Onion Salad

Today's Recipe: Parsley and Onion Salad

1 medium onion
1 bunch flat-leaf parsley
2 cloves garlic (add more or less to taste)
red wine vinegar

1. Chop the onion and parsley well and mix.

2. Mince and add garlic.

3. Add enough vinegar to moisten everything.

4. Mix and allow time for flavors to mingle.

NOTE: For a less-intense onion flavour either soak onions in cold water before use or allow salad to sit before serving.

Adapted from: Medieval Cookery.com

Today in the Middle Ages

16 December, 1431 - Henry VI of England is crowned King of France at Notre Dame in Paris.

Somewhere in England Matt is rejoicing.

Virgin Territory

American Pie + the Middle Ages = ?

On the third day of Christmas the MSCU gave to me...

... three books of Dante,

two feuding popes,

and Dr Kwakkel in a library.

Time traveling US bombers and the medieval abyss

While trolling the world wide web for news about the Middle Ages, I 've noticed an interesting trend - mass media tends to link modern Islam with the Middle Ages. With very few exceptions, this connection is derogatory.

Buzz words like "medieval ignorance," "dark age thinking," and "medieval violence" are used to describe the state of Islam today. These phrases are used to highlight cases in which Islam is practiced in a manner which goes against Western mores. It is done to delineate 'us' from 'them.' 'We' are modern and civilized; 'they' are medieval and barbaric.

The use of the term medieval in such a manner implies that Western society has overcome its medieval heritage and left any remnant of it behind. It implies a sharp detachment between the West and its medieval past. In my opinion, this is a sign of the lack of historical consciousness in modern society. While we as a society do no longer live in the Middle Ages, the medieval past informs the present to large degree. Law, commerce, education, politics, and culture are still informed by the Middle Ages.

The medieval still influences the modern. In this regard, Western and Islamic society are more similar than the media may imagine.

"Although we cannot export democracy as if it were Coca-Cola or KFC, we can nurture moderate forces in places where al Qaeda is seeking to replace modern evil with medieval evil."

"The U.S. Air Force was dropping 15,000-pound "daisy cutter" bombs on medieval Afghanistan at the time."

"Insistence on such ideas can only drag the Muslims further into a medieval abyss."

"Indeed, their detractors circulated many medieval legends and misconceptions about their teachings and practices."

MSCU Recipe: Veal Tart with Cream

Today's Recipe: Veal Tart with Cream

3/4 pounds veal
3 eggs
1 cup cream
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
2 Tbsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt

1.) Bake the veal in a covered dish for about 45 minutes at 350°F.

2.) Let cool and then chop into fine pieces. Set aside.

3.) Beat eggs in a large bowl. Add cream and spices and mix well.

4.) Add chopped veal to the mixture and pour into pie shell.

5.) Cover with top crust and bake at 350°F until done - about an hour.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

From: Medieval Cookery.com

On the second day of Christmas the MSCU gave to me...

... two feuding popes.

And Dr Kwakkel in a library.

MSCU Recipe: Snowe

Today's recipe: Snowe ('e' optional)

1 cup cream
1 egg
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. rose water

1. Separate egg, discarding yolk.

2. Stir egg white in a large bowl.

3. Add cream, sugar, and rose water.

4. Whisk until mixture will not drip out of whisk. Strain to remove whey if necessary.

5. Serve with wafers.

From: Medieval Cookery.com

On the first day of Christmas the MSCU gave to me...

... Dr Kwakkel in a library.

MSCU Recipe: Cherry Torte

With the ever-nearing holiday season, I (Ryan) thought that now would be a good time to unveil a new feature - MSCU Recipes. Now that we as students have finished yet another season of essay and exam writing, we now (in theory) have more time on our hands. If anyone out there on the world wide web feels lost without the controlled chaos of school, I have a suggest - try cooking.

Christmas is the time for giving and sharing. What better time of year than to share with your loved ones the fruits of your culinary labours. Once a day for the rest of December I will post a recipe which hails from the Medieval past. Bon appetite!

Cherry Torte:

1 pound cherries
1 pound ricotta cheese
1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs
1/2 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. cinnamon (cassia)
1/8 cup rose petals
1 pinch black pepper
1 Tbsp. rose water

1. Grind cherries and rose petals - if canned cherries are used then drain them before and after grinding, and be careful not to puree them.

