Chris Herde - Medieval Joy Edition
@mustachiomusketeer.bsky.social
PhD Student in medieval history at UW Madison. Games, sports, and competition in the medieval Mediterranean and the Mamluk Sultanate. Medievalism and Medieval Joy
No AI
Do not @me about chess.
Hazard Yet Forward
No AI
Do not @me about chess.
Hazard Yet Forward
Following @thatnatt.bsky.social's lead, here are my top 10 (ish, we'll see if I stick to that limit) game recommendations for the Historian in your life
December 12, 2025 at 9:52 PM
Following @thatnatt.bsky.social's lead, here are my top 10 (ish, we'll see if I stick to that limit) game recommendations for the Historian in your life
Reposted by Chris Herde - Medieval Joy Edition
Okay, as promised, here are my 25 boardgames that would make good presents for historians or the historically-inclined.
- I've played them and enjoyed them
- They have to have a historical theme or be related to the practice of history
- They were within the first 25 I thought of...
- I've played them and enjoyed them
- They have to have a historical theme or be related to the practice of history
- They were within the first 25 I thought of...
December 11, 2025 at 7:35 PM
Okay, as promised, here are my 25 boardgames that would make good presents for historians or the historically-inclined.
- I've played them and enjoyed them
- They have to have a historical theme or be related to the practice of history
- They were within the first 25 I thought of...
- I've played them and enjoyed them
- They have to have a historical theme or be related to the practice of history
- They were within the first 25 I thought of...
Reposted by Chris Herde - Medieval Joy Edition
one thing I do worry about with all this, arguing over ai aside, is giving kids the impression that only perfect and realistic artwork is worth it and they shouldn’t even try
December 10, 2025 at 12:25 AM
one thing I do worry about with all this, arguing over ai aside, is giving kids the impression that only perfect and realistic artwork is worth it and they shouldn’t even try
Is anyone attending the Mamluk Studies conference in Philadelphia this July and looking for a panel? Esp. people who work on the use or understanding of animals/nature in Middle Islamic martial, scientific, economic or social contexts? I've got 2 panel members and need a 3rd before I can propose
December 3, 2025 at 4:49 PM
Is anyone attending the Mamluk Studies conference in Philadelphia this July and looking for a panel? Esp. people who work on the use or understanding of animals/nature in Middle Islamic martial, scientific, economic or social contexts? I've got 2 panel members and need a 3rd before I can propose
Do you or any of your colleagues (especially those who teach STEM) have an interest in recreating medieval technology?
Inspired by my all-too-brief interactions with the late Dr. Tom Mcleish and @uoyarchaeology.bsky.social I'm looking for friends or collaborators to try a thing!
Inspired by my all-too-brief interactions with the late Dr. Tom Mcleish and @uoyarchaeology.bsky.social I'm looking for friends or collaborators to try a thing!
December 3, 2025 at 3:55 PM
Do you or any of your colleagues (especially those who teach STEM) have an interest in recreating medieval technology?
Inspired by my all-too-brief interactions with the late Dr. Tom Mcleish and @uoyarchaeology.bsky.social I'm looking for friends or collaborators to try a thing!
Inspired by my all-too-brief interactions with the late Dr. Tom Mcleish and @uoyarchaeology.bsky.social I'm looking for friends or collaborators to try a thing!
Anyone else going to the Medievalists Design Games conference at UChicago this weekend?
December 3, 2025 at 3:34 PM
Anyone else going to the Medievalists Design Games conference at UChicago this weekend?
Absolutely reposting this so I can find it later. #NewberryLibrary bringing the #MedievalJoy!
Bookish Holiday Fun and Games For... YOU!
Now in its sixth year, for this #NewberryLibrary Advent Calendar, we'll play around with the collection! Cards, Board Games, Puzzles, Gambling...
What's up first?
CHESS!
December 1 (1/24)
Here's last year's extra-shiny offering:
bsky.app/profile/drka...
Now in its sixth year, for this #NewberryLibrary Advent Calendar, we'll play around with the collection! Cards, Board Games, Puzzles, Gambling...
What's up first?
CHESS!
December 1 (1/24)
Here's last year's extra-shiny offering:
bsky.app/profile/drka...
December 3, 2025 at 3:33 PM
Absolutely reposting this so I can find it later. #NewberryLibrary bringing the #MedievalJoy!
Reposted by Chris Herde - Medieval Joy Edition
I’ve never used Ch*tGPT. I’ve never wanted to or had a single moment when I thought it would be helpful. I realise my work is very specific, but whenever I see people talk about using it or ‘needing’ it ngl in my head I’m just thinking ‘skill issue’.
November 24, 2025 at 10:22 PM
I’ve never used Ch*tGPT. I’ve never wanted to or had a single moment when I thought it would be helpful. I realise my work is very specific, but whenever I see people talk about using it or ‘needing’ it ngl in my head I’m just thinking ‘skill issue’.
No #medievaljoy only #medievalscreaming today.
After 2 months of waiting for the Turkish directorate of archives to send me scans of the only extant copy of the 39th and final volume of al-Yunini's chronicle, I finally recieved a full scan of...Volume 4.
After 2 months of waiting for the Turkish directorate of archives to send me scans of the only extant copy of the 39th and final volume of al-Yunini's chronicle, I finally recieved a full scan of...Volume 4.
November 21, 2025 at 5:32 PM
No #medievaljoy only #medievalscreaming today.
After 2 months of waiting for the Turkish directorate of archives to send me scans of the only extant copy of the 39th and final volume of al-Yunini's chronicle, I finally recieved a full scan of...Volume 4.
After 2 months of waiting for the Turkish directorate of archives to send me scans of the only extant copy of the 39th and final volume of al-Yunini's chronicle, I finally recieved a full scan of...Volume 4.
