Robert Kurelic, PhD
@raesene.bsky.social
Dad, Husband, Assistant Professor of Medieval History (University of Pula)
Co-editor "History in Flux" (https://ffpu.unipu.hr/history-in-Flux) Research interests: Rituals, Nobility, Frontiers. RPG enthusiast. Personal account (All opinions my own)
Co-editor "History in Flux" (https://ffpu.unipu.hr/history-in-Flux) Research interests: Rituals, Nobility, Frontiers. RPG enthusiast. Personal account (All opinions my own)
I thought the opposite but history seems to be disproving me in real time.
September 15, 2025 at 6:25 AM
I thought the opposite but history seems to be disproving me in real time.
Is that not the plot of the final episode of Battlestar Galactica? When they renounce medicine, launch their ships into the sun and live on like cavemen? Funny, I though that was the most unbelievable ending ever... Serves me right.
September 14, 2025 at 10:07 PM
Is that not the plot of the final episode of Battlestar Galactica? When they renounce medicine, launch their ships into the sun and live on like cavemen? Funny, I though that was the most unbelievable ending ever... Serves me right.
The limits of Empire..
September 14, 2025 at 8:02 PM
The limits of Empire..
But the statement you made stands. Many medieval kings were quite skilled at managing their administrative apparatus.. After all, you can't fire a vassal that easily, so you have to learn to compromise. :)
August 21, 2025 at 6:27 PM
But the statement you made stands. Many medieval kings were quite skilled at managing their administrative apparatus.. After all, you can't fire a vassal that easily, so you have to learn to compromise. :)
I agree that many rulers were deemed (in)competent after their reign and by later standards to boot. That said, for a number of reasons he was ill equipped to measure up to the other two kings.
August 21, 2025 at 6:26 PM
I agree that many rulers were deemed (in)competent after their reign and by later standards to boot. That said, for a number of reasons he was ill equipped to measure up to the other two kings.
Edward I and Edward III were very competent.. The one in between, less so. History is filled with powerful, weak, and the (in)competent. Comparing a current day president to (a) medieval king(s) is a double edged sword
August 14, 2025 at 10:27 PM
Edward I and Edward III were very competent.. The one in between, less so. History is filled with powerful, weak, and the (in)competent. Comparing a current day president to (a) medieval king(s) is a double edged sword
The entire society gripped by "someone (else) should do something."
March 31, 2025 at 5:22 PM
The entire society gripped by "someone (else) should do something."
We know from Roman history that the first guy declares (toys with the idea of). himself (as) king, which doesn't end well, then the next one will be president, speaker, president of the supreme court and pontifex maximus.
February 19, 2025 at 9:45 PM
We know from Roman history that the first guy declares (toys with the idea of). himself (as) king, which doesn't end well, then the next one will be president, speaker, president of the supreme court and pontifex maximus.
80 years is what Jan Assman explained as the cut off point for living memory. It is both exciting and sad to witness theory in practice.
February 19, 2025 at 9:28 PM
80 years is what Jan Assman explained as the cut off point for living memory. It is both exciting and sad to witness theory in practice.
If I remember correctly from my student days Egypt and China got their "feudal periods", too. It was all the rage back when to stick the term "feudal" to almost any era in which the sovereign didn't appear to have Palpatine levels of power but had to instead share it with others.
January 1, 2025 at 2:12 AM
If I remember correctly from my student days Egypt and China got their "feudal periods", too. It was all the rage back when to stick the term "feudal" to almost any era in which the sovereign didn't appear to have Palpatine levels of power but had to instead share it with others.
Rarely did anyone succeed in oppressing others "just because" and even when that happened there was push back, rebellion, court proceedings or reprisals. The notion of a Baron Harkonnen tossing his followers to lions at whim is ridiculous to the extreme. 2/2
January 1, 2025 at 2:03 AM
Rarely did anyone succeed in oppressing others "just because" and even when that happened there was push back, rebellion, court proceedings or reprisals. The notion of a Baron Harkonnen tossing his followers to lions at whim is ridiculous to the extreme. 2/2
The power relationships in the area I research (southeastern Germany, Hungary and Croatia) were almost always a two way relationship with a very strong associational instinct by groups of villagers, townsmen, lesser and greater nobles. 1/2
January 1, 2025 at 2:03 AM
The power relationships in the area I research (southeastern Germany, Hungary and Croatia) were almost always a two way relationship with a very strong associational instinct by groups of villagers, townsmen, lesser and greater nobles. 1/2
The many calls (at exuberant per minute rates) to "professional curse removers" on nighttime TV are the clear evidence for the age of absolute reason we currently reside in.
December 15, 2024 at 8:04 AM
The many calls (at exuberant per minute rates) to "professional curse removers" on nighttime TV are the clear evidence for the age of absolute reason we currently reside in.
It is amazing and unfortunate how right Jan Assmann was with his "lifetime memory" concept. As soon as about 80 years pass after an event it leaves living memory and we're back to theories and scepticism. Hence, (neo) nazis, great power politics and "polio and measels don't exist."
December 14, 2024 at 7:31 AM
It is amazing and unfortunate how right Jan Assmann was with his "lifetime memory" concept. As soon as about 80 years pass after an event it leaves living memory and we're back to theories and scepticism. Hence, (neo) nazis, great power politics and "polio and measels don't exist."
Or you get an email from Japan, with the person appearing apologizing they will miss the deadline by one (1) day on account of a tsunami. Of course, that person is the first to submit anything.
December 13, 2024 at 11:17 AM
Or you get an email from Japan, with the person appearing apologizing they will miss the deadline by one (1) day on account of a tsunami. Of course, that person is the first to submit anything.
I just delivered a paper on insults in medieval statues in Northern Adriatic. Each statute, be that on Venetian, Croatian or Austrian turf contains stringent provisions against insults because they lead to violent reactions, grudges and feuds. Prevention and deterrence were paramount.
December 12, 2024 at 11:30 PM
I just delivered a paper on insults in medieval statues in Northern Adriatic. Each statute, be that on Venetian, Croatian or Austrian turf contains stringent provisions against insults because they lead to violent reactions, grudges and feuds. Prevention and deterrence were paramount.
The biggest problem I see in all this is that, after a generation of ChatGPT use body of knowledge will be so intermixed with hallucinations that future historians will have to specialize in telling truth from fiction. We're producing medieval "legends" in modern times.
December 10, 2024 at 10:24 PM
The biggest problem I see in all this is that, after a generation of ChatGPT use body of knowledge will be so intermixed with hallucinations that future historians will have to specialize in telling truth from fiction. We're producing medieval "legends" in modern times.
As a nonnative speaker I've long since given up on attempting to master this one. The Eenie, meenie, miney mo method gets it right at least half the time which is perfectly fine. :D
December 9, 2024 at 7:26 AM
As a nonnative speaker I've long since given up on attempting to master this one. The Eenie, meenie, miney mo method gets it right at least half the time which is perfectly fine. :D
Some jokes never quit to be funny, even if you hack them to pieces!
December 9, 2024 at 7:18 AM
Some jokes never quit to be funny, even if you hack them to pieces!
Then my December credit will go to your book. Nothing like historical fratricidal tendencies to lighten up a gloomy December. ;)
December 4, 2024 at 4:00 PM
Then my December credit will go to your book. Nothing like historical fratricidal tendencies to lighten up a gloomy December. ;)