BATTLE AND FIGHT IN THE MIDDLE AGES AN EVENTDAY ON 19 JUNE 2026

It is a pleasure to announce this year’s event on medieval fight and martial art in cooperation with Aarhus Buhurt Club: Friday, 19 June 2026:

10:15-11:15 Lecture: Kurt Villads Jensen, Professor in Medieval History, University of Stockholm, 4206-139

How to kill, and how to be killed. The Battle at Visby 1361
In summer 1361, the Danish King Valdemar IV landed on the southern part of the island of Gotland and marched towards the main city, Visby. Outside the city walls, the king’s army fought against the local defenders, and around 2000 were killed and hastily buried in mass graves. These were excavated in the beginning of the 20th century and have been extremely important source material for medieval battle archaeology. 
The talk will present some of the latest research results from new investigations of the skeletons front the graves and discuss the difference in weapons and armaments between the attackers and defenders, and to which extent it is possible to get some idea of fighting techniques from this material. It will also shortly touch upon the legacy of the battle and how it has been used in modern history writing in Sweden.

11:30-14:00: Aarhus Buhurt Club Presentation (depending on weather either in "Studenterhave" or 4206-139)
Buhurt is a modern martial art sport inspired by medieval joust. (https://aros-buhurt-club.dk/) Aarhus Buhurt Club is cooperating with the Centre for Viking and Middle Ages, it will introduce to the principles of this sport with an opportunity to participate in a soft shell fight training followed by a duel between beginners and experienced sportspeople.