Ok. Day 3 of Protospiel Madison. As long as I can connect an IV full of tea to my throat, I should be fine.
November 16, 2025 at 1:20 PM
Ok. Day 3 of Protospiel Madison. As long as I can connect an IV full of tea to my throat, I should be fine.
If you had any interest in playing GTA 6 or giving this company money in any other forum, please don't. At least not until they make this right and do one hell of an apology tour. And voluntarily recognize their employee union.
There are other games you can play on the meantime.
#fuckpinkertons
There are other games you can play on the meantime.
#fuckpinkertons
I went to meet the 'Rockstar 31', the developers who were suddenly fired from their work on GTA 6 for what the studio has described as gross misconduct.
That's not what the workers call it though. They have another couple of words they prefer to use: union busting.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9nO...
That's not what the workers call it though. They have another couple of words they prefer to use: union busting.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9nO...
The Rockstar Workers Fired Before They Could Finish GTA 6
YouTube video by People Make Games
www.youtube.com
November 12, 2025 at 12:56 PM
If you had any interest in playing GTA 6 or giving this company money in any other forum, please don't. At least not until they make this right and do one hell of an apology tour. And voluntarily recognize their employee union.
There are other games you can play on the meantime.
#fuckpinkertons
There are other games you can play on the meantime.
#fuckpinkertons
الشعب يريد إسقاط النظام
September 18, 2025 at 9:55 PM
الشعب يريد إسقاط النظام
Reposted by Chris Herde - Medieval Joy Edition
shoutout to tumblr user kleinergeist for this post which is going straight into my powerpoint for Grendel day in my monster class this week
September 14, 2025 at 3:12 PM
@greenleejw.bsky.social I didn't know you you were a canonical npc in the Baldur's Gate world!
September 2, 2025 at 5:54 PM
@greenleejw.bsky.social I didn't know you you were a canonical npc in the Baldur's Gate world!
You can tell this is a serious, scientific treatise on medieval sport bc the author keeps reiterating that the size of the field, number of players, etc. should remain consistent with current astrological conditions.
August 28, 2025 at 5:28 PM
You can tell this is a serious, scientific treatise on medieval sport bc the author keeps reiterating that the size of the field, number of players, etc. should remain consistent with current astrological conditions.
Some nerds acquiring #medievaljoy in Bristol this weekend
August 24, 2025 at 2:53 PM
Some nerds acquiring #medievaljoy in Bristol this weekend
Feeling cute, might descend into an infinite recursion later.
1/
1/
August 20, 2025 at 9:30 PM
Feeling cute, might descend into an infinite recursion later.
1/
1/
August 20, 2025 at 4:18 AM
The Royal "We" implies the existence of a Peasant "We", logically used to denote "everyone except me."
Example: "When he talks about how much work 'we' did on the project, I assume he's using the Peasant We, seeing as he contributed fuck all."
Example: "When he talks about how much work 'we' did on the project, I assume he's using the Peasant We, seeing as he contributed fuck all."
August 15, 2025 at 12:53 PM
The Royal "We" implies the existence of a Peasant "We", logically used to denote "everyone except me."
Example: "When he talks about how much work 'we' did on the project, I assume he's using the Peasant We, seeing as he contributed fuck all."
Example: "When he talks about how much work 'we' did on the project, I assume he's using the Peasant We, seeing as he contributed fuck all."
Reposted by Chris Herde - Medieval Joy Edition
As always, Ted Chiang is great in this interview.
cdh.princeton.edu/blog/2025/08...
cdh.princeton.edu/blog/2025/08...
August 14, 2025 at 1:24 AM
As always, Ted Chiang is great in this interview.
cdh.princeton.edu/blog/2025/08...
cdh.princeton.edu/blog/2025/08...
Queck
Queck indeed.
British Library, 14th c. Add. 49.622
British Library, 14th c. Add. 49.622
August 3, 2025 at 11:12 PM
Queck
A little late to the party, but i ended up watching the Kpop demon hunters film, and I'm not sure I'm thrilled overall.
July 23, 2025 at 7:41 PM
A little late to the party, but i ended up watching the Kpop demon hunters film, and I'm not sure I'm thrilled overall.
It's not lost on me that the new joke party's tagline is conspicuously missing its punchline:
"we've tried red, we've tried blue."
Oh? What color do you see yourself as in this analogy, then?
What color do you think America is, muskrat?
"we've tried red, we've tried blue."
Oh? What color do you see yourself as in this analogy, then?
What color do you think America is, muskrat?
July 7, 2025 at 5:38 AM
It's not lost on me that the new joke party's tagline is conspicuously missing its punchline:
"we've tried red, we've tried blue."
Oh? What color do you see yourself as in this analogy, then?
What color do you think America is, muskrat?
"we've tried red, we've tried blue."
Oh? What color do you see yourself as in this analogy, then?
What color do you think America is, muskrat?
أحب زوجتي المزدوجة
Fun fact: Arabic’s term for LGBT
“the M community”
مجتمع الميم
is kinda 4M because the four words begun with M
مثلية
mithliya (“same-er” in feminine form, lesbian)
مثلي
mithli (“same-er” in masculine form, gay)
مزدوج
mazduj (“both-er”, bisexual)
مغير
mughayr (“changer”, transgender)
“the M community”
مجتمع الميم
is kinda 4M because the four words begun with M
مثلية
mithliya (“same-er” in feminine form, lesbian)
مثلي
mithli (“same-er” in masculine form, gay)
مزدوج
mazduj (“both-er”, bisexual)
مغير
mughayr (“changer”, transgender)
like so
June 21, 2025 at 9:24 PM
أحب زوجتي المزدوجة