Gone Medieval

From the Baltics to the Balkans, from Prague to Kiev, Eastern Europe is more than the sum total of its annexations, invasions and independence declarations.

In this episode of Gone Medieval, Matt Lewis meets Jacob Mikanowski, author of Goodbye Eastern Europe, to discuss what can be found out about the region in the Medieval period - a history that is fascinating and often overlooked.

This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Rob Weinberg.

Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world renowned historians including Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code MEDIEVAL. Download the app on your smart TV or in the app store or sign up here >

You can take part in our listener survey here.

If you’re enjoying this podcast and are looking for more fascinating Medieval content then subscribe to our Medieval Monday newsletter here: https://insights.historyhit.com/signup-form

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There are few places more fascinating and evocative for Medieval enthusiasts than Saint George's Chapel at Windsor Castle.

In this episode of Gone Medieval, Matt Lewis takes a special, out-of-hours tour around some of its extraordinary attractions with Michael Pitfield, Leadership Fellow at Windsor Castle. 

This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Rob Weinberg.

Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world renowned historians including Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code MEDIEVAL. Download the app on your smart TV or in the app store or sign up here .

You can take part in our listener survey here.

If you’re enjoying this podcast and are looking for more fascinating Medieval content then subscribe to our Medieval Monday newsletter here.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Every historian dreams of hitting gold in the archives. Matt Lewis’s guest Dr. James Wade of Girton College, Cambridge has done just that.

James has uncovered a manuscript by cleric and tutor Richard Heege, which reports the routines of a medieval minstrel. It reads like a mixture of stand-up script and satirical panel show. The text mocks kings, priests and peasants, encourages audiences to get drunk and shocks them with slapstick as well as a killer rabbit worthy of Monty Python. It all sheds new light on the English sense of humour, and the role played by minstrels in medieval society.

This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Rob Weinberg.

Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world renowned historians including Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code MEDIEVAL. Download the app on your smart TV or in the app store or sign up here >

You can take part in our listener survey here.

If you’re enjoying this podcast and are looking for more fascinating Medieval content then subscribe to our Medieval Monday newsletter here: https://insights.historyhit.com/signup-form

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of Gone Medieval, Matt Lewis talks to Sir Tony Robinson — actor, author and presenter — who is now hosting his own podcast, Tony Robinson’s Cunningcast.

Sir Tony talks about how he has been making history fun, funny and accessible for decades, ranging across Black Adder, Time Team and Maid Marian and her Merry Men.

This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Rob Weinberg.

Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world renowned historians including Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code MEDIEVAL. Download the app on your smart TV or in the app store or sign up here >

You can take part in our listener survey here.

If you’re enjoying this podcast and are looking for more fascinating Medieval content then subscribe to our Medieval Monday newsletter here: https://insights.historyhit.com/signup-form

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The ninth century Danish king and warrior Ragnar Lothbrok became notorious again most recently through the TV series The Vikings. But what do we know about the real Ragnar Lothbrok? In this episode of Gone Medieval, Matt Lewis finds out from Professor Carolyne Larrington, author of The Norse Myths That Shape the Way We Think.  

This episode was edited and produced by Joseph Knight.

The scriptwriter was Lucy Davidson.

The voice actor was Kimberly Parker

The Senior Producer was Elena Guthrie.

Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world renowned historians including Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code MEDIEVAL. Download the app on your smart TV or in the app store or sign up here >

You can take part in our listener survey here.

If you’re enjoying this podcast and are looking for more fascinating Medieval content then subscribe to our Medieval Monday newsletter here.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ireland has long been overlooked in the context of crusading. It has not only been largely absent from accounts of crusades and crusading, it has also not featured in histories of Ireland. A new book from Forecourts Press, titled Ireland and the Crusades, seeks to correct these omissions.

In this episode of Gone Medieval, Matt Lewis meets archaeologist Paul Duffy who has contributed to the book an essay titled "Curtailing Kings: Ireland, the Cathar Crusade and the cult of Simon de Montfort."

This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Rob Weinberg.

Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world renowned historians including Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code MEDIEVAL. Download the app on your smart TV or in the app store or sign up here >

You can take part in our listener survey here.

Find out more about Paul M. Duffy’s novel, Run with the Hare, Hunt with the Hound, silver winner at the 2022 Foreword Indies Book of the Year Award in Historical Fiction.

