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Joelle Rollo-Koster

Joelle Rollo-Koster

The Conversation

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What 1,000 years of golden roses tell us about popes’ authority and influence, from Leo IX to Leo XIV

What 1,000 years of golden roses tell us about popes’ authority and influence, from Leo IX to Leo XIV

Popes have bestowed golden roses on warriors, rulers, women – and, increasingly in recent decades, shrines.

05.10.2026 9

The Conversation

Joëlle Rollo-Koster

‘The Uprising’ shows how medieval people weren’t so obedient after all

The English Peasants’ Revolt of 1381 wasn’t an isolated outburst. Across medieval Europe, ordinary people challenged the authority of rulers who...

11.09.2026 10

The Conversation

Joelle Rollo-Koster

Trump’s clash with the pope reenacts a 1,000‑year‑old question: What happens when sacred and secular power collide?

From its earliest centuries, Christianity was bound up with politics, with frequent tensions between government power and religious authority.

15.04.2026 40

The Conversation

Joëlle Rollo-Koster