The Medieval Podcast

From supplying food and medical treatment, to lending emotional and financial support, to occasionally engaging in combat, women were to be found in and around every major conflict of the Middle Ages. This week, Danièle speaks with Helen J. Nicholson about the role of women in the most famous clashes of the medieval period: the crusades. You can support this podcast and Medievalists.net on Patreon...

We know that many people were unfree serfs in the Middle Ages, but what does serfdom actually mean? This week, Danièle speaks with Mark Bailey about medieval serfs, their place in society, and the true catalyst for the decline and fall of serfdom in England. 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, plea...

We know that women in the Middle Ages worked and contributed in vital ways to their families and communities, but where do we find the evidence? And what can it tell us? This week, Danièle speaks with Sarah Ifft Decker about women’s work in medieval Catalonia, how we can trace it, and how it differed from city to city and faith to faith. You can support this podcast and Medievalists.net on Patreon...

In the Middle Ages, swans could be found everywhere from ponds, lakes, and moats, to shields, tombs, and stories. This week, Danièle speaks with Natalie Goodison about how these beautiful birds have made a lasting impact on Western culture in wide-ranging and unexpected ways. You can support this podcast and Medievalists.net on Patreon - go to https://www.patreon.com/medievalists This podcast is m...

This week, Danièle (with the help of her new puppy) introduces some of the most popular saints of the Middle Ages, along with their iconography, so you can spot them in medieval art. You can also support this podcast and Medievalists.net on Patreon: 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 j...

Unfiltered, opinionated, and joyful, the Wife of Bath stands out from Chaucer's Canterbury crowd, interjecting, interrupting, and endearing herself to readers for over six centuries. This week, Danièle speaks with Marion Turner about the literary life and legacy of this unforgettable character. The creator and host of The Medieval Podcast is Danièle Cybulskie. Click here to visit her website at ww...

On January 1, 1404, a Florentine named Gregorio Dati wrote down his good intentions in his "secret ledger" to keep himself accountable. This week, Danièle revisits Dati's New Year's resolutions and the life of this colourful medieval silk merchant. You can also help support the podcast and Medievalists.net through our Patreon – go to https://www.patreon.com/medievalists to learn more. This podcast...

This week, Peter Konieczny from Medievalists.net joins Danièle to talk about their favourite medieval books of 2022. Danièle has updated her website - check it out at https://www.danielecybulskie.com/ 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! To find out how...

To see the tangled knots of medieval interpersonal and international relationships, we need look no further than two of the most powerful, long-lasting, and entwined dynasties of the Middle Ages. This week, Danièle speaks with Catherine Hanley about two hundred years of rule by the houses of Plantagenet and Capet. This podcast is made possible by the generous support of listeners like you! To find...

The Middle Ages was a time in which people were closely tied to plants and their environment, deeply aware of their potential as a source of food, healing and beauty. Islamic gardens were especially known for their creativity and innovation. This week, Danièle speaks with D. Fairchild Ruggles about their cultural significance and the ingenious ways they were cultivated. This podcast is made possib...

In the mid-1990s, a little movie called Braveheart introduced a whole new generation to Scotland's fight for freedom in the Middle Ages. This week, Danièle speaks with Iain MacInnes about Scotland's Wars of Independence, why a sovereign kingdom had to fight for independence in the first place, and why the story doesn't end with the Battle of Bannockburn. This podcast is made possible by the genero...

As the holiday season approaches, many of us are looking for gifts for the history lovers in our lives, or worthy historical causes to donate to. This week, Danièle shares some ideas for the medieval history enthusiasts on your list, no matter what your budget. You can support this podcast on Patreon - go to https://www.patreon.com/medievalists This podcast is made possible by the generous support...

It’s not that easy being queen, especially when one of your ladies-in-waiting catches the eye of your husband. This week, Danièle speaks with Gemma Hollman about Philippa of Hainault and Alice Perrers, the wife and the mistress of Edward III. To become a patron, please visit patreon.com/medievalists. This podcast is made possible by the generous support of listeners like you! To find out how to he...

