Chapter 1
Ancient empires on the silver screen
Chapter 2
Medieval and Renaissance mix-ups
Chapter 3
The wild West and Victorian eras
Chapter 4
Modern history and the retro rewind
Ch 2 · Medieval and Renaissance mix-ups
schopenhauer Medieval and Renaissance Mix-ups
Only chainmail! (Only chainmail!) No shining plate in the early Middle Ages!
schopenhauer Real Norse clothing versus the fantasy leather costumes of television
schopenhauer Morgan Freeman's character in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves uses a telescope in 1194.
Fun Fact
Braveheart's kilt error: Braveheart shows William Wallace in a kilt, but kilts weren't worn in Scotland until 300 years later.
schopenhauer Costume dramas like The Tudors sometimes feature hidden or visible zippers on historical clothing.
Glossary
anachronism (noun)
Something placed or occurring in a chronological period to which it does not historically belong. The 1995 film Braveheart features thirteenth-century Scottish warriors wearing sixteenth-century kilts.
Something placed or occurring in a chronological period to which it does not historically belong. The 1995 film Braveheart features thirteenth-century Scottish warriors wearing sixteenth-century kilts.
Quiz
Which 15th-century French heroine is often depicted in paintings and movies wearing 17th-century style armor?
BETA
schopenhauer Sort Tudor facts from Hollywood fiction to learn what movies got wrong about history.
Quiz
The movie Mary Queen of Scots (2018) shows characters wearing garments made of what modern material?
Quiz
What material did real 9th-century Vikings primarily wear, instead of the heavy leather seen on TV?
Quiz
In which century did Scottish highlanders actually start wearing kilts, unlike in the movie Braveheart?
Quiz
Which medieval weapon, invented in the 10th century in China, is often shown in European films set in the 8th century?
Quiz
What fastener patented in 1893 mistakenly appears on dresses in the 16th-century drama The Tudors?
Quiz
What optical instrument does Azeem use in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, despite its invention in 1608?
Quiz
In the movie A Knight's Tale, which 1970s rock band's song is played during a 14th-century banquet?