If you’re enjoying this podcast and are looking for more fascinating Medieval content then subscribe to our Medieval Monday newsletter here: https://insights.historyhit.com/signup-form

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Gone Medieval for Pride Month, Matt Lewis takes a look at some transgender stories from the Middle Ages. Marinos was a 5th century monk mentioned in the trial of Joan of Arc. They shaved their head and changed into men's clothes to live in a monastery with their widowed father. Eleanor Rykener was a 14th century trans sex-worker in London, arrested for prostitution and sodomy. To discuss these and other cases that resonate with today’s discourse on gender, Matt is joined by Dr. Gabrielle Bychowski.

This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Rob Weinberg.

Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world renowned historians including Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code MEDIEVAL. Download the app on your smart TV or in the app store or sign up here > 

You can take part in our listener survey here.

If you’re enjoying this podcast and are looking for more fascinating Medieval content then subscribe to our Medieval Monday newsletter here: https://insights.historyhit.com/signup-form

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One of history’s great adventurers, Marco Polo’s accounts of his travels - dictated while in prison - were exceptionally widely read, introducing Europeans to the then-mysterious culture and inner workings of the Eastern world, including the wealth and great size of the Mongol Empire and China in the Yuan Dynasty.

In this edition of Gone Medieval, Matt Lewis finds out more about Marco Polo and his travels from historian Laurence Bergreen, author of Marco Polo: From Venice to Xanadu.

This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Rob Weinberg.

Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world renowned historians including Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code MEDIEVAL. Download the app on your smart TV or in the app store or sign up here > 

You can take part in our listener survey here.

If you’re enjoying this podcast and are looking for more fascinating Medieval content then subscribe to our Medieval Monday newsletter here.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 855, the Carolingian king Lothar II was married to the aristocratic Teutberga for political reasons. But there was a third person in the relationship — Waldrada of Lotharingia. Their affair led to a prolonged and messy battle by Lothar II to secure a divorce from Teutberga, which involved Charles the Bald, Louis the German and two Popes. 

On this edition of Gone Medieval, Matt Lewis talks to Dr. Chris Halsted to find out more about Waldrada’s incredible story and the greatest medieval divorce scandal.

This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Rob Weinberg.

Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world renowned historians including Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code MEDIEVAL. Download the app on your smart TV or in the app store or sign up here >

You can take part in our listener survey here.

If you’re enjoying this podcast and are looking for more fascinating Medieval content then subscribe to our Medieval Monday newsletter here.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Medieval Japan - especially its stories of fearless Samurai and Ninja warriors - have an enduring place in our consciousness. But how true are they?

In this episode of Gone Medieval, Matt Lewis talks to Joseph Robey, who has made it his mission to make the stories of Medieval Japan more well known.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

You can take part in our listener survey here.

If you’re enjoying this podcast and are looking for more fascinating Medieval content then subscribe to our Medieval Monday newsletter here.

If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! To download, go to Android or Apple store.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How did the apple become the dominant symbol of temptation and sin, when it isn’t even mentioned in the Bible story of Adam and Eve? 

In this episode of Gone Medieval, Matt Lewis meets Professor Azzan Yadin-Israel who has pursued this mystery across art and religious history, uncovering where, when, and why the forbidden fruit became an apple. He reveals that Eden’s fruit, once thought to be a fig or a grape, first appears as an apple in 12th-century French art. But why?

Visit Professor Yadin-Israel's website database of the forbidden fruit in Western art:

http://treeofknowledgeart.com/

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

You can take part in our listener survey here.

If you’re enjoying this podcast and are looking for more fascinating Medieval content then subscribe to our Medieval Monday newsletter here.

If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! To download, go to Android or Apple store.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For the first time in 18 years, the Declaration of Arbroath - an iconic document in the story of the struggle for Scottish independence in the 14th century - will go on public display. Dated 6 April 1320, and written by the barons and freeholders on behalf of the Kingdom of Scotland, the Declaration asks Pope John XXII to recognise Scotland's independence and to persuade Edward II of England to end hostilities against the Scots. 

In this episode of Gone Medieval, Matt Lewis finds out more from Dr. Alice Blackwell, Dr. Alan Borthwick and Prof. Dauvit Broun.

The Declaration of Arbroath is on display from 3 June until 2 July 2023 at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh: https://www.nms.ac.uk/declaration

This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Rob Weinberg.

If you’re enjoying this podcast and are looking for more fascinating Medieval content then subscribe to our Medieval Monday newsletter here.

If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! To download, go to Android or Apple store.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The writings of Julian of Norwich are the earliest surviving English language works by a woman and the only surviving English language works by an anchoress. But her life - particularly prior to taking on her role at Saint Julian's Church in Norwich - is shrouded in mystery and it has been widely debated.

