The Medieval Podcast

This week, Danièle starts the new year with a fun episode exploring how real history can be used to add challenges to your Dungeons & Dragons games. (If you’re not into D&D, don’t worry - there’s lots of quirky information for history lovers of all stripes!) You can support this podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com /medievalists  This podcast is made possible by the generous support of li...

As the new year approaches, it’s time to take a look back at the best parts of 2021: the medieval stuff. This week, Peter Konieczny returns for the third annual Medieval Podcast Year in Review, covering everything from new discoveries to movies to video games to our own adventures in 2021. You can support the podcast on Patreon - go to https://www.patreon.com/medievalists You can get a 20% discoun...

One of the great things about 2021 drawing to a close is that we can take a moment to think about all of the really amazing books we’ve read over the past twelve months. This week, Danièle speaks with Peter Konieczny about ten of our favourite books of the last year. You can find these books on the Medievalists.net Amazon shop at https://www.amazon.com/shop/medievalists This podcast is made possib...

For medieval historians, a large part of the job tends to be working against common myths, using research to push back especially against narratives that erase people or that oversimplify complex issues. This week, Danièle speaks with Matthew Gabriele and David M. Perry, who have teamed up to write a new history of the Middle Ages in counterpoint to these old ideas: The Bright Ages. You can suppor...

Many medieval people were hugely invested in finding ways to organize and share what they knew about the world, including one influential translator from England. This week, Danièle speaks with Dr. Emily Steiner about John Trevisa and how his work on medieval compendia influenced history. You can get Danièle's book How to Live Like a Monk with a 20% discount - use the code BENEDICT at checkout at ...

In the last decade or so, there’s been a rising tide of history books and articles that are written to meet the people where they are; public histories of the Middle Ages full of life and energy, that hook even more people and bring them into our world. This week, Danièle speaks with a writer who does it better than maybe anyone else in the world today: Dan Jones. You can get Danièle's book How to...

Can medieval monastic practices, with their emphasis on a healthy soul, mind, and body, inspire us to live fuller lives today? This week, Danièle is the guest as she talks about her new book How to Live Like a Monk: Medieval Wisdom for Modern Life. You can find Danièle's new book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3nrUGHH   This podcast is made possible by the generous support of listeners like you! To fi...

If you were suddenly transported back into Northern Europe in the latter part of the Middle Ages, a lot of the people you came across would be sporting something shiny on their clothes or hats. This week, Danièle speaks with Ann Marie Rasmussen about medieval badges, how they were made and used, and who was wearing them. You can support this podcast on Patreon - go to https://www.patreon.com/medie...

The Tudors are a fascinating and turbulent dynasty, but how were they shaped by medieval culture? In this episode, Danièle speaks with Sarah Gristwood about the courtly love traditions that heavily influenced the Tudors. To learn more about Danièle's Medieval Masterclass, please visit http://medievalmasterclass.com/ You can support this podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com /medievalists ...

Traitors were the ones who suffered the most grisly executions in medieval Europe, but treason is in the eye of the beholder, changing over time along with culture, language, and ideas of nation. This week, Danièle speaks with Amanda McVitty about the changing face of treason in medieval England. You can support this podcast on Patreon - go to https://www.patreon.com/medievalists Learn about Daniè...

The latest medieval movie has just dropped into theatres, and that means that Danièle was first in line with Peter Konieczny to bring you the goods. This week, they discuss Ridley Scott’s The Last Duel, starring Jodie Comer, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, and Adam Driver. You can support The Medieval Podcast on Patreon - go to www.patreon.com/medievalists to learn more. This podcast is made possible by...

Trial by combat has captured people’s imaginations for centuries, which is exactly why it’s the focus Hollywood’s latest medieval film: The Last Duel. This week, Danièle speaks with Eric Jager, author of the non-fiction book that inspired the film. You can support this podcast and Medievalists.net on Patreon - check it out at https://www.patreon.com/medievalists This podcast is made possible by th...

