ism.yale.edu/events/2026-...

The talk was on nature and the Augustinians, connected to my new book. After the talks, we also planted a gourd garden at the Native Plant Garden, whose fruits will be used to make traditional musical instruments next year!

I had fun yesterday giving a paper at the 'Plant Lives: Sacred Interdependencies in the Arts of the Americas' conference at Yale.

How medieval chess created a space in which players – regardless of race – could engage as equals My research shows that chess created a space in which players – regardless of their skin colour – could engage as equals.

theconversation.com/how-medieval...

It's great to see this article in The Conversation up now! Link in the first comment.

"The Sons of St Augustine: Art and Memory in the Augustinian Churches of Central Italy, 1256–1370," by Kristztina Ilko, Oxford University Press, 2026

Today's featured title:

"The Sons of St Augustine: Art and Memory in the Augustinian Churches of Central Italy, 1256–1370," by Kristztina Ilko, Oxford University Press, 2026

@academic.oup.com @drkrisztinailko.bsky.social

global.oup.com/academic/pro...

The image features an illustrated medieval scene with two individuals on either side of a chessboard, engaged in play. A banner above reads, "Study highlights the role of medieval chess in promoting racial harmony," citing new research from Cambridge. The chess pieces are arranged mid-game.

The medieval world was brutal. Fortunately, it had chess.

An award-winning study by @queens.cam.ac.uk Dr Krisztina Ilko reveals that chess promoted racial harmony in remarkable ways, celebrating intellectual prowess, irrespective of skin colour.

Explore the full story 👇

https://bit.ly/4bPYU4X

Thank you so much!

Check mates!

Check mates: analysis of medieval chess sets reveals vision of equality and mutual respect Far from being a metaphor for racial tension, chess reveals world where people could engage as equals

www.theguardian.com/world/2026/m...

Pretty amazing to see The Guardian reporting on my article winning the Medieval Academy of America's Article Prize in Critical Race Studies and on medieval chess' potential to reveal a vision of equality and mutual respect! Link in the first comment.

Thank you so much, Charles!

Singing with the Sons of St Augustine: The Augustinian Friars and their Liturgical Cult of St Augustine

www.history.ac.uk/news-events/...

I will be giving a paper at the History of Liturgy seminar at the IHR in London at 5.30pm on Monday, 16 Feb. Link for in-person and Zoom registration in the first comment. 👇

The next History of Liturgy Seminar is in London @ihr.bsky.social on Monday 16 Feb 17.30.
The award-winning @drkrisztinailko.bsky.social on
The Augustinian Friars & their Liturgical Cult of Saint Augustine.
In-person (chat! drinks! people!) or online: www.history.ac.uk/news-events/...
#medievalsky

Many congratulations to @drkrisztinailko.bsky.social for winning the @medievalacademy.bsky.social prize for best article in critical race studies!

Thank you so much!

Proofs!

Lent 2026 Term Card for the Cambridge Medieval History Research Seminar. All sessions take place at 4pm in Sidgwick Lecture Block Room 5!

With the first copy of The Sons of St Augustine!

Dragon-slaying saints performed green-fingered medieval miracles, new study reveals Pope Leo XIV's Augustinian order once performed green-fingered, dragon-slaying miracles. Dr Krisztina Ilko rediscovers their lives and wild power base

Leo XIV is the 1st Augustinian Pope, but did you know that his order once performed green-fingered, dragon-slaying miracles?

@drkrisztinailko.bsky.social from @camhistory.bsky.social @queens.cam.ac.uk reveals the forgotten lives of these wild medieval saints 👇
https://bit.ly/4rP25Qj

#skystorians 🗃️

Queens' JRF (@camhistory.bsky.social) @drkrisztinailko.bsky.social's new book, The Sons of St Augustine, challenges major assumptions about the medieval Catholic Church and early Renaissance.

Read more about her publication on our website, and the Cambridge University press release.

👇

Dragon-slaying saints performed green-fingered medieval miracles, new study reveals Pope Leo XIV's Augustinian order once performed green-fingered, dragon-slaying miracles. Dr Krisztina Ilko rediscovers their lives and wild power base

Wild medieval saints! 🔥🔥🔥 Dragons and miraculously sprouting cherry twigs. An evil walnut tree growing above the tomb of Nero. For these and much more in my book, 'The Sons of St Augustine' (OUP), I am delighted to share the wonderful media release that Cambridge published this morning:

Artist: what would you like on your coat of arms?
Lady: a giant skeleton fish.
Artist: say no more.

What is the point of an index if the page numbers "may, on occasion, appear on only one" of the pages listed? Apparently, this is for the benefit of the digital users. But what about the benefit of the readers of the actual physical book? #academicpublishing

Book cover plan, now complete with the blurb on the back! 📕

Book proofs! Very exciting to see this coming together at last.

global.oup.com/academic/pro...

Just a quick reminder that we are still eagerly awaiting your paper proposals for the next IMC! ⏰🎓👇 @imc-leeds.bsky.social