Charles West
@pseudo-isidore.bsky.social
Professor of History at the University of Edinburgh
https://www.ed.ac.uk/profile/charles-west
https://www.ed.ac.uk/profile/charles-west
Reposted by Charles West
Does Artificial Intelligence have the potential to simplify, and ultimately impoverish, our study of the past?
Gordon McKelvie @gordonmckelvie.bsky.social considers the recent explosion in A.I. and what it might mean for historians facing the current Higher Education crisis.
Gordon McKelvie @gordonmckelvie.bsky.social considers the recent explosion in A.I. and what it might mean for historians facing the current Higher Education crisis.
Artificial Intelligence: A Warning for History
Does Artificial Intelligence have the potential to simplify, and ultimately impoverish, our study of the past? Gordon McKelvie considers the recent explosion in A.I. and what it might mean for the his...
www.historyworkshop.org.uk
November 11, 2025 at 8:13 AM
Does Artificial Intelligence have the potential to simplify, and ultimately impoverish, our study of the past?
Gordon McKelvie @gordonmckelvie.bsky.social considers the recent explosion in A.I. and what it might mean for historians facing the current Higher Education crisis.
Gordon McKelvie @gordonmckelvie.bsky.social considers the recent explosion in A.I. and what it might mean for historians facing the current Higher Education crisis.
Reposted by Charles West
Reposted by Charles West
Medieval wall uncovered as part of conservation work at St. Oswald's Priory, Gloucester built in 900 AD. 👇
BBC News - Medieval wall uncovered at historic monument in Gloucester - BBC News
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
BBC News - Medieval wall uncovered at historic monument in Gloucester - BBC News
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Medieval wall uncovered at historic monument in Gloucester
Archaeologists have carried out conservation work at St Oswald's Priory in Gloucester.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 9, 2025 at 10:28 AM
Reposted by Charles West
The Courtauld is offering a a new fully funded Peter Fergusson PhD Scholarship in English Medieval Architecture for eligible projects focusing on England from the eleventh to the early sixteenth centuries. Statement of intents are due by 17 November 2025.
Peter Fergusson PhD Scholarship in English Medieval Architecture, Courtauld, statement of intent deadline 17 November 2025
The Courtauld is offering a a new fully funded Peter Fergusson PhD Scholarship in English Medieval Architecture for eligible projects focusing on England from the eleventh to the early sixteenth centuries. Statement of intents are due by 17 November 2025.
medievalartresearch.com
November 10, 2025 at 1:16 PM
The Courtauld is offering a a new fully funded Peter Fergusson PhD Scholarship in English Medieval Architecture for eligible projects focusing on England from the eleventh to the early sixteenth centuries. Statement of intents are due by 17 November 2025.
Reposted by Charles West
Mad
This (not from that piece) is one of those charts where I am completely aware of the data but my mental map of how the global economy works still almost refuses to update to the new reality. Because the pace of change has been so rapid.
November 10, 2025 at 7:58 AM
Mad
Reposted by Charles West
Here's Rosamond McKitterick saying, the manuscript was probably produced in the North-Rhine region turn of 9th century.
www.finebooksmagazine.com/fine-books-n...
www.finebooksmagazine.com/fine-books-n...
£1m Auction Estimate for 10th Century Gospel Written by German Canonesses
A 1,000-year-old Latin Gospel manuscript believed to have been written by a community of women at Essen Abbey in Germany around the year 900 will come to auction next month at Christie's. The manuscri...
www.finebooksmagazine.com
November 9, 2025 at 7:43 PM
Here's Rosamond McKitterick saying, the manuscript was probably produced in the North-Rhine region turn of 9th century.
www.finebooksmagazine.com/fine-books-n...
www.finebooksmagazine.com/fine-books-n...
Reposted by Charles West
Today’s fun tax tip…
(It’s a similarly daft situation that railways pay tax on fuel/energy but airlines don’t pay any tax on their aviation fuel, a huge hidden subsidy)
youtu.be/dr9MH0NuUtg?...
(It’s a similarly daft situation that railways pay tax on fuel/energy but airlines don’t pay any tax on their aviation fuel, a huge hidden subsidy)
youtu.be/dr9MH0NuUtg?...
Private jets don't pay fuel tax. Now I don't either.
YouTube video by Oli Frost
youtu.be
November 9, 2025 at 2:57 PM
Today’s fun tax tip…
(It’s a similarly daft situation that railways pay tax on fuel/energy but airlines don’t pay any tax on their aviation fuel, a huge hidden subsidy)
youtu.be/dr9MH0NuUtg?...