In this episode of Gone Medieval, Matt Lewis talks to author Claire Gilbert. Her new book I,Julian is a powerful fictional autobiography of Julian - as mother, mystic and radical.

This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Rob Weinberg.

If you’re enjoying this podcast and are looking for more fascinating Medieval content then subscribe to our Medieval Monday newsletter here.

If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! To download, go to Android or Apple store.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does archaeology tell us about how regions in the Mediterranean built their wealth between the 10th and 12th centuries? How did economies grow in Egypt, Tunisia, Sicily, the Byzantine empire, Islamic Spain and Portugal, and north-central Italy? And what were their trading relationships with each other? 

In this episode of Gone Medieval, Matt Lewis talks to Professor Chris Wickham, author of The Donkey and the Boat: Reinterpreting the Mediterranean Economy, 950-1180. Based on a completely new look at the sources, his research is forcing a rethink about how economies worked in the medieval Mediterranean. 

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

If you’re enjoying this podcast and are looking for more fascinating Medieval content then subscribe to our Medieval Monday newsletter here.

If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! To download, go to Android or Apple store.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Deception and trickery have always been a universal feature of warfare and the wars of the Middle Ages were no exception - from the Battle of Hastings to the “fake corpse ruse”. But how did Medieval mores justify deception during wars? Was cunning considered an admirable quality in a warrior? Was the culturally and religious "other" more deceitful than Western Europeans? 

In this episode of Gone Medieval, Matt Lewis finds out more from Dr. James Titterton, author of Deception in Medieval Warfare: Trickery and Cunning in the Central Middle Ages. 

This episode was edited and produced by Rob Weinberg.

If you’re enjoying this podcast and are looking for more fascinating Medieval content then subscribe to our Medieval Monday newsletter here.

If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! To download, go to Android or Apple store

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After speaking to Gone Medieval in April 2022 about the first volume of his magisterial biography of Henry III, David Carpenter promised Matt Lewis that he would pay the podcast a return visit when the second volume came out. Henry III 1258-1272: Reform, Rebellion, Civil War, Settlement picks up the story when Henry is 51 years old. He's been monarch for 42 years and might have been looking forward to a quieter twilight to his reign. But he was in for the rudest of awakenings. 

This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Rob Weinberg.

Listen to Henry III: England’s Longest Reigning King here: https://shows.acast.com/gone-medieval/episodes/henry-iii-englands-longest-reigning-king

If you’re enjoying this podcast and are looking for more fascinating Medieval content then subscribe to our Medieval Monday newsletter here.

If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! To download, go to Android or Apple store

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The de la Pole dynasty played a central role in the Wars of the Roses. Theirs is a fascinating story of the rises and falls that plagued families - and the disputes within them - as they tried to chart the stormy waters of a civil war. 

In this edition of Gone Medieval, Matt Lewis meets Michèle Schindler, whose new book De La Pole Father and Son: The Duke, The Earl and the Struggle for Power, provides a new perspective on the tumultuous events of 15th-century England and the birth of the modern nation-state.

This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Rob Weinberg.

If you’re enjoying this podcast and are looking for more fascinating Medieval content then subscribe to our Medieval Monday newsletter here.

If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! To download, go to Android or Apple store

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Approximately 1.35 billion people use it, either as a first or second language, so English and the way that we speak it has a daily impact on huge numbers of people. But how did the English language develop? 

In this episode of Gone Medieval, first released in July 2021, Dr. Cat Jarman speaks to Eleanor Rye, an Associate Lecturer in English Language and Linguistics at the University of York. Using the present day language, place names and dialects as evidence, Ellie shows us how English was impacted by a series of migrations.

If you’re enjoying this podcast and are looking for more fascinating Medieval content then subscribe to our Medieval Monday newsletter here.

If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! To download, go to Android or Apple store

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One of the most consequential eras in North American history was the Medieval Warm Period of 800-1300 CE, when the continent was shaped by climate change or – as its peoples then believed – controlled by gods of wind and water. A great religious movement swept Mesoamerica, the Southwest, and the Mississippi valley, sometimes because of worsening living conditions and sometimes by improved agricultural yields caused by global warming. 

In this episode of Gone Medieval, Matt Lewis talks to archaeologist Dr. Timothy Pauketat, author of Gods of Thunder: How Climate Change, Travel, and Spirituality Reshaped Precolonial America.  He has followed the footsteps of priests, pilgrims, traders and farmers led by the weather to migrate long distances to new lands.

This episode was edited and produced by Rob Weinberg.

If you’re enjoying this podcast and are looking for more fascinating Medieval content then subscribe to our Medieval Monday newsletter here.

