Eugene Smelyansky PhD 🇺🇦
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eugene-smelyansky.bsky.social
Eugene Smelyansky PhD 🇺🇦
@eugene-smelyansky.bsky.social
1.5K followers 1.4K following 550 posts
Medieval historian: religion, cities, heresy, intolerance, inquisition, environment, medievalism. Assistant Professor (Career-Track), Washington State University, Pullman. Views my own. he/him.
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eugene-smelyansky.bsky.social
We got a tree and Oscar is being totally normal about it
A brown tabby cat is sitting behind a Christmas tree branch, staring right at the camera with needles obscuring half of his adorable little face.
December 7, 2025 at 4:17 AM
eugene-smelyansky.bsky.social
Roast duck for Thanksgiving means duck stock potato and leek soup later
A bowl with potato and leek soup garnished with fresh chives and a drizzle of olive oil. Next to the bowl is a loaf of crusty French bread.
December 6, 2025 at 5:42 AM
eugene-smelyansky.bsky.social
A quick jaunt to the land of glühwein and sausages (Leavenworth, WA)
A plate with an assortment of sausage, red cabbage, and German potato salad The author with a mug of mulled wine
November 30, 2025 at 2:18 AM
eugene-smelyansky.bsky.social
Excited to be presenting (virtually) about heresy pop culture medievalism at IMC next summer! #IMC2026
Screenshot of the International Medieval Congress program for a talk titled "Expect the Inquisition: Heresy and Its Persecution in Modern Popular Culture."
November 28, 2025 at 5:24 PM
eugene-smelyansky.bsky.social
Turned 41 today. Cooked and now enjoying a homemade Napoleon cake (pictured) after some tagliatelle bolognese (not pictured).
A somewhat poorly taken photo of layered Napoleon cake with custard creme.
November 27, 2025 at 4:53 AM
eugene-smelyansky.bsky.social
A still from Star Trek with Uhura saying “Sorry, neither.”
November 26, 2025 at 2:16 AM
eugene-smelyansky.bsky.social
God save us if RFK Jr. ever wears a bulky cardigan 🙃
Screenshot of an article from Mother Jones discussing RFK Jr. purported sex appeal Screenshot of an article from the Guardian discussing the purported sex appeal of bulky cardigans.
November 25, 2025 at 10:11 PM
eugene-smelyansky.bsky.social
A meme of a goose chasing after a person, yelling: “What comes after the roaring twenties?!”
November 1, 2025 at 5:09 AM
eugene-smelyansky.bsky.social
Philomena Cunk voice:
“Christopher Columbus’s tomb is suspended several feet in the air. Presumably to discourage people from urinating on it.”
Tomb of Christopher Columbus inside Seville Cathedral, Spain. The tomb is held up in the air by four figures meant to represent the four kingdom that comprised early modern Spain.
October 13, 2025 at 2:59 PM
eugene-smelyansky.bsky.social
Another long day at the cat factory
Brown tabby cat sleeping soundly on a teal couch with a yellow cushion behind him
June 25, 2025 at 5:36 PM
eugene-smelyansky.bsky.social
Felt sad. Made a rhubarb tart.
A photo of a rhubarb tart sprinkled with chopped pistachios in a baking dish
June 23, 2025 at 3:17 AM
eugene-smelyansky.bsky.social
Meme of Gabe from show “The Office” with the text “Shut up about the intelligence”
June 22, 2025 at 7:56 PM
eugene-smelyansky.bsky.social
I preordered this book so long ago and it is finally here. Can’t wait to dig in! @rhigarthjones.bsky.social
Cover of All Roads Lead to Rome: Why We Think of the Roman Empire Daily by Rhiannon Garth Jones
June 15, 2025 at 6:49 PM
eugene-smelyansky.bsky.social
Graphic design is not my passion but I stand by this message:
A protest sign depicting a crossed-out orange crown with the text: “Take it from a historian: Kings sucked then, kings suck now!!!”
June 14, 2025 at 8:10 PM
eugene-smelyansky.bsky.social
I am sorry Portland, I wasn’t aware of your food truck game!

Also we found a Ukrainian dumpling food truck!
The author next to a plate of cheese Ukrainian dumplings and a pint of beer. A food truck in Portland selling Russian and Ukrainian food, mainly dumplings.
May 23, 2025 at 2:56 AM
eugene-smelyansky.bsky.social
Just got my copy of this book today! I can’t wait to read everyone else’s contributions to this volume. This is a great collection and it is humbling to be published together with so many great scholars!
