Chronicles of Christendom

We finish Chretien de Troyes’ romance today, this time we focus on the last section that focuses on Gawain. However I’m going to argue throughout that although Perceval may be absent as a character, the structure of Perceval’s story is shaping how Gawain’s story plays out. We then get to all-so-abrupt incomplete ending and lament how this great story is unfinished. I’m using the William Kibler tra...

We continue our story of Perceval and the grail, the medieval romance written by Chretien de Troyes. We learn some more lore about the grail and the bleeding lance, as well as spend some time with Gawain before we hear of Perceval one last time. Will Perceval redeem himself from the failure at the Fisher King’s castle? We’ll see…I’m using the William Kibler translation published by Penguin. Here’s...

We take a look at the first part of Perceval, or the Story of the Grail. Written towards the end of the 12th century, Chretien de Troyes introduced for the first the notion of the grail as we understand it today. Although this work is incomplete, probably due to Chretien's death, his incomplete story would spawns several continuations and prologues. Reading this story it's not surprising why. It's...

Livistros and Rodamni is a mid 13th century Greek Romance written during the time of the Latin occupation of Constantinople. One of several Greek romance stories, in this narrative the Latin ruler Livistros learns to love after encountering the Lord of Love in an apocalyptic dream and has to win the love of princess Rodamni. The translation I'm using is Gavin Betts' translation called "Livistros a...

In this podcast we look at the early 7th century text "On the Nature of Things" by St. Isidore of Seville. This work has been described as eclectic, since it combines both Christian and Pagan works on cosmology into a whole, but in many ways is quite representative of the cosmological views of the time. Isidore talks. Version I'm Using: "On the Nature of Things" by Isidore of Seville. Translated b...

We look at a beast epic from 13th century Netherlands about the sly fox, Reynaert. Written in Middle Dutch by a certain “Willem die Madocke maecte,” this Beast Epic offers a satirical view of the middle ages through talking animals. This story is in a long line of other beast epics, which probably have their origin in Aesop’s fables, surrounding the character of Reynard the Fox. The translation I’...

We go to Medieval Iceland today with the Ere-Dweller saga. This story tells about families in the Snæfellsnes peninsula, feuds, ghost hauntings, witches, trials, murders, arson, and the coming of Christianity into Iceland. I’m using the Hermann Palsson & Paul Edwards translation published by Penguin as Eyrbyggja SagaThere is an older out of copyright version: https://sagadb.org/eyrbyggja_saga.en T...

We’re finally going to talk about Dante Alighieri. We won’t be covering the Divine Comedy, there’s a million people who’ve done that, but we’re going to cover a story he wrote in his earlier career where he first mentions Beatrice. This story, The New Life or perhaps The Youthful life, mixes both prose and poetry together and provides a fascinating look at how you can view history, including your...

Part 2! In this episode we finishing looking at Ulrich von Zatzikhoven’s Lanzelet. It’s an early German language Arthurian poem (c. 1200) centering on the figure of Lanzelet (AKA Lancelot), however it’s not the adulterous Lancelot we’re most familiar with. Instead Lanzelet is a naive knight raised on an island of Fairy women trying to figure out his name. In this podcast we finish up the story. Th...

In this episode we look at Ulrich von Zatzikhoven’s Lanzelet . It’s an early German language Arthurian poem (c. 1200) centering on the figure of Lanzelet (AKA Lancelot), however it’s not the adulterous Lancelot we’re most familiar with. Instead Lanzelet is a naive knight raised on an island of Fairy women trying to figure out his name. In this podcast we get through about half of the story and we’...

Today we go to Bohemia, modern day Czechia, to look at two texts. The first is a German language text written in about 1401 by Johannes von Tepl (also known as von Saaz) called The Ploughman from Bohemia or sometimes known as The Husbandman and Death. The second text is a short Pastiche written just a couple years after by an unknown author in the Czech language called The Little Weaver (Tkadleče...

At the end of the 6th century Gregory the Great / Gregory the Dialogist wrote his 4 famous Dialogues during a very tumultuous time in Italy: depopulation, disease, famine, foreign invasion, the collapse of trade, and the fall of the Western Roman Empire. In the Dialogues he shows that despite the tumult God is still active in history and has not forsaken Italy as evidenced by the numerous lives of...