(It’s a similarly daft situation that railways pay tax on fuel/energy but airlines don’t pay any tax on their aviation fuel, a huge hidden subsidy)
youtu.be/dr9MH0NuUtg?...
Reposted by Charles West
I doubt that the gospel was written at Essen in the early 10th c. and then remained there until 1803. The library at Essen was destroyed in mid 10th c. Therefore, it would be more likely that the Gospel book was acquired later from somewhere else.
November 9, 2025 at 4:13 PM
I doubt that the gospel was written at Essen in the early 10th c. and then remained there until 1803. The library at Essen was destroyed in mid 10th c. Therefore, it would be more likely that the Gospel book was acquired later from somewhere else.
Anyone got a spare £million? Asking for.... Well, asking for me news.artnet.com/art-world/me...
Rare Gospel Written by Medieval Women Could Fetch More Than $1 Million at Auction
A recently discovered gospel likely written by women at the abbey of Essen in the 10th century could sell for more than $1 million.
news.artnet.com
November 9, 2025 at 4:02 PM
Anyone got a spare £million? Asking for.... Well, asking for me news.artnet.com/art-world/me...
That Roman database of roads that's been in the news: treat with some caution.
Comparaison entre ce qui est connu (en rouge) et les tracés du dataset (en vert) pour l'est de la Bourgogne. Les données mises a disposition sont sans doute meilleures dans les zones où des spécialiste ont été sollicité.e.s (Egypte, etc). Bonne base de départ donc, mais a utiliser avec prudence 3/3
November 9, 2025 at 3:44 PM
That Roman database of roads that's been in the news: treat with some caution.
Reposted by Charles West
"The administration ballooned, and inside the administration the financial technocrats took over. There was less and less sympathy with Columbia as a place of thought. It was more about Columbia as an enterprise..."
www.chronicle.com/article/mahm...
www.chronicle.com/article/mahm...
Mahmood Mamdani Doesn’t Want to Talk About Zohran
The Columbia scholar, and father of the mayor-elect, on politics, academe, and antisemitism.
www.chronicle.com
November 9, 2025 at 11:09 AM
"The administration ballooned, and inside the administration the financial technocrats took over. There was less and less sympathy with Columbia as a place of thought. It was more about Columbia as an enterprise..."
www.chronicle.com/article/mahm...
www.chronicle.com/article/mahm...
I conclude that anyone hostile to a national ID scheme probably hasn't had to prove their ID recently.
November 9, 2025 at 1:19 PM
I conclude that anyone hostile to a national ID scheme probably hasn't had to prove their ID recently.
Important for anyone using Early English Books Online.
November 9, 2025 at 1:15 PM
Important for anyone using Early English Books Online.
Reposted by Charles West
Set alight by Reformation hopes and long-standing grievances, the German Peasants’ War looked like it might successfully upend the established order. Instead, it ended in catastrophe
🗝️ This article is free to read
https://bit.ly/4qzjEU6
🗝️ This article is free to read
https://bit.ly/4qzjEU6
In 1525, an army of revolting peasants seemed unstoppable – but a brutal end was on the horizon
Set alight by Reformation hopes and long-standing grievances, the German Peasants’ War looked like it might successfully upend the established order. Instead, it ended in catastrophe
bit.ly
November 9, 2025 at 1:00 PM
Set alight by Reformation hopes and long-standing grievances, the German Peasants’ War looked like it might successfully upend the established order. Instead, it ended in catastrophe
🗝️ This article is free to read
https://bit.ly/4qzjEU6
🗝️ This article is free to read
https://bit.ly/4qzjEU6
Reposted by Charles West
This is super funny. After four decades of dismissing pre-Islamic history & clinging to Islamic period symbolism, the IRI now is using things like this, a full size statue based on the famous Shapur I relief, to drum up support & get popular support. Ii doubt it will work as ppl are too jaded.
November 9, 2025 at 6:12 AM
This is super funny. After four decades of dismissing pre-Islamic history & clinging to Islamic period symbolism, the IRI now is using things like this, a full size statue based on the famous Shapur I relief, to drum up support & get popular support. Ii doubt it will work as ppl are too jaded.
Fascinated to learn there's a well-regarded novel about Wikipedia, by the technology reporter Stephen Harrison. arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025...
The Editors weaves Wikipedia’s volunteers into a global suspense tale
Fiction gives a Wikipedia expert room to explore a small but powerful community.
arstechnica.com
November 8, 2025 at 5:27 PM
Fascinated to learn there's a well-regarded novel about Wikipedia, by the technology reporter Stephen Harrison. arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025...
