14th Century Europe

A small episode containing a big announcement.

The Jew Baruch recounts his forced baptism at the hands of the Pastoureaux.

 This is the epilogue to the episodes about Béatrice de Planissoles, in which she and other friends of ours return to denounce the archvillain--or hero?--Bernard Clergue.  The material comes from the record of Bernard Clergue's trial in the Fournier Register. For some of the context, I am indebted to the incredibly detailed research of René Weis, whose book The Yellow Cross answered almost all my...

Béatrice de Planissoles continues to tell Bishop Jacques Fournier about her history with heresy, sorcery, sex, drugs, etc.    Thank you to Professor Nancy Stork for her English translations of parts of the Fournier register, which you can find at the links below.   Beatrice's trial: https://www.sjsu.edu/people/nancy.stork/courses/c4/s1/Beatrice_de_Planissoles  Barthelemy's trial (Beatrice's most r...

We look at the record of one woman's inquisition and use at as a lens to consider Montaillou, a small village that remained a bastion of Cathar heresy a century after the Albigensian crusade tried to eliminate it.    Thank you to Professor Nancy Stork for her English translations of parts of the Fournier register, which you can find at the links below.   Beatrice's trial: https://www.sjsu.edu/peop...

Ten Inquisitors' Ruses against the Tricks and Deceits of Heretics, from Nicholas Eymerich's Directorium Inquisitorum .  Source:  Inquisition in the Fourteenth Century: the Manuals of Bernard Gui and Nicholas Eymerich by Derek Hill.    Music thanks to Verbum Gloriae  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOY2Hj4AbsnEfaQDvxQvnAg  "Exultemus et laetemus" - Responsorial chant for Paschaltide.  "Ego sum Alp...

Essential listening for newly hired medieval inquisitors.   Music thanks to Verbum Gloriae  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOY2Hj4AbsnEfaQDvxQvnAg  "Exultemus et laetemus" - Responsorial chant for Paschaltide.  "Ego sum Alpha et O" - Antiphon for Paschaltide. 

The church persecutes the Waldensians and Cathars but welcomes the Franciscans with open arms. Why?

In this first part of a miniseries about the medieval inquisition, we learn about Cathar dualists, Waldensian lay preachers, and the vita apostolica.

The Holy Roman Emperor's dying wish was to visit the King of France. Also, we explore the tradition of drama that evolved from the Mysteries and Miracle Plays.   Music thanks to Verbum Gloriae  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOY2Hj4AbsnEfaQDvxQvnAg  "Exultemus et laetemus" - Responsorial chant for Paschaltide.  "Ego sum Alpha et O" - Antiphon for Paschaltide. 

It's 1376-77. The Commons makes a splash in England's Parliament, King Edward III dies, and we trace the development of proto-nationalism in France and England.   Music thanks to Verbum Gloriae  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOY2Hj4AbsnEfaQDvxQvnAg  "Exultemus et laetemus" - Responsorial chant for Paschaltide.  "Ego sum Alpha et O" - Antiphon for Paschaltide. 

Oxford preacher and theologian John Wyclif denies that we chew on the body of Christ, and insodoing does away with the priesthood and the papacy.   Music thanks to Verbum Gloriae  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOY2Hj4AbsnEfaQDvxQvnAg  "Exultemus et laetemus" - Responsorial chant for Paschaltide.  "Ego sum Alpha et O" - Antiphon for Paschaltide. 

Enguerrand de Coucy VII goes off to show the Habsburgs what's what, but gets shown what's what by the Swiss instead.   I will, ahem, not be taking any questions about the geography of the Holy Roman Empire. Please instead refer to this extremely confusing map:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Swiss_Confederacy#/media/File:Golden_Bull_of_1356.png    Music thanks to Wikimedia and the Petrucci Musi...

How the French manage to turn the war around in 1369-1375.   Music thanks to Verbum Gloriae  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOY2Hj4AbsnEfaQDvxQvnAg  "Exultemus et laetemus" - Responsorial chant for Paschaltide.  "Ego sum Alpha et O" - Antiphon for Paschaltide.   

Enguerrand is caught on the prongs of a forked allegience, and two popes make the attempt to return to Rome.  Here's a family tree that shows how the Green Count is connected to Enguerrand, to the Viscontis, to the Bourbons, and to the Valois: Guess I'll turn it around a few times:  Music thanks to Verbum Gloriae  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOY2Hj4AbsnEfaQDvxQvnAg  "Exultemus et laetemus" -...

Let's dive deep into the four Northern Italian city-states that made all this possible.   Music thanks to Verbum Gloriae  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOY2Hj4AbsnEfaQDvxQvnAg  "Exultemus et laetemus" - Responsorial chant for Paschaltide.  "Ego sum Alpha et O" - Antiphon for Paschaltide. 

A vegetarian's worst nightmare.

This episode summarizes the book  Italy in the Time of Dante and Petrarch, 1216-1380  by John Larner.   Music thanks to Verbum Gloriae  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOY2Hj4AbsnEfaQDvxQvnAg  "Exultemus et laetemus" - Responsorial chant for Paschaltide.  "Ego sum Alpha et O" - Antiphon for Paschaltide. 

We turn our attention to Italy, where someone hasn't been keeping the farm nice and tidy like he was supposed to.   Music thanks to Verbum Gloriae  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOY2Hj4AbsnEfaQDvxQvnAg  "Exultemus et laetemus" - Responsorial chant for Paschaltide.  "Ego sum Alpha et O" - Antiphon for Paschaltide. 

Du Gueslin had two claims to fame: he was the best French military commander, and he was the ugliest man from Rennes to Dinant!   Music thanks to Verbum Gloriae  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOY2Hj4AbsnEfaQDvxQvnAg  "Exultemus et laetemus" - Responsorial chant for Paschaltide.  "Ego sum Alpha et O" - Antiphon for Paschaltide. 

Enguerrand returns to France arm in arm with the oldest daughter of the King of England.

King Edward III imposes a ruinous ransom on King John II, and Enguerrand takes his place as hostage while the money is raised.   Music thanks to Verbum Gloriae  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOY2Hj4AbsnEfaQDvxQvnAg  "Exultemus et laetemus" - Responsorial chant for Paschaltide.  "Ego sum Alpha et O" - Antiphon for Paschaltide. 

The peasants have had enough of the nobility in France. (Could we agree more?)   Music thanks to Verbum Gloriae  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOY2Hj4AbsnEfaQDvxQvnAg  "Exultemus et laetemus" - Responsorial chant for Paschaltide.  "Ego sum Alpha et O" - Antiphon for Paschaltide. 

In Paris, the Estates-General seize the moment of weakness in the monarchy to push constitutional reform.   Music thanks to Verbum Gloriae  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOY2Hj4AbsnEfaQDvxQvnAg  "Exultemus et laetemus" - Responsorial chant for Paschaltide.  "Ego sum Alpha et O" - Antiphon for Paschaltide. 

The game of war: a minute to learn, a lifetime to master.    Music thanks to Verbum Gloriae  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOY2Hj4AbsnEfaQDvxQvnAg  "Exultemus et laetemus" - Responsorial chant for Paschaltide.  "Ego sum Alpha et O" - Antiphon for Paschaltide.