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“There is nothing that befalls travelers of which I did not have my share, barring begging and grievous sin.” These are the words of al-Maqdisi, a geographer who lived in the tenth century. The story he tells of his own life seems to have had its shares of ups and downs.Shams al-Dīn al-Maqdisī was born in Jerusalem around the year 946 to a middle class family.

William of Volpiano in Normandy : Current PositionGazeau, Véronique (Université de Caen Basse-Normandie)Tabularia « Études », n° 2, (2002)AbstractRichard II’s appeal to William of Volpiano, an Italian-Burgundian reformer in 1001, must be regarded as an important stage in the revival of monasticism in the Norman principality.

What was life really like within a medieval monastery? This week, Danièle is joined by Peter Konieczny to take a look at the Chronicle of the Abbey of Bury St. Written by Jocelin of Brakelond at the turn of the thirteenth century, it’s a surprising story of money, power and gossip within the abbey.See also: Tips on being a good CEO from a medieval abbotSee also: Jocelin of Brakelond and the power of Abbot SamsonYou can read the Chronicle through a translation by Ernest Clarke, which dates from 1903, and is available through Archive.

Canterbury Roll now available onlineIn New Zealand, University of Canterbury staff and students are working to translate and digitise a unique medieval manuscript to make it accessible to the world. This month a team of British scientists will visit Christchurch to reveal hidden information about the 600-year-old scroll’s origins.

The full list of speakers for the 2015 Richard Hall Symposium has been announced, with new research and discussions concerning women in early medieval history included in the programme.Following the confirmation of its three key-note speakers, including Dr David Petts from the University of Durham discussing his new research on excavations in Lindisfarne, which was infamously raided by Vikings in the 9th century, the Richard Hall Symposium now also includes speakers from around the Viking influenced world who will examine the theme of “Researching and Representing the Early Medieval”.