medievalism

Medievalism is the phenomenon by which modern cultures seek, reuse, or reinterpret the Middle Ages, a broad time span roughly from the 5th to the late 15th century. It encompasses scholarly study as well as popular culture, including literature, art, architecture, film, games, and political discourse. The term covers both serious historical inquiry into medieval societies and the deliberate revival or reinvention of medieval motifs such as knights, castles, monastic life, Arthurian legend, crusades, and feudal systems.

Origins and scope: In academia, medievalism is part of medieval studies, examining sources, institutions, and daily life of medieval peoples. In culture, it manifests as Gothic architecture, historical romances, fantasy literature, role-playing games, and period dramas, as well as nationalist or religious rhetoric that invokes chivalric ideals.

Historical development: Romanticism and rising nationalism in the 18th and 19th centuries stimulated renewed interest in the medieval past. The Gothic Revival of architecture and the historicist arts celebrated medieval forms. The 19th‑ and early 20th‑century fiction of Walter Scott and others popularized medieval themes; later, fantasy writers such as J. R. R. Tolkien and filmmakers expanded medievalist imagery for contemporary audiences.

Critiques and tensions: Medievalism can romanticize realities of disease, conflict, and social hierarchy; it can influence nationalist narratives or xenophobic stereotypes; scholars stress distinguishing historical facts from myths and aesthetic conventions.

Impact: Medievalism shapes heritage practices, museums, festivals, and tourism; it informs design, education, and entertainment, and continues to adapt through modern media.