If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! To download, go to Android or Apple store

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From ghost town to ceremonial, ecclesiastical and economic hub - how did London develop in the Saxon era, and how is that crucial to what London has become? 

Dr. Rory Naismith is the author of Citadel of the Saxons: The Rise of Early London and a lecturer at Corpus Christi College at the University of Cambridge. He takes Dr. Cat Jarman through the story of London from its decline after the Roman period to its eventual reemergence.

If you’re enjoying this podcast and are looking for more fascinating Medieval content then subscribe to our Medieval Monday newsletter here.

If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! To download, go to Android or Apple store

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is a special episode from a series we made in collaboration with Ubisoft, the makers of Assassin's Creed.

In Assassins vs Templars, we're immersing ourselves in the real history that inspired the first game. As well as exploring rise and fall of The Knights Templar and the Assassins, we chat to leading experts and historians to analyse the historical backdrop of the first three crusades, reveal the real histories behind key characters in the game, and unearth the folklore around the mythical Holy Grail.

In this episode, Matt Lewis is joined by Professor Helen Nicholson to discuss The Knights Templar, and how an order of crusading monks draped in white robes marked with a red cross perhaps don’t sound that daunting when you first hear of them, went on to become one of the most powerful organisations in the world during the crusades.

From land ownership to banking to fighting on the frontlines with their faith as a weapon, the Knights Templar were worthy competition for the Assassins. But who were their contemporaries, how did the Knights Templar get so powerful, and how good were they on the battlefield?

Produced by History Hit and Ubisoft, with Post Production done by Paradiso Media.

To listen to the rest of Assassins vs Templars, make sure you're following Echoes of History wherever you get your podcasts!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

All this month, Gone Medieval has been your perfect companion to the forthcoming coronation of King Charles III. 

In this final special episode, Matt Lewis takes a look at the use and meaning of coronation regalia and what happens after the ceremonial aspects - the coronation banquet. He is joined by Lucinda Gosling of the Mary Evans Picture Library and the author of more than 12 books including Royal Coronations, published by Shire Books.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

If you’re enjoying this podcast and are looking for more fascinating Medieval content then subscribe to our Medieval Monday newsletter here.

If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! To download, go to Android or Apple store

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

All this month, Gone Medieval is your perfect companion to the forthcoming coronation of King Charles III. 

In this third special episode, Matt Lewis finds out more about the major ceremonial elements of the coronation with Dr. George Gross. Two components which still remain and are particularly significant are the 'recognition' - where the incoming monarch has to be ‘approved’ by the congregation in Westminster Abbey - and the oath made in turn by the King to his people.  

This episode was edited and produced by Rob Weinberg.

If you’re enjoying this podcast and are looking for more fascinating Medieval content then subscribe to our Medieval Monday newsletter here.

If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! To download, go to Android or Apple store.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Centuries ago, an Anglo-Saxon noble was buried within a 90-foot ship in a mound at Sutton Hoo. It serves as the richest burial ever found in northern Europe to date. Discovered in 1939, not much survived of the original ship. However, an imprint of the ship remains on the earth. 

In this episode, first released in November 2021, Dr. Cat Jarman is joined on the ground by Martin Carver, director of the Sutton Hoo Research Project. He shares his knowledge of the celebrated mounds and the ongoing reconstruction of the Great Ship Burial.

If you’re enjoying this podcast and are looking for more fascinating Medieval content then subscribe to our Medieval Monday newsletter here.

If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! To download, go to Android or Apple store

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is a special episode from a series we made in collaboration with Ubisoft, the makers of Assassin's Creed.

In Assassins vs Templars, we're immersing ourselves in the real history that inspired the first game. As well as exploring the rise and fall of The Knights Templar and the Assassins, we chat to leading experts and historians to analyse the historical backdrop of the first three crusades, reveal the real histories behind key characters in the game, and unearth the folklore around the mythical Holy Grail.

In this episode, Matt Lewis is joined by Dr Farhad Daftary to discuss the origins of the Assassins, what they stood for, how they interacted with Christians and other Muslims, and why the Old Man of the Mountain was so important.

Using targeted political murder to protect humanity from injustice and abuse of power, the Assassins are infamous as much for their secrecy as for their actions. The story of the Nizari branch of Ismaili Muslims goes right back to the start of Islam, and continues to this day.

Produced by History Hit and Ubisoft, with Post Production done by Paradiso Media.

To listen to the rest of Assassins vs Templars, make sure you're following Echoes of History wherever you get your podcasts!

