Lydia Zeldenrust

Lydia Zeldenrust is a historian specialising in literature of the late medieval period, and lecturer in Middle English literature at the University of Glasgow.

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William Caxton shows off his new press in Westminster to Edward IV in a 19th-century painting (Photo by Artepics / Alamy Stock Photo)

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How William Caxton printed the first-ever book in English. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

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The book that transformed medieval England. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

Perceval meets the Fisher King in an illustration for Chrétien de Troyes’ 12th-century Perceval, The Story of the Grail

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How to write a medieval romance

Medieval romances were sometimes considered subversive material. This scene from the Roman de la Rose, written in the 13th century, depict two lovers. In later centuries, it was said romances “inflamed beastly and filthy desire”

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The Mills & Boon of the Middle Ages? Unpicking the mysteries of medieval romances

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Knights, dragons and beasts: the strange world of medieval romances. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A scene from Perceval, one of the Arthurian romances attributed to Chretien De Troyes

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Lydia Zeldenrust

How William Caxton printed the first-ever book in English. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

The book that transformed medieval England. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

How to write a medieval romance

The Mills & Boon of the Middle Ages? Unpicking the mysteries of medieval romances

Knights, dragons and beasts: the strange world of medieval romances. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

Who was Chrétien de Troyes, and why are his Arthurian romances important?

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Lydia Zeldenrust

How William Caxton printed the first-ever book in English. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

The book that transformed medieval England. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

How to write a medieval romance

The Mills & Boon of the Middle Ages? Unpicking the mysteries of medieval romances

Knights, dragons and beasts: the strange world of medieval romances. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

Who was Chrétien de Troyes, and why are his Arthurian romances important?

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Subscribe to BBC History Magazine

USA Subscription offer!

HistoryExtra podcast