Guest in the Middle Ages

Feasts, violence and hospitality. What did elite banquets look like in the Middle Ages - and why did so many of them end in brawls, bloodbaths and power struggles?

Wojtek Jezierski, professor of history at the University of Gothenburg, lectures on the cultural and political role that hospitality played in medieval society. Feasting together was often a way to make peace and forge alliances - but banquets were also charged situations where the smallest misstep could have far-reaching consequences. The lecture spans from the Viking Age to the late Middle Ages and takes us through feast halls in West Swedish manor houses, the palaces of Constantinople and the courts of France and Bohemia.

The lecture is a collaboration between the Department of Historical Studies, the research network #matarv at the University of Gothenburg and the Gothenburg City Museum. It is included in the museum's admission ticket.

Places are limited - book via the link. Arrive at least 5 minutes before the start, otherwise your place may be released if there is a queue. Cancellations due to unforeseen circumstances should be made via bokningar.stadsmuseet@kultur.goteborg.se. If you need a sign language interpreter, contact stadsmuseum@kultur.goteborg.se at least 14 days in advance.