If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! To download, go to Android or Apple store

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Throughout April, Gone Medieval is your perfect companion for the forthcoming coronation of King Charles III. In this episode, Dr. Cat Jarman asks what did kingship really mean in the first half of the medieval period? How and when did we start to have kings in what later was to become England? And what was the actual significance of a coronation? All these questions and more are explored with Dr. Levi Roach, a specialist in Early Medieval kingship.

This episode was edited by Pete Dennis and produced by Rob Weinberg.

If you’re enjoying this podcast and are looking for more fascinating Medieval content then subscribe to our Medieval Monday newsletter here.

If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! To download, go to Android or Apple store

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Second Baron’s War was a time of great unrest and upheaval in 13th century England. Fought just decades after the signing of Magna Carta, it marked the unwelcome return of tumult between the nobility and the crown and pitted the hitherto peaceful King Henry III against his old friend Simon de Montfort, the Earl of Leicester.

In this episode of Gone Medieval, Matt Lewis is joined by Ian Ross who has set his latest historical fiction novel Battle Song right in the heart of this febrile conflict. Beginning with the continental tournament circuit and climaxing in the Battle of Lewes, it is a story that brings the tension and mistrust of this unstable period to life.

This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Rob Weinberg.

If you’re enjoying this podcast and are looking for more fascinating Medieval content then subscribe to our Medieval Monday newsletter here.

If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! To download, go to Android or Apple store

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Though today it is just a muddy field, the small hamlet of Yeavering was once a bustling centre of Anglo-Saxon power in the North of England. At its heart was a 7th century palace - known in Latin as Ad Gefrin - which was built by King Edwin in 616 AD, the first king of a united Northumbria.

In today’s episode of Gone Medieval, Dr Cat Jarman speaks to Dr Chris Ferguson, the Director of Visitor Experience at the newly opened Ad Gefrin museum and distillery. Located just outside Newcastle, the museum tells the untold story of this remarkable Anglo-Saxon palace and the part it played in Northumbria’s golden age.

This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Rob Weinberg.

If you’re enjoying this podcast and are looking for more fascinating Medieval content then subscribe to our Medieval Monday newsletter here.

If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! To download, go to Android or Apple store

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A coronation is a moment of history packed with symbolism and meaning, and throughout April 2023 Gone Medieval will be your perfect historical companion to the coronation of King Charles III.

In the first of four special episodes, Matt Lewis traces certain elements of the coronation ceremony back to their medieval origins, looking back to the earliest English coronation records. 

This episode was mixed and produced by Rob Weinberg.

If you’re enjoying this podcast and are looking for more fascinating Medieval content then subscribe to our Medieval Monday newsletter here.

If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! To download, go to Android or Apple store

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When we think of Vikings, we tend to picture them in the colder climates of Northern Europe, and not so much in the warmer regions of Spain and the Mediterranean beyond.

However, joining Dr. Cat Jarman today is Dr. Irene García Losquiño, a researcher whose work is uncovering Viking activity on the Iberian peninsula, shedding new light on the lives they lived there beyond the raiding we know about.

This episode was edited by Stuart Beckwith and produced by Rob Weinberg.

If you’re enjoying this podcast and are looking for more fascinating Medieval content then subscribe to our Medieval Monday newsletter here.If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! To download, go to Android or Apple store 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dick Whittington - who died 600 years ago this month - is a familiar name to generations of pantomime goers. But Richard Whittington’s real life was far more compelling than the theatrical story suggests. He was a civic reformer, an enemy of corruption, the author of an extraordinary social legacy, who contributed to Henry V’s victory at Agincourt, building works at Westminster Abbey, and to London’s ceaseless development.

In this episode of Gone Medieval, Matt Lewis is joined by biographer Michael McCarthy, to trace Whittington's life - from his arrival in London as a young boy to his death in 1423. 

This episode was edited and produced by Rob Weinberg.

If you’re enjoying this podcast and are looking for more fascinating Medieval content then subscribe to our Medieval Monday newsletter here >

If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! To download, go to Android > or Apple store >

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thanks to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the legends of Thor, Odin and Asgard are familiar to millions today. Yet the histories of these myths are far richer than modern popular culture often implies. From Yggdrasil to Ragnarok, the seemingly unending tales of heroism, betrayal and intrigue found within the Norse Sagas have captivated audiences for centuries.

In today’s episode of Gone Medieval, Dr. Cat Jarman talks to Prof Carolyne Larrington to dig into these histories and explore how Norse Myths have shaped the way we think. Together they discuss why Norse mythology seems to be having a ‘moment’, how it has been used to legitimise political violence, and most importantly, why everyone loves Loki?

