Krisztina Ilko

Wild medieval saints! 🔥🔥🔥 Dragons and miraculously sprouting cherry twigs. An evil walnut tree growing above the tomb of Nero. For these and much more in my book, 'The Sons of St Augustine' (OUP), I am delighted to share the wonderful media release that Cambridge published this morning:

Very much looking forward to @imc-leeds.bsky.social next week where @drkrisztinailko.bsky.social and I have organised two panels on the Transformation of Political Culture in the High Middle Ages following on from the conference held in the @dependencybonn.de last year. We hope to see you there!

Happening today! 👇

It is sad to hear that Carlo Ginzburg has passed away. He gave a talk last year in Cambridge, and I feel so lucky to have had the chance to meet him!

I am thrilled to invite you to the book launch of The Sons of St Augustine taking place at 5pm on Wednesday 17th June in Old Hall at Queens', with a fantastic lineup of presenters! Followed by a drinks reception, too. All are welcome, and no registration is needed. Please share widely!

Pour mes amis français! theconversation.com/au-moyen-age...

Proofs! My next article, 'Jefferson's Chess Set' will be published in The American Historical Review later this year. Having an article in this journal is a thing now off from my bucket list.

Today's featured title: "The Sons of St Augustine: Art and Memory in the Augustinian Churches of Central Italy, 1256–1370," by Kristztina Ilko, Oxford University Press, 2026 @academic.oup.com @drkrisztinailko.bsky.social global.oup.com/academic/pro...

The medieval world was brutal. Fortunately, it had chess. An award-winning study by @queens.cam.ac.uk Dr Krisztina Ilko reveals that chess promoted racial harmony in remarkable ways, celebrating intellectual prowess, irrespective of skin colour. Explore the full story 👇 https://bit.ly/4bPYU4X

Check mates!

The next History of Liturgy Seminar is in London @ihr.bsky.social on Monday 16 Feb 17.30. The award-winning @drkrisztinailko.bsky.social on The Augustinian Friars & their Liturgical Cult of Saint Augustine. In-person (chat! drinks! people!) or online: www.history.ac.uk/news-events/... #medievalsky

Many congratulations to @drkrisztinailko.bsky.social for winning the @medievalacademy.bsky.social prize for best article in critical race studies!

Proofs!

Lent 2026 Term Card for the Cambridge Medieval History Research Seminar. All sessions take place at 4pm in Sidgwick Lecture Block Room 5!

With the first copy of The Sons of St Augustine!

Leo XIV is the 1st Augustinian Pope, but did you know that his order once performed green-fingered, dragon-slaying miracles? @drkrisztinailko.bsky.social from @camhistory.bsky.social @queens.cam.ac.uk reveals the forgotten lives of these wild medieval saints 👇 https://bit.ly/4rP25Qj #skystorians 🗃️

Queens' JRF (@camhistory.bsky.social) @drkrisztinailko.bsky.social's new book, The Sons of St Augustine, challenges major assumptions about the medieval Catholic Church and early Renaissance. Read more about her publication on our website, and the Cambridge University press release.

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Artist: what would you like on your coat of arms? Lady: a giant skeleton fish. Artist: say no more.

What is the point of an index if the page numbers "may, on occasion, appear on only one" of the pages listed? Apparently, this is for the benefit of the digital users. But what about the benefit of the readers of the actual physical book? #academicpublishing

Book cover plan, now complete with the blurb on the back! 📕

Book proofs! Very exciting to see this coming together at last. global.oup.com/academic/pro...

Just a quick reminder that we are still eagerly awaiting your paper proposals for the next IMC! ⏰🎓👇 @imc-leeds.bsky.social

Very excited to spread the news that @ryan1992reading.bsky.social and I are organising a session for the Leeds IMC next year on political culture in the High Middle Ages! Please drop us a message if interested and share widely.

The College intends to appoint a Junior Research Fellow (JRF) from 1 October 2026 in each of the following subject areas: Music and Pure Mathematics/Mathematical Statistics. For more information visit our vacancies page on our website: www.queens.cam.ac.uk/about-us/vac...

For the fans of the eleventh century (there are dozens of us!), here's a 30% pre-order discount from @oxunipress.bsky.social on my book, due out next month.

A gigantic stack of copyedits to read through over the weekend!

Dieses Zinnpferdchen vom Konstanzer Fischmarkt aus der Zeit des 14./15.Jahrhunderts war das Spielzeug eines Kindes der Oberschicht. Auch Kinder aus weniger wohlhabenden Familien spielten im Mittelalter gerne mit Tierfiguren, jedoch waren diese aus Holz oder Ton gefertigt. 🏺

The Broletto is the main civic complex in Novara. The building is famous for its purist reconstruction in the 19th century, but I would love to know if the frescoes on the upper rim have some historical basis. So many fantastic belligerent figures!

Sadly, the diocesan museum in Novara doesn’t maintain the hours listed online…

The cathedral of Novara has been rebuilt, but it preserves some 12th-c. spolia and a handsome 15th-c. reliquary bust of the 11th-c. saint Bernard of Aosta.

Cheers from Novara! I have two hours until the archives open - so I will be exploring the city.

'Jinty Nelson in Thirteen Articles', edited by Alice Rio bit.ly/46WkC5j New in 'Transactions', a special essay celebrating the work of medieval historian Jinty Nelson (1942-2024). Thirteen historians choose articles (1977-2016) that have had a lasting impression on their own careers #Skystorians

A semi-serious question: why are medieval lions moustachioed?

Having read the full manuscript, I can confirm that this will be *excellent*.

Here to spread the word that my book, 'The Sons of St Augustine', is now on OUP's site. 📕🎉 Forthcoming in November/December 2025: global.oup.com/academic/pro...