(Note that the flavor of the pie is altered drastically by using dried cherries, giving the finished product a much stronger "raisin-spice" flavor.)

2. Mix ground cherries, ricotta, sugar, and eggs. Add ginger, cinnamon, pepper, and rose petals. Mix well and pour into unbaked pie crust.

3. Cover with top crust and bake at 350°F until top crust is golden brown.

4. Just before serving, make a small hole in the top crust and pour in rosewater.

From: Medieval Cookery.com

Mystery of Sussex church solved by archaeology students

A redundant Sussex church has had its own Da Vinci Code moment after a husband and wife historian team dug around in the archives to unravel some of its secrets. As a result, bishops and local dignitaries attended the small church on December 8 2007 for a special ceremony of rededication.

Tony and Lesley Voice began researching the past of North Stoke Church, near Arundel, West Sussex, as part of a church archaeology course at the University of Sussex. On discovering a letter from the 13th century at the National Archives, Kew, they solved a centuries-old mystery surrounding the church.

The medieval church was not known to be dedicated to a particular saint – unusual for a church

of this time. However, when Tony found a scrap of a vellum letter dated 1275 from the Bishop of Chichester to King Edward I, the no-name riddle was no more.

The letter offered proof that the church was in fact dedicated to St Mary the Virgin – a fact lost since the Reformation. It also explained why there are rare surviving medieval stained glass fragments depicting the Annunciation (many churches were stripped of their stained glass during the Reformation).

“I found the letter by accident really, as it was attached to another document,” explained Tony. “It was without doubt the most exciting discovery I have made in all my years of archival research. I am filled with a great sense of pride that such an historic building is regaining its true status.”

As well as their archival research, Tony and Lesley studied the building’s carvings and other ornamentation to piece together its history.

“I always think the investigation of a building should be combined with in-depth documentary research to try to discover the reasons for a particular feature or, as in the case of North Stoke Church, why it was such a richly ornamented church for a parish that always had a small population,” said Tony.

The thorough research paid off, as the Voices discovered other aspects of the now redundant church’s history. They found that its aristocratic benefactor was William FitzAlan of Arundel, who was also patron of an important Augustinian abbey in Shropshire.

When a new abbot was to be installed, rather than travel to Shropshire, FitzAlan would have the important services held at his Sussex church, St Mary’s. This explains why such ornate decoration, such as the carved heads of some Augustinian monks, exist in such an obscure location.

“Church archaeology is a bit like detective work,” said course tutor Bob Hutchinson. “It’s real-life Da Vinci Code stuff. Buildings like churches offer lots of clues about their past, but this find is quite special.”

The Churches Conservation Trust, which looks after churches that are no longer used for regular worship, is the custodian of St Mary’s. As a result of the research, the Trust held a rededication ceremony at the North Stoke church, attended by the Roman Catholic Bishop of Arundel, Kieran Conry, and the Anglican Bishop of Horsham, Lindsay Urwin.

Other guests included the Duke and Duchess of Norfolk (residents of Arundel Castle), Mr Ian Field (the High Sheriff of Sussex), Mr Hugh Wyatt (Lord Lieutenant) and the Chief Executive of the Trust, Crispin Truman. Fr Anthony Maggs represented the Augustinian Canons, who owned the church in the Middle Ages.

The church archaeology course (The Recording of a Sussex Church) is arranged by the Centre for Continuing Education at the University of Sussex and runs annually. The open course analyses and records the archaeology of a different medieval church each year, looking at written descriptions, drawings, measurements, photographs and sometimes geophysical sensing.

From: 24hourmuseum.org.uk

Exams and essays got you down? Just remember...

...et notre galaxie n'est qu'une parmi des milliards dans cet incroyable univers en expansion.

Napoleonic Era views still persist in the Modern media

Despite any calls to reason I have made on this blog, a Zhou Dynasty mentality persists in the Modern media. Such Nara period ignorance flies in the face of rational, Medieval thought. Fight such small-minded Age of Discovery prejudice!

WARNING: May clause the scratching of heads and/or other body parts.