Want to party like it's 1399? This week, Peter Konieczny joins Danièle to walk back through the centuries to the medieval world of parties, from crashing a celebration in early medieval Baghdad to trying to impress your dining partner in late medieval England. You can support this podcast on Patreon - go to https://www.patreon.com /medievalists  This podcast is made possible by the generous suppor...

One of the things that’s unfortunately true about the Middle Ages is that there was a mistrust of difference, especially when it came to religion. But what caused a lot of anxiety, mistrust, and tension wasn’t always the differences: it was the similarities. This week, Danièle speaks with Adrienne Williams Boyarin about the ways in which Christians and Jews dealt with similarity and difference in...

Tight hose caused the Black Death, licking a bear into existence, and the Ordeal of Water. In this episode, Danièle tells us about some of the stranger ideas that came up in the Middle Ages. To sign up for Danièle's masterclass, go to https://medievalmasterclass.thinkific.com /  You can listen to the first episode of Bow and Blade at https://www.medievalists.net/2021/09/battle-hastings-bow-blade/...

Much ink has been spilled on Geoffrey Chaucer, but there’s another Chaucer that should be showing up on our radar, as well. This week, Danièle speaks with Michèle Schindler about the life and times of Alice Chaucer. Join up with Danièle's Masterclass at https://medievalmasterclass.thinkific.com/ This podcast is made possible by the generous support of listeners like you! To find out how to help sp...

It’s back to school time. This week, Danièle tells us about life in the medieval university. What did students learn, what was expected of them, and how they really behaved. You can help support this podcast on our Patreon - go to   https://www.patreon.com/medievalists This podcast is made possible by the generous support of listeners like you! To find out how to help spread the joy of medieval hi...

A new documentary follows the lives of women who fight in an extreme and full-contact sport, Medieval Armored Combat. This week, Danièle talks with filmmaker Adrian Cicerone about his new film Steel Song. You can watch the documentary on iTunes and AppleTV starting August 31st. Click here to learn more. This podcast is made possible by the generous support of listeners like you! To find out how to...

It’s medieval storytime! This week, a story from the ancient world is translated into the Middle Ages in the tale of Sir Orfeo. This podcast is made possible by the generous support of listeners like you! To find out how to help spread the joy of medieval history, please visit patreon.com/themedievalpodcast

The Green Knight has just been released in the cinemas. Danièle is joined by Peter Konieczny to talk about the film and how it compares to the 14th-century story Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.  You can support this podcast and Medievalists.net on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/medievalists This podcast is made possible by the generous support of listeners like you! To find out how to help sp...

The roots of some important English traditions and political institutions began in one of those historical pockets of huge change but scarce written material in the centuries after the Romans left and the Normans arrived, making it challenging to find answers. Enter Dr. Marc Morris. You can support this podcast through Patreon - go to https://www.patreon.com /medievalists  This podcast is made pos...

Imagine yourself going on a one-way trip to medieval England. What items would you bring back with you? In this episode of The Medieval Podcast, Danièle prepares to go to the 14th century and has a list of modern things she would take back into the Middle Ages. You can support The Medieval Podcast on Patreon - go to https://www.patreon.com/medievalists This podcast is made possible by the generous...

One of the world’s most well-known and beloved medieval saints is, of course, St. Francis, a man who faced many tribulations in the form of physical illness and disability. This week, Danièle speaks with Donna Trembinski about what we can learn about the person behind the saint by studying how his physical life affected his spiritual life. You can sign up for Danièle's Medieval Masterclass at http...

One of the things medieval and modern people definitely have in common is an interest in preventing unwanted pregnancies. This week, Danièle speaks with Eleanor Janega to get all the details on medieval contraception. You can support this podcast and Medievalists.net on Patreon - go to https://www.patreon.com/medievalists This podcast is made possible by the generous support of listeners like you!...

This week, Danièle speaks with Marie Favereau about the myths and truths surrounding the Golden Horde, how nomadic people tend to be misunderstood, and how the Mongols changed the world. You can support this podcast on Patreon - go https://www.patreon.com/medievalists to learn more. This podcast is made possible by the generous support of listeners like you! To find out how to help spread the joy...