This week, Danièle speaks with R. Howard Bloch about medieval cathedrals, those magnificent “total works of art” where people have gathered, worshipped, and offered their talents and prayers since the Middle Ages. Check out Danièle's website at http://www.danielecybulskie.com/ You can support us on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/medievalists and Danièle directly at https://ko-fi.com/5MinMediev...

This week, Danièle speaks with Nicholas Morton about the one hundred year rise of the Mongol Empire in the Near East, why they were so effective, and why they pursued global domination. You can sign up for online courses from Medievalists.net at https://medievalstudies.thinkific.com/ You can support this podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/medievalists This podcast is made possible by th...

This week, Danièle reads stories from the biographies of two of the Middle Ages' greatest knights, William Marshal and Boucicaut, as well as revisiting the famous Combat of the Thirty. You can help support this podcast and Medievalists.net on Patreon - go to https://www.patreon.com/medievalists You can get Danièle's digital downloads at http://www.danielecybulskie.com/shop This podcast is made pos...

This week, Danièle revisits her TEDx talk, History in Three Dimensions, five years later to reflect on what's changed in the field, to give you some of the footnotes, and to explore what couldn't be squeezed into eighteen nerve-wracking minutes. You can find out about Medievalists.net at https://linktr.ee/medievalists.net This podcast is made possible by the generous support of listeners like you!...

This week, Danièle reflects on the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, how it relates back to medieval royal funerals, and what traditional elements may be left behind in the future. You can join the online course Medieval Gender and Sexuality at https://medievalstudies.thinkific.com/courses/medieval-gender-sexuality This podcast is made possible by the generous support of listeners like you! To find o...

This week, Danièle speaks with Meg Leja about the relationship between bodies and souls in medical thought in the early Middle Ages, why people were meant to care deeply for both, and where medieval people believed the soul to be located in the body. You can support this podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/medievalists This podcast is made possible by the generous support of listeners li...

It's September: a time for fresh starts, as well as a time when every career and educational decision may seem large and looming. This week, Danièle shares the story of how her many false starts, successes, and failures led to her career as an indie medievalist. If you enjoy this podcast, please consider supporting it on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/medievalists This podcast is made possible...

This week, Danièle answers your burning medieval questions from social media and Patreon, covering everything from diapers, to sleep, to the mysterious Green Man. To learn more about the online courses from Medievalists.net, please visit https://medievalstudies.thinkific.com/ This podcast is made possible by the generous support of listeners like you! To find out how to help spread the joy of medi...

As a teenage king, a crusader, and a bigamist, Philip Augustus' life story is filled with enough saintliness and scandal to satisfy the appetites of any medieval chronicler. This week, Danièle speaks with Cecilia Gaposchkin and Sean Field about the life of Philip II Augustus, as recorded by a contemporary monk. Check out the online course The Viking Age at https://medievalstudies.thinkific.com/ Ge...

Manuscript fragments, the lone survivors of medieval books which have been dismembered or destroyed, can be found in collections all over the world, and it takes some serious detective work to bring them back together. This week, Danièle speaks with Dr. Lisa Fagin Davis about how fragments are tracked down and reassembled, and what we can learn from these forgotten treasures of the Middle Ages. Yo...

During the Middle Ages, the church was at the very heart of European society, but how did ordinary people interact with it in their daily lives? This week, Danièle speaks with Nicholas Orme about the churchgoing experience of everyday medieval people, how it changed over time, and what it was like to attend a medieval mass. To get your copy of Danièle's new digital download - 300+ Dirty, Sexy Word...

Medieval antisemitism flared up most famously and tragically during the Black Death when Jews were accused of deliberately poisoning wells, and thousands were executed for this wholly imagined crime. This week, Danièle speaks with Tzafrir Barzliay about what made well poisoning conspiracy theories so powerful, and how they started. This podcast is made possible by the generous support of listeners...