"...a brutal scene, which should rightly belong only to a medieval age, was seen at Bara, in Khyber Agency."

"The translation of the Bible into English marked the birth of religious fundamentalism in medieval times, as well as the persecution that often comes with radical adherence in any era, according to a new book."

"For Catholics like myself, the notion that companies or people can offset polluting behaviour by buying credits in the hope that another company in some distant place might plant trees or use the cash to invest in technologies that reduced their footprint (but not yours) has always seemed rather medieval."

"...a tax burden that is even more excessive than that borne by medieval serfs."

"“Rendered” to Afghanistan, El-Banna and al-Rawi were first held in the “Dark Prison,” a secret, CIA-run prison near Kabul, whose medieval savagery was supplemented by the addition of non-stop amplified music and noise, and were transferred to Guantánamo in March 2003."

"The lawyer for British resident Binyam Mohamed says his client was subjected to "medieval torture" during 18 months in captivity, and that any evidence against him came from torture."

Remember - only you can stop Meiji era sterotypes.

Don't worry - exams will pass. All you have to do is...

... always look on the bright side of life.

Tomorrow in the Middle Ages

11th December, 1282 - Llywelyn the Last, the last native Prince of Wales, is killed at Cilmeri in south Wales

Wow, that was a really appropriate name. Funny how that works...

12th Century Castle Gets Inside/Outside WLAN

Kilkenny Castle’s last major renovation was during the reign of Queen Victoria. Recently, though, it went through a definitively modern adjustment, one which is mostly invisible to the naked eye. The 12th century Irish castle, formerly home to the Marquesses and Dukes of Ormonde, is now home to an indoor/outdoor WLAN.

“Until recently, Kilkenny Castle was completely un-networked,” says Paul Smith, IT Project Manager at the castle. “Only a few staff had Internet access and it was via a dial-up connection, which was extremely slow. There was no file or print sharing, and we had to dial-up to get our e-mail. It was a pretty medieval arrangement.”

Because the castle is a world heritage site, making structural modifications was basically impossible, which made a Wi-Fi network the obvious choice.

Motorola deployed a WLAN using the Motorola WS5100 wireless switch, a number of 802.11b/g access ports, and several Motorola PTP 400 series wireless point-to-point Ethernet bridges to provide wireless coverage around the site.

The thickness of the stone walls provided a special challenge to Motorola. The solution resulted in the first deployment to integrate former Symbol equipment with legacy Motorola Enterprise Mobility technology into a seamless inside/outside wireless solution.

The walls provided too much of a barrier for a typical Motorola point-to-point canopy network to be effective at Kilkenny; yet, a traditional Motorola Wi-Fi solution wouldn’t provide enough signal to cover the distance between the buildings at this site. As a result, Motorola improvised a solution that combines indoor and outdoor technologies to create a ubiquitous network.

Now the 60 staff onsite at Kilkenny have access to e-mail, the Web, and file-sharing capabilities more in keeping with modern times. The new network has also become the source of a new revenue stream, as users of the on-site conference center area can now pay to access the broadband Wi-Fi network.

“We have completely networked the site with a minimal number of alterations,” says Smith. “We presently have around 90% coverage in the castle, which is impressive considering that in places the walls are very thick, and there are six floors and three long wings to the building. The installation only took four days and did not disrupt the guided tours of the castle, which would have meant a loss of revenue.”

From: Wi-fiplanet.com

Palace of Augustus in Rome to Reopen

Emperor Augustus' frescoed palace atop Rome's Palatine Hill, one of the city's famous seven hills, will partially reopen to the public March 2 after decades of restoration work, officials said Monday.

Since the palace was closed in the 1980s, experts have spent at least $17.6 million to restore the porticoed garden of Rome's first emperor and piece together precious frescoes that time had reduced to fragments. The palace was built in the first century B.C.

Groups of up to 10 people will be guided through the decorative marvels in Augustus' studio and in the hall where the emperor received guests, as well as rooms in the nearby palace built for his wife, Livia.

"We can finally enter into these places that have been preserved for some 2,000 years," said Rome Mayor Walter Veltroni.

Restoration of other parts of the residence will continue, officials said.