Reposted by Charles West
Exciting news! NWMS member @eddiemeehan99.bsky.social’s latest article Identity, exemplarity and the ideal king in early medieval Ireland has now been published in the Journal of Historical Research, academic.oup.com/histres/adva...
November 7, 2025 at 6:28 PM
Exciting news! NWMS member @eddiemeehan99.bsky.social’s latest article Identity, exemplarity and the ideal king in early medieval Ireland has now been published in the Journal of Historical Research, academic.oup.com/histres/adva...
Free online talk on Constantine the African, and his adaption of the work of al-Majūsī, next Tuesday.
Reminder
𝐃𝐨𝐧𝐭' 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞!
csmbr.fondazionecomel.org/events/onlin...
#CSMBR #OnlineLectures #CompoundMedicamentes #ConstantinetheAphrican
𝐃𝐨𝐧𝐭' 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞!
csmbr.fondazionecomel.org/events/onlin...
#CSMBR #OnlineLectures #CompoundMedicamentes #ConstantinetheAphrican
The Science of Compound Medicaments - CSMBR
This lecture explores al-Majūsī’s "Kitāb al-Malakī" and its Latin translation, showing how Book X on compound medicaments was reshaped into a new synthesis of pharmacology and philosophy.
csmbr.fondazionecomel.org
November 8, 2025 at 11:54 AM
Free online talk on Constantine the African, and his adaption of the work of al-Majūsī, next Tuesday.
Reposted by Charles West
Did Geoffrey of Monmouth write this script?
Thanks to the BBC we've just learnt that the effigies of Gog and Magog, appearing in the Lady Mayors Show are:
"representations of 2 giants captured by the Roman general Brutus, first governor of Londinium, back in the day" 🧐
Thank you
"representations of 2 giants captured by the Roman general Brutus, first governor of Londinium, back in the day" 🧐
Thank you
November 8, 2025 at 11:34 AM
Did Geoffrey of Monmouth write this script?
Reposted by Charles West
The Government have published the Curriculum and Assessment Review report and their own response. We have a short statement expressing our views.
www.history.org.uk/secondary/ne...
www.history.org.uk/secondary/ne...
Curriculum and Assessment Review Final Report – response
www.history.org.uk
November 6, 2025 at 5:37 PM
The Government have published the Curriculum and Assessment Review report and their own response. We have a short statement expressing our views.
www.history.org.uk/secondary/ne...
www.history.org.uk/secondary/ne...
An interesting time to be thinking with Wikipedia, the only "social media" to be designed to generate consensus, not division.
on.ft.com/3LNokFM
on.ft.com/3LNokFM
Why American-style polarisation is spreading across the west
New research shows how incentives in the modern media ecosystem help explain rising division and negativity
on.ft.com
November 7, 2025 at 9:24 PM
An interesting time to be thinking with Wikipedia, the only "social media" to be designed to generate consensus, not division.
on.ft.com/3LNokFM
on.ft.com/3LNokFM
Reposted by Charles West
AND HE WAS LIKE, BUT NOT MY FACE, RIGHT? AND I WAS LIKE WELL IT'S A FACE, SO
November 7, 2025 at 12:20 AM
AND HE WAS LIKE, BUT NOT MY FACE, RIGHT? AND I WAS LIKE WELL IT'S A FACE, SO
Reposted by Charles West
City of London lawyer Andrew Milne bought up hundreds of freeholds on homes across Sheffield before advising leaseholders that, if they didn’t pay him exorbitant sums (upwards of £25,000), he’d see them in court. Well done @sheffieldtribune.bsky.social @joshiherrmann.bsky.social for exposing this.
A London lawyer bought hundreds of Sheffield freeholds. Then the ‘very aggressive’ letters arrived
Exclusive: The Tribune can reveal that Andrew Milne has threatened leaseholders with high court action. It ‘broke my heart’ one woman says
www.sheffieldtribune.co.uk
November 7, 2025 at 5:25 PM
City of London lawyer Andrew Milne bought up hundreds of freeholds on homes across Sheffield before advising leaseholders that, if they didn’t pay him exorbitant sums (upwards of £25,000), he’d see them in court. Well done @sheffieldtribune.bsky.social @joshiherrmann.bsky.social for exposing this.
Reposted by Charles West
Thinking of becoming one of those philosophers who runs together sense and reference to make the provocative claim that something doesn’t exist when really I’m saying that it is often misconceptualised; like fish, language or the Gulf War.
November 7, 2025 at 4:40 PM
Thinking of becoming one of those philosophers who runs together sense and reference to make the provocative claim that something doesn’t exist when really I’m saying that it is often misconceptualised; like fish, language or the Gulf War.