This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Elena Guthrie and Rob Weinberg.

If you’re enjoying this podcast and are looking for more fascinating Medieval content then subscribe to our Medieval Monday newsletter here.

If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! To download, go to Android or Apple store

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In our modern and digital age, contemporary music has many influences: heartbreak, war, even climate change. But what about the Middle Ages? Has the artistry and literature of the medieval period had an influence on music today?

In this episode of Gone Medieval, Matt Lewis speaks to singer and songwriter Elanor Moss - who studied seventh to tenth century literature at university - to discuss how her interest in medievalism has influenced her songwriting and whether we can see themes and imagery from the medieval world feeding into the work of modern musical artists. 

This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Rob Weinberg.

If you’re enjoying this podcast and are looking for more fascinating Medieval content then subscribe to our Medieval Monday newsletter here.

If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! To download, go to Android or Apple store

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Everyone lies from time to time but some lies have had a particular influence on world events and have even been a major factor in shaping history. In the Middle Ages, for example, how did an outlandish book called The Travels of Sir John Mandeville create misconceptions about foreigners? And how did falsehoods promoted after the death of a young boy in northern Italy lead to widespread anti-semitic pogroms as well as conspiracy theories that endure today?

In this episode of Gone Medieval, Dr. Cat Jarman is joined by Natasha Tidd, author of the new book A Short History of the World in 50 Lies. Together they explore these two cases where lies had widespread consequences.

This episode was edited and produced by Rob Weinberg.

Read more of Natasha Tidd’s work at F Yeah History.

If you’re enjoying this podcast and are looking for more fascinating Medieval content then subscribe to our Medieval Monday newsletter here.

If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! To download, go to Android or Apple store

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What do skeletal remains from the fifteenth century tell us about one of the largest and bloodiest battles of the Wars of the Roses? The Battle of Towton — fought on 29 March 1461 in North Yorkshire — was a decisive victory for the Yorkists over the Lancastrians, resulting in Edward IV taking the throne from Henry VI.

Skeletons found in a mass grave at Towton Hall in 1996 shed new light on the battle. In this episode of Gone Medieval, Matt Lewis talks to Dr. Jo Buckberry about what has been learned from these remains about the battle and the injuries these men suffered.

This episode was edited by Anisha Deva and produced by Rob Weinberg.

If you’re enjoying this podcast and are looking for more fascinating Medieval content then subscribe to our Medieval Monday newsletter here >

If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! To download, go to Android > or Apple store >

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What made for the ideal woman in the Middle Ages? In her new book The Once and Future Sex, Dr. Eleanor Janega looks at what beauty, sexuality, work and social status meant for medieval women. Despite the expectation of their primarily being mothers, they were also industrious farmers, brewers, textile workers, artists and artisans.

In this episode of Gone Medieval, for International Women's Day on Wednesday 8 March, Dr. Cat Jarman finds out more from Dr. Janega  about an era that paved the way for new ideas about women’s nature, intellect and ability.

This episode was edited and produced by Rob Weinberg.

If you’re enjoying this podcast and are looking for more fascinating Medieval content then subscribe to our Medieval Monday newsletter here.

If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! To download, go to Android or Apple store

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wales in the Medieval period had a thriving bardic tradition and one poet is particularly fascinating. Gwerful Mechain lived in the second half of the fifteenth century. She left a body of work that is mostly religious, but sometimes very rude and irreverent.

In today’s episode of Gone Medieval, Matt Lewis finds out more from Professor Wynn Thomas, editor of A Map of Love: Twelve Welsh Poems of Romance, Desire and Devotion, which includes Mechain’s startling hymn of praise to female genitals.

**WARNING: This episode contains graphic, bawdy verse**

This episode was edited and produced by Rob Weinberg

If you’re enjoying this podcast and are looking for more fascinating Medieval content then subscribe to our Medieval Monday newsletter here.

If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! To download, go to Android or Apple store

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One year ago, Russia invaded Ukraine. While the invasion and subsequent war have largely been driven by modern geopolitics, the history of the two countries has also played a part, especially that of the medieval period.

In today’s episode of Gone Medieval Dr. Cat Jarman explains the relationship between the Rus’ people and the Viking Age where this story begins, with contributions from Dr. Olenka Pevny from the University of Cambridge and Dr. Fedir Androschuk, Director of the National Museum of the History of Ukraine.

This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Rob Weinberg

If you’re enjoying this podcast and are looking for more fascinating Medieval content then subscribe to our Medieval Monday newsletter here.