Augustus seized control in the power struggles following the assassination of his great-uncle, Julius Caesar, and ruled Rome from 29 B.C. until his death in A.D. 14. Revered by contemporaries as a wise and godlike leader, he ushered in a period of peace and prosperity for the empire.

The word "palace" comes from the name of the Roman hill, once the place of choice for Rome's rich and powerful and today a treasure trove for archaeologists.

Last month, officials unveiled an underground grotto next to Augustus' palace and believed to have been revered by ancient Romans as the place where a wolf nursed the city's legendary founder Romulus and his twin brother, Remus.

The Palatine is honeycombed with ruins, from the eighth century B.C. remains of Rome's first huts to a medieval fortress and Renaissance villas. The remains are fragile and plagued by collapses, forcing officials to close many of the sites to the public.

From: Associated Press.com

Early Copy of Magna Carta on Sale in NYC

DISCLAIMER: The Medieval Studies Course Union in no way supports or agrees with the historical suppositions put forth by this news article.

In the year 1215, a group of English barons handed King John a document written on parchment. Put your royal seal on this, they said. John did, and forever changed the relationship between the monarchy and those it governed.

The document was the Magna Carta, a declaration of human rights that would set some of the guiding principles for democracy as it is known today.

While that original edict was initially ignored and John died the next year, its key ideas were included in other variations over the next few decades, most notably the right of Habeas Corpus, which protects citizens against unlawful imprisonment. More than 800 years later, about 17 copies survive, and one of those, signed by King Edward I in 1297, will go up for sale Dec. 18 at Sotheby's.

The document, which Sotheby's vice chairman David Redden calls "the most important document in the world," is expected to fetch a record $20-30 million.

While earlier versions of the royal edict were written and then ignored, Redden said, "the 1297 Magna Carta became the operative version, the one that was entered into English common law and became the law of the land," ultimately effecting democracies around the world.

Today, its impact is felt by perhaps a third of the world's people, he said. This includes all of North America, India, Pakistan, much of Africa, Australia and other areas that made up the British Commonwealth.

"When it's something as enormously important as this, you try to get a handle on it," he said. "It is absolutely correct to say the Magna Carta is the birth certificate of freedom. It states the bedrock principle that no person is above the law — that is the essence of it."

Only two copies of the Magna Carta exist outside Britain, one in Australia and the one Sotheby's is auctioning off.

An earlier Magna Carta version was loaned by Britain to the United States for its bicentennial celebration in 1976, but suggestions that it be made a permanent gift were rejected.

The 1279 Magna Carta was forced on Edward I by barons unhappy over taxes imposed to pay for his military campaigns in France, Wales and against Scottish rebel William Wallace. The levies were approved in the king's absence by his 13-year-old son, Prince Edward.

Written in medieval Latin on sheepskin that after 710 years remains intact and legible, the 1297 Magna Carta was owned for five centuries by a British family that put it up for sale in the early 1980s.

From 1988 until a few months ago, it was exhibited in a custom-designed, gold-plated container at the National Archives in Washington, a few feet from its direct descendants, the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution.

"As the only non-American document in there, many would love to see it go back" on display, said Redden, who will wield the hammer. He said the auction will be open to the public, but being a single lot sale, might not take longer than five minutes.

From: Associated Press

Medieval village could be sold

An important historical site in Northamptonshire could be sold off by the county council to a group better placed to preserve the medieval village.

Plans to ensure the preservation of the Chester Farm site in Wellingborough will go before the county council next week.

The site includes a listed farm and associated buildings plus the site of a deserted medieval village and of a Roman town.

The council has owned the site since 2004 but is considering selling the land to an individual or organisation more able to provide the funding needed to preserve its historical heritage and long-term future of the area.

Cabinet member for commercial operations, Andre Gonzalez de Savage, said: "Chester Farm is a unique heritage asset. "

The possible sale is an opportunity to draw some reinvestment into the site to realise its potential. This is a positive step in planning for the future care of this important place."

The site will only be sold if the council receives is convinced the site will be preserved and new owners meet the requirements that have been set out for safeguarding the heritage, he said.

From: Peterboroughtoday.co.uk

Today in the Middle Ages

6th December, 343 - Saint Nicholas dies...

... wait. Santa Claus is dead? But why would my parents lie to me?