A cover of Law, Justice, and Society in the Medieval World: An Introduction Through Film, published by Fordham University Press in 2025. First page of chapter 20: “Medieval Science, the Spanish Inquisition, and Religious Violence in 1492: Conquest of Paradise (1992)” by Eugene Smelyansky
May 4, 2025 at 3:00 AM
eugene-smelyansky.bsky.social
My wife is much better at taking pictures than me. But I cook, so… 😀
Three-tier dessert stand with scones and assorted macarons, next to a flute with mimosa.
April 21, 2025 at 12:57 AM
eugene-smelyansky.bsky.social
Not religious but I’ll use any excuse to make and eat the food. Case in point: Easter means homemade scones with jam and homemade (cheater) clotted cream.
Half a scone with dollops of strawberry jam and clotted cream on a plate. A flute with mimosa in the background.
April 20, 2025 at 7:24 PM
eugene-smelyansky.bsky.social
Any day when I get a new book is a good day, but today is a particularly good one! @adapalmer.bsky.social
A copy of Inventing the Renaissance by Ada Palmer
April 1, 2025 at 10:00 PM
eugene-smelyansky.bsky.social
Just utter insanity 🤬
A TruthSocial post by Trump calling to annex Canada: “Based on Ontario, Canada, placing a 25% Tariff on "Electricity" coming into the United States, I have instructed my Secretary of Commerce to ad an ADDITIONAL 25% Tariff, to 50%, on all STEEL and ALUMINUM COMING INTO THE UNITED STATES FROM CANADA, ONE OF THE HIGHEST TARIFFING NATIONS ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD. This will go into effect TOMORROW MORNING, March 12th. Also, Canada must immediately drop their Anti-American Farmer Tariff of 250% to 390% on various U.S. dairy products, which has long been considered outrageous. I will shortly be declaring a National Emergency on Electricity within the threatened area. This will allow the U.S to quickly do what has to be done to alleviate this abusive threat from Canada. If other egregious, long time Tariffs are not likewise dropped by Canada, I will substantially increase, on April 2nd, the Tariffs on Cars coming into the U.S. which will, essentially, permanently shut down the automobile manufacturing business in Canada. Those cars can easily be made in the USA! Also, Canada pays very little for National Security, relying on the United States for military protection. We are subsidizing Canada to the tune of more than 200 Billion Dollars a year. WHY??? This cannot continue. The only thing that makes sense is for Canada to become our cherished Fifty First State. This would make all Tariffs, and everything else, totally disappear. Canadians taxes will be very substantially reduced, they will be more secure, militarily and otherwise, than ever before, there would no longer be a Northern Border problem, and the greatest and most powerful nation in the World will be bigger, better and stronger than ever — And Canada will be a big part of that. The artificial line of separation drawn many years ago will finally disappear, and we will have the safest and most beautiful Nation anywhere in the World - And your brilliant anthem, "O Canada," will continue to play, but now representing…”
March 11, 2025 at 4:14 PM
eugene-smelyansky.bsky.social
Calling yourself a king doesn’t make you a king. Healing scrofula with a touch does.
A 15th-century manuscript depicting the tradition that Clovis I (c. 466 – 511) healed the scrofulous following his coronation.
February 20, 2025 at 3:09 PM
eugene-smelyansky.bsky.social
I’m just a simple country historian, but I would argue that mere existence of this EO demonstrates that the US has not in fact “admirably grown closer to its noble principles throughout its history.” 🤦‍♂️
The text from Trump’s executive order about patriotic K-12 education: (d) "Patriotic education" means a presentation of the history of America grounded in: (i) an accurate, honest, unifying, inspiring, and ennobling characterization of America's founding and foundational principles; (ii) a clear examination of how the United States has admirably grown closer to its noble principles throughout its history; (iii) the concept that commitment to America's aspirations is beneficial and justified; and (iv) the concept that celebration of America's greatness and history is proper.
January 30, 2025 at 2:58 AM
eugene-smelyansky.bsky.social
Personally, I’m not a fan of boiled cabbage, so I swap it for some cannellini beans. And now it’s 10 pm and I am suddenly very hungry…
A bowl of borsch with sour cream and dill
January 27, 2025 at 6:03 AM
eugene-smelyansky.bsky.social
The life of relentless toil
Brown tabby cat is sleeping, curled up in a cat nest, with one paw sticking out.
January 19, 2025 at 7:04 PM
eugene-smelyansky.bsky.social
Millions of Canadians can’t be wrong: there is nothing better that some poutine on a cold winter night.
A bowl of poutine next to a glass filled with beer
January 18, 2025 at 3:32 AM