If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! To download, go to Android or Apple store

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the fifth century, Western Europe began remaking itself in the turmoil that followed the collapse of the Roman Empire. In south-west Britain, old tribal authorities and identities reasserted themselves and a ruling elite led a vibrant and outward-looking kingdom - today’s Cornwall - with trade networks that stretched around the Atlantic coast of Europe and abroad into the Mediterranean. 

In this episode of Gone Medieval, Matt Lewis talks to historian John Fletcher about the early history of Cornwall, and how its unique language, culture and heritage survived even after politically merging with England in the tenth century. 

This episode was edited and produced by Rob Weinberg.

If you’re enjoying this podcast and are looking for more fascinating Medieval content then subscribe to our Medieval Monday newsletter here >

If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! To download, go to Android > or Apple store >

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Maps. They are an essential part of modern life. But when and how did people in medieval Britain first start mapping their surroundings? The Gough Map was one of their first attempts. Compiled in the fifteenth century, it is the earliest known surviving map of Britain to be drawn on a distinct sheet of parchment.

In today’s episode of Gone Medieval, Dr Cat Jarman talks to Nick Millea and Dr Catherine Delano-Smith - two members of a multidisciplinary research project on the Gough Map - about why it is so exceptional, what it reveals about medieval Britain and how new technologies might be able to uncover the shadowy identity of its makers.

This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Rob Weinberg

If you’re enjoying this podcast and are looking for more fascinating Medieval content then subscribe to our Medieval Monday newsletter here.

If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! To download, go to Android or Apple store

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Women were an integral feature of the crusade movement. They were not only sometimes participants on the battlefields but also played their part recruiting crusaders, and supporting the effort with patronage, propaganda, and prayer. 

In this episode of Gone Medieval, Matt Lewis talks to Professor Helen J. Nicholson, author of Women and the Crusades, which explores the roles that women played and how their contemporaries recorded their deeds, limited by social convention and cultural expectations. 

This episode was edited and produced by Rob Weinberg.

If you’re enjoying this podcast and are looking for more fascinating Medieval content then subscribe to our Medieval Monday newsletter here >

If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! To download, go to Android > or Apple store >

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When archeologists uncovered a jewellery hoard buried beneath the Iron Age ring fort of Sandby Borg in 2010, their excitement was palpable. Yet little did they know that they had only scratched the surface. As they dug deeper they began to find the remains of a community that had been brutally slaughtered - their wounds evidence of a terrible Early Medieval massacre.

In today’s episode of Gone Medieval, Dr Cat Jarman talks to Dr Ludwig Papmehl-Dufay - one of Sandby Borg’s lead archaeologists. Together they discuss the story of the massacre’s victims, exploring how the latest archaeological techniques can peel back the mystery and tell us more about who they were and what actually happened to them.

This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Rob Weinberg.

If you’re enjoying this podcast and are looking for more fascinating Medieval content then subscribe to our Medieval Monday newsletter here.

If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! To download, go to Android or Apple store

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

First defined in law in 1352, treason remains one of the most serious crimes a person can commit. And, remarkably, the core of the original Treason Act remains in force and relatively unchanged today.

A fascinating exhibition at the National Archives is offering a unique selection of letters, pamphlets, posters, maps and trial papers to reveal the motives, actions and fates of those accused of being traitors, many of whom paid the ultimate price for their cause. In this episode of Gone Medieval, Matt Lewis finds out more from Dr. Euan Roger, principal Medieval records specialist at The National Archives.

This episode was edited and produced by Rob Weinberg.

If you’re enjoying this podcast and are looking for more fascinating Medieval content then subscribe to our Medieval Monday newsletter here >

If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! To download, go to Android > or Apple store >

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For monks and monasteries in Anglo-Saxon England, obliteration by Vikings was a constant threat. Like Lindisfarne - first raided in 793 AD - religious houses were frequently preyed upon by marauding Danes searching for rich and easy pickings. But just how devastating were these raids? And were some monasteries capable of survival?

In this episode of Gone Medieval, Dr Cat Jarman talks to Dr Gabor Thomas from the University of Reading about his research into Lyminge, a monastery in Kent that adopted genius defensive strategies to hold back the Viking menace.

This episode was edited by Joseph Knight, and produced by Rob Weinberg.

Read more about the latest research into Lyminge Monastery here >

If you’re enjoying this podcast and are looking for more fascinating Medieval content then subscribe to our Medieval Monday newsletter here.

If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! To download, go to Android or Apple store

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Edward III wed Philippa of Hainault when they were both teenagers. It was a marriage of deep affection lasting 41 years. But when Alice Perrers entered court as a young widow, she caught the eye of the ageing king as Philippa’s health declined. 