9/10th century hagiography written in Georgian: The Balavariani. This story covers the lives of Sts. Iodasaph king of India and his monastic guide, Balahvar. In Greek these saints are known as Ioasaph and Barlaam, and in the West they’re generally known as Josaphat and Barlaam. I’m using David Marshall Long’s translation of the story called The Balavariani (Barlaam and Josaphat), a Buddhist Tale f...

We finish our mini-series on the Mabinogi covering the 4th branch regarding Math, Lleu, and the magical women he has to deal with. We concludes with some comments on all the branches as a whole offering a Christian perspective as opposed to the mainstream academic view. Will Parker’s translation of the fourth branch with extensive footnote commentary from his own website: https://mabinogi.net/math...

On the third branch of the Mabinogi we pick up just where the 2nd branch left us off with the burying of Bran’s head. This branch primarily focuses on Manawydan, and a curse/enchantment placed over Wales in the cantrefs of Dyfed. Will Parker’s translation of the third branch with extensive footnote commentary from his own website: https://mabinogi.net/manawydan.htm . I strongly disagree with some...

We continue with the Welsh Mabinogi. This time we look at the 2nd branch and look into a war between the Irish and Welsh, involving a giant king, and a magic cauldron. Will Parker’s translation of the second branch with extensive footnote commentary from his own website: https://mabinogi.net/branwen.htm . I strongly disagree with some of his commentary, but some has been invaluable to me in my res...

For the next few episodes we’re going to be spending time in Wales looking at a Universal History work from Wales: The Four Branches of the Mabinogi. I hope to release one podcast a week to get through all 4 parts instead of the normal 3 week waiting period. Will Parker’s translation of the first branch with extensive footnote commentary from his own website: https://mabinogi.net/pwyll.htm . I str...

In this episode we head to the land of Rus to talk about saints Boris and Gleb, the first canonized saints of Rus. Sources: “The Narrative, Passion and Encomium of Boris and Gleb” found in Medieval Slavic Lives edited and translated by Marvin Kantor (1983). The Russian Primary Chronicle translated by Samuel Hazzard Cross and Olgerd P. Sherbowitz-Wetzor (1953) This is a public episode. If you would...

In this episode we talk about the Byzantine Epic Poem “Digenes Akritas” “Digenes Akrites” translated by John Mavrogordato, 1956, Oxford University Press Source and translation for the poem mentioned at the end in description of this video Illustrated and narrated summary of poem along with some background history (I don’t agree with everything here but it is well put together) This is a public epi...

In this episode we wrap up our discussion on Erec and Enide by Chrétien de Troyes “Erec and Enide” translated by Carleton W. Carroll found in “Chrétien de Troyes: Arthurian Romances” edited by William W. Kibbler Find on Substack: https://chroniclesofchirstendom.substack.com/ Find on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@CofChristendom You can also find this podcast anywhere podcasts are found (Apple,...

In this episode we cover Erec and Enide. Not only is this the first Arthurian Romance, it is also the first French Arthurian story. Source: “Erec and Enide” translated by Carleton W. Carroll found in “Chrétien de Troyes: Arthurian Romances” edited by William W. Kibbler Find on Substack: https://chroniclesofchirstendom.substack.com/ Find on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@CofChristendom Intro Mus...

In this episode we talk about the Latin life of St Stephen of Hungary Sources: “ Hartvic, Life of King Stephen of Hungary” translated by Nora Berend found in Medieval Hagiography: An Anthology edited by Thomas Head “Saint Emeric” translated by Cristian Gaşpar found in The Sanctitity of Leaders: Holy Kings, Princes, Bishops, and Abbots from Central Europe (Eleventh to Thirteenth Tenturies) edited...

Text Source: “The Life of St. Guthlac of Crowland (Guthlac A)” translated by Ophelia Hostetter. Available online: https://oldenglishpoetry.camden.rutgers.edu/guthlac-a/ Other Texts Mentioned: The Latin life of St Guthlac published as Felix’s Life of Saint Guthlac translated and edited by Bertram Colgrave The Old English translation of the Latin life published as The Anglo-Saxon Version Of The Life...

The Scope Welcome everyone to this new podcast — the Chronicles of Christendom. By the time you’re reading or listening this there should be three episodes already available for listening, more if you come across this later. This podcast is a place for me to showcase really cool medieval stories. To be more specific I am going to cover medieval literature that has a certain mythopoetic nature to i...