We're Not So Different

Luke and Eleanor dive deeper into the Holy Roman Empire, tracking its history through the High Middle Ages with the Hohenstaufens, the Luxembourgs, an Interregnum, some stuff about the Crusades, whatever the hell a Landfrieden is, and more! check it out and enjoy!

in this episode, Luke and Eleanor start a short series on everyone's favorite medieval oddity: The Holy Roman Empire. we talk about how it started and rose to power, start to introduce you to its interesting setup, and talk a bit about investiture. check it out! also, here's a link to that paper on Moravian forest management Eleanor mentioned: https://t.co/kJlIJnKtq8

a little late due to some technical issues from recording but we're back! Luke and Eleanor talk with special guest Florence H R Scott about the death of Queen Elizabeth II and how the deaths and coronations of monarchs were handled in the Middle Ages. Check our Florence's substack if you're interested: https://florencehrs.substack.com/ some of the episode had to be re-recorded so if the back end s...

Luke and Eleanor are back to finish up this short series on medievalism in video games. we talk about The Witcher, Assassin's Creed, Elden Ring, Kingdom Come: Deliverance, Skyrim, and more! enjoy!

in this episode, Luke and Eleanor finally get to one of the most requested topics: video games! we start by talking a good deal about Crusader Kings 3 before moving on to other strategy games with Medieval components like Age of Empires, the Total War series, and Sid Meier's Civilization games. next time, we will cover more games that are set in or heavily borrow from the Middle Ages like Assassin...

in this episode, Luke and Eleanor discuss what it was like for Medieval pilgrims heading to the three holiest sites in Christendom: Jerusalem, Rome, and Santiago de Compostela. we talk about why they were so holy, what pilgrims went to see, what they could expect and more!

in this episode, Luke and Eleanor go through and answer some questions from patrons that we haven't gotten to yet! we talk about everything from medieval siege engine usage, the Fens of East Anglia, an Elden Ring meme, and much more! it's a lot of fun and we'll hopefully do more in the future!

in this episode, Luke and Eleanor use those weird momlife webcomics (you know, the peach milkshake lady who hates her husband) as an excuse to talk about the division of parenting and domestic labor responsibilities in the Middle Ages. we talk about women's work, men's work, broad-shouldered peasant women, and more!

in this episode, Luke and Eleanor take a look at books and shows like Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon using the excuse of medieval settings to justify pervasive sexual violence against women. we talk about why that's hogwash both from a historical perspective and from a literary one, check it out!

in this episode, Luke and Eleanor discuss Genoa and Venice, their longstanding rivalry, the rise and fall of each, and more! but mostly it's just slander Genoa for not ever beating their rival, Venice, at least until the present day when Genoa is much larger and not sinking into the sea.

in this episode, Luke and Eleanor continue talking about Medieval cities and this time it's the powerful Italian city-states of Florence and Pisa. we see how these two rose and fell during the Middle Ages and Renaissance and eventually became beautiful, sleepy tourist spots in a united Italy.

in this episode, Luke and Eleanor start with a long cold open about what the fuck is happening in the US and UK right now (spoiler: no fucking clue) and then get into talk about London and Paris in the Middle Ages. it's a bunch of fun, check it out!

in this episode, Luke and Eleanor talk about the recent Supreme Court decision on abortion as well as the views and ideas on abortions in the Middle Ages. We also have a long list of places where you can volunteer time and money, check out: abortionfunds.org brigidalliance.org https://mashable.com/article/donate-abortion-funds-reproductive-justice-roe-wade

in this episode, we talk about life in Medieval cities by comparing the two great and holy cities of the Roman Empire: Rome and Constantinople. so check it out, you'll really enjoy!

In this episode, our 69th of the show (nice), Luke and Eleanor follow-up on the episode about Medieval Magic by discussing witchcraft in the Middle Ages. We talk about what they did, how they were perceived by others, the Malleus Mallificarum, and the Early Modern witch-hunts. check it out!

in this episode, Luke and Eleanor talk about practical magic in the Middle Ages. what was considered magic? which types of magic were ok and which types were taboo? do any of these beliefs still hold sway today?

in this episode, Luke and Eleanor make fun of a meme for a bit and then use it as a springboard to talk about how hospitality worked in the Medieval world. What was guest right? Did inns and taverns have the same hospitality expectations of people's homes? listen to find out!

in this episode, Luke and Eleanor compare and contrast modern and medieval approaches to policing, noting the vast differences between the two and how we can learn to create a better society for ourselves from the past without the oppressive police states we live under today.

in this episode, Luke and Eleanor review The Northman, Robert Eggers' 2022 epic historical fiction film set in the middle ages. we loved it and got to talk about so much including hot, shirtless vikings, shrooms, draugr, hot women doing magic, and much more! check it out and don't forget we've got a patreon review episode coming tomorrow!

in this episode, Luke and Eleanor look at the growing trend of modern people wanting to return to the simpler, pastoral ways of medieval life to escape the present hellscapes. we talk about why this rose-colored view of history doesn't really stand up to scrutiny, how the trend is being used by bigots to further their own goals, and how having more "time off" in the Middle Ages isn't the same as h...

in this episode, Luke and Eleanor get back in the medieval groove by covering one of our most requested topics ever: hygiene in the Middle Ages! we talk shit-covered peasants, slightly less shit-covered nobles, makeup, dental care, and more!

In this episode, our 23rd and final in the series on Historical Materialism, Luke and Eleanor cover the Neoliberal turn of the 80s, the fall of the Soviet Union, America's ongoing search for a justification for the military industrial complex, 9/11, the internet, the rise of China, the end of history and that pesky Owl of Minerva. check it out!

In this episode, our penultimate one in the Historical Materialism series, Luke and Eleanor discuss the years from 1960-1980, which includes spaceflight, Gladio, Paperclip, Condor, the Vietnam War, the Jakarta Method, the Cultural Revolution, and much more!

in this episode, Luke and Eleanor discuss 1945-1960, which includes the Cold War, the beginning of Pax Americana, communism spreading to China, the Cuban Revolution, the Sino-Soviet split, and much more!

In this episode, Luke and Eleanor cover the rise of fascism, World War 2, and the atom bomb. hooboy