In this episode of Gone Medieval, Matt Lewis talks to Gemma Hollmann, author of The Queen and the Mistress: The Women of Edward III about how two very different women used their skills and charms to navigate a tumultuous royal court – and win the heart of the same King.

This episode was edited and produced by Rob Weinberg.

If you’re enjoying this podcast and are looking for more fascinating Medieval content then subscribe to our Medieval Monday newsletter here >

If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! To download, go to Android > or Apple store >

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Danelaw was the part of England where large numbers of Scandinavians settled between the 9th and 11th centuries, and where Danish rather than English law was followed. Its set of legal terms and definitions was created in the treaties between Alfred the Great and the Danish warlord, Guthrum.

In this episode of Gone Medieval, Dr. Cat Jarman talks to Jake Stattel, a PhD candidate in Medieval History at Cambridge, whose research is teasing out new evidence about the political and social shifts in early Medieval Britain.

This episode was mixed and edited by Annie Coloe and produced by Rob Weinberg.

If you’re enjoying this podcast and are looking for more fascinating Medieval content then subscribe to our Medieval Monday newsletter here > If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! To download, go to Android > or Apple store >

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Lewis concludes his four special episodes on medieval mysteries with perhaps the most enduring historical enigma of them all.

For more than 500 years, people have speculated about the disappearance of King Edward V - aged 12, and his nine-year-old brother Richard of Shrewsbury, Duke of York. They were lodged in the Tower of London by their paternal uncle the Duke of Gloucester, supposedly in preparation for Edward's coronation. But before the young king could be crowned, Gloucester ascended the throne as Richard III. The brothers vanished - and it’s generally assumed that they were murdered, probably by Richard. But Matt Lewis thinks differently.

This episode was mixed and edited by Anisha Deva and produced by Rob Weinberg.

If you’re enjoying this podcast and are looking for more fascinating Medieval content then subscribe to our Medieval Monday newsletter here.

If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! To download, go to Android or Apple store.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The largest group of tiles in The British Museum was found at the site of Chertsey Abbey in Surrey. These fragmented floor tiles depict the fictional killing of Sultan Saladin during the Crusades by Richard the Lionheart. Groundbreaking technological research has now revealed what the tile fragments originally looked like on the floor of the Chapter House, as well as some surprising revelations.

In this episode of Gone Medieval, Dr. Cat Jarman talks to Dr. Amanda Luyster, to find out how the Chertsey Tiles shed light on the impact that the Crusades had on the medieval visual culture of England.

This episode was edited and produced by Rob Weinberg.

The exhibition, Bringing the Holy Land Home: The Crusades, Chertsey Abbey, and the Reconstruction of a Medieval Masterpiece, is at the Iris & B. Gerald Cantor Gallery, College of the Holy Cross, Worcester MA, USA, 27 January - 9 April 2023.

If you’re enjoying this podcast and are looking for more fascinating Medieval content then subscribe to our Medieval Monday newsletter here >

If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! To download, go to Android > or Apple store >

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Lewis continues his Mystery Month on Gone Medieval with another tantalising enigma of the Middle Ages - possibly the most mysterious manuscript that exists anywhere in the world. Carbon-dated to the early 15th century, the Voynich manuscript is hand-written in an unknown script, embellished with illustrations and diagrams, showing people, fantastical plants and astrological symbols.

Yet the origins, authorship, and purpose of the manuscript continue to baffle experts, which have even included British codebreakers from both World War I and World War II. Matt finds out more from Raymond Clemens, Curator of Early Books and Manuscripts at Yale University.

This episode was edited and produced by Rob Weinberg.

If you’re enjoying this podcast and are looking for more fascinating Medieval content then subscribe to our Medieval Monday newsletter here >

If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! To download, go to Android > or Apple store >

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 1324, Alice Kyteler became the first woman in Britain and Ireland to be tried for witchcraft. Married to four different husbands - all of whom died in suspicious circumstances - Alice was accused of murder, heresy and having carnal relations with the devil. But was she guilty? Or just another woman who fell victim to the medieval distaste for women in power?

In this episode of Gone Medieval, Dr. Cat Jarman is joined by Professor Claire Downham to discuss why Alice’s status as a successful business woman put a target on her back, how she found herself caught up in a web of religious politics and intrigue, and the significance of Britain and Ireland’s first ever burning at the stake for witchcraft.

This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Rob Weinberg.

If you’re enjoying this podcast and are looking for more fascinating Medieval content then subscribe to our Medieval Monday newsletter here. 

If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! To download, go to Android or Apple store 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.