Paris has a long and storied past, and it has always been one of my favorite cities to visit because it is bursting with medieval history. Since we can’t cover all of its medieval history in one go and do it justice, we focus this issue on learning about what it was like to live in Paris in the Late Middle Ages. What kind of communities called this city home? What was its economy like? Its culture?

We try to answer some of these questions beginning with a look at the city’s trade and production. Paris was a center of high-quality craftsmanship and a vibrant hub for international merchants and artisans. We visit some of Paris’s famous hospitals and see how they were developed and run by religious organizations, and how Parisian hospitals compared to similar ones across Europe. We learn about Paris’ unique communities, such as the Beguines and their unusual (and at times controversial!) arrangement outside the traditional spheres of enclosed religious life. We look at an interesting account of the Siege of Paris with Joan of Arc, and last, but certainly not least, we explore Paris’ late medieval art through the Unicorn Tapestries, and its music through the School of Polyphony at Notre Dame. Outside of our theme, we look at the adventures of the famous French marshal Boucicaut and his visit to Byzantium, and we learn about the fascinating history behind the Rasulid Dynasty of Yemen.