In this issue, we look at medieval villains – not the ones that readily come to mind, but a few you may have not heard of before.

Were these rulers, clerics, empresses, and allegorical figures really “bad,” or were they victims of political propaganda written by contemporaries and later historians to forever tarnish their reputations?

Was Frederick II Hohenstaufen truly a tyrant or just a misunderstood genius? We get to hear an unusual tale about a bishop who got too big for his britches and became a bandit. In Byzantium, we examine the rule of Isaac Komnenos and ask: renegade emperor or villain? Travelling further East, we look at the much-maligned reputation of Princess Wu and separate the fact from the fiction surrounding her rule in Imperial China. Last in our theme, we see that not all “villains” are human, and we discover what the term “to curry favor” has to do with an evil medieval horse!

Outside of our theme, we look at powerful women in Old Norse legends, and we evaluate the role of kings as protectors in the stories of Havelock the Dane and King Arthur.

This has been a difficult year for so many of us, personally and professionally. Here’s to a brighter future and a new year filled with hope and better days. Until we meet again in January 2021, we wish you and yours a safe and healthy Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a Happy New Year.

Sandra & Caroline