As part of our Wars of the Roses special month, there’s one family that demands more attention than they usually get: The Beauforts’. The influence of the Beauforts’ in the Wars of the Roses can still be felt today, as Margaret Beaufort, the eventual heiress, gave birth to Henry VII, the first Tudor monarch. Though like most things in history, it’s not straightforward, and it doesn’t help that our guest and host today disagree on pretty much everything to do with the Wars of the Roses. Narrating...
May 28, 2022•44 min•Ep. 106
Rivers, Silk roads and camels - how did international trade adapt and survive beyond the Roman Empire into the middle ages? In today's episode Cat is joined by author Hilary Green to talk about her debut non-fiction book, "International Trade in the Middle Ages". Together they examine products like wool, silk, spices and salt - items we take for granted now, but materials that were once symbolic of status and wealth. What were the secret routes taken and how do we know about their journeys? For ...
May 24, 2022•32 min•Ep. 105
All things must end. This final special episode on the Wars of the Roses deals with a series of endings and considers what finding a date for the end of the conflict means for how we think about this critical period. Lancaster will be revived, only to meet a final end. The House of York seems secure, but would fall, replaced by an unknown Welshman who had lived half his life in exile. Does the arrival of the Tudor dynasty really mark the end of the Wars of the Roses? Or is that just the story th...
May 21, 2022•32 min•Ep. 104
Early medieval royals ate mostly meat, right? Wrong! A new study that’s made headlines around the world has shown that medieval kings were largely vegetarian! To help shed light on this exciting new discovery, today Cat is joined by Dr Sam Leggett of the University of Edinburgh, a bio-archaeologist and the lead author of the study. For more Gone Medieval content, subscribe to our Medieval Mondays newsletter here. If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad fre...
May 17, 2022•30 min•Ep. 103
Part one of this comprehensive trilogy covering the Wars of the Roses left the Yorkist lords attained and in exile. From this point, the 15th century civil wars were transformed into a bitter procession of dynastic clashes between the rival houses of Lancaster and York - the result of which would reforge England's destiny for centuries to come. In part two, Matt Lewis explains how and why feuding nobles came to contest the very crown of England, explores the rise of the House of York and examine...
May 14, 2022•29 min•Ep. 102
Margery Kempe was an English Christian mystic, known for writing "The Book of Margery Kempe", a work considered by some to be the first autobiography in the English language. She's also thought to be the first case of schizophrenia. In honour of Mental Health Awareness week, Dr Cat Jarman is joined by Dr Alison Torn from Leeds Trinity University to explore Margery's complicated legacy and whether it's appropriate to view Kempe’s 15th century life through a 21st century understanding of mental he...
May 10, 2022•30 min•Ep. 101
The Wars of the Roses is a complex and fascinating period of English history that dominates the second half of the 15th century and leads to the rise of the Tudor dynasty. It’s often characterised as a dynastic struggle between Lancaster and York, but it was much more than that. In this first part of three special episodes, Matt Lewis details the origins of the conflict and how it erupted into open war. Episodes 2 and 3 will explore the events of the conflict, but this is a chance to get to grip...
May 07, 2022•39 min•Ep. 100
In Norse mythology, the Valkyries determine who lived and who died on the battlefield. Translated as “Chooser of the Fallen” in Old Norse, they’re often depicted as supernatural women who guide the souls of deceased soldiers worthy enough of a place in Valhalla, to feast with the god Odin. Today, Dr Cat Jarman is joined by Dr Jóhanna Katrín Friðriksdóttir, a medievalist and literary researcher based at the National Library of Norway. Together they explore who the Valkyries were, the purpose they...
May 03, 2022•33 min•Ep. 99
In today’s Gone Medieval podcast, Matt Lewis joins Dallas Campbell - host of our sister podcast Patented: History of Inventions - to explore the role of medieval monks in inventing. Seeing scientific and philosophical investigation as a way to get closer to God - despite the threat of being labelled a heretic - monks were considered masters of invention. Together, they explain how monks navigated this balance and tell the story of Roger Bacon, a friar credited with designing the magnifying glass...
Apr 30, 2022•36 min•Ep. 98
Histories of India usually concern themselves with events and invasions in the subcontinent’s North, while the rest of India’s rich story is often reduced down to little more than dry footnotes. Now historian and Indian history podcast presenter Anirudh Kanisetti has brought to light the early medieval period in the Deccan Plateau - between the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal - when the region was transformed by the Chalukya dynasty, shaping life in southern India for centuries. In this editio...
Apr 26, 2022•21 min•Ep. 97
The term “Middle Ages” is commonly used but really only applies to a Western European view of history. It was created at the beginning of the Early Modern period in England to categorise what had gone before. The acclaimed historian Peter Frankopan is widening the geographic focus to understand the period in world history as a whole, and counter a Euro-centric perspective that has dominated and shaped our view of the past. In this episode of Gone Medieval , Peter Frankopan joins Matt Lewis to ex...
Apr 23, 2022•28 min•Ep. 96
The Northman now showing in UK cinemas is an action-filled epic that follows a young Viking prince on his quest to avenge his father's murder. Its director Robert Eggers has described it as the “most accurate Viking movie ever made." But what does "accuracy" mean for a historical blockbuster? And how is it achieved? In this episode of Gone Medieval , Dr. Cat Jarman talks to Professor Neil Price, an archaeologist specialising in Viking Age Scandanavia. He was one of the historical advisors on The...
Apr 19, 2022•29 min•Ep. 95
Easter today is marked by chocolate eggs and two Bank Holidays - in the Medieval world it had a deeply spiritual significance. But it wasn’t without its share of celebration and merrymaking too. In this episode, Matt Lewis explains the origins of many Easter traditions in the Medieval period, and how our ancestors knew how to fuse together religious worship with a bit of fun. For more Gone Medieval content, subscribe to our Gone Medieval newsletter here. If you'd like to learn even more, we have...
Apr 16, 2022•17 min•Ep. 94
Little has been known up until now about the involvement and power of women during the Crusader period. When Saladin's armies besieged Jerusalem in 1187, behind the city walls a last-ditch defense was being led by an unlikely trio - including Sibylla, Queen of Jerusalem. She was the last of a line of formidable female rulers in the Crusader States of Outremer - a world where women conducted diplomatic negotiations, made military decisions, forged alliances, rebelled, and undertook architectural ...
Apr 12, 2022•25 min•Ep. 93
Genghis Khan is still considered one of the most famous and most feared warrior kings in history. But his name still divides opinion. To some, he was the ruthless conqueror of great civilisations, for others a hero who united nomadic tribes and created an enlightened empire. But who was the real Genghis Khan? In today's episode, Matt is joined by historian and author John Man who takes us through the rise, character, and conquests of Genghis, delving into the life of one of the most recognisable...
Apr 09, 2022•33 min•Ep. 92
1,900 miles west of South America and 1,250 miles from any other population centre, Easter Island - or Rapa Nui - is world famous for its monolithic stone statues. But new evidence indicates that the isle's infamous prehistoric 'societal collapse' may actually be a myth. With the help of fresh techniques and research, Robert DiNapoli and his team from Binghamton University in the US have found that descendants of Polynesian seafarers who settled Easter Island in the 13th century continued to ere...
Apr 05, 2022•35 min•Ep. 91
In 1216, at the adolescent age of nine, Henry became King Henry III of England. With his father, King John passing, right amid the First Barons’ War, Henry was left to inherit his mantle and all the chaos that came with it. But how did the young King rule the country? In this episode, Matt is joined by a leading authority on the history of Britain, David Carpenter, to delve into the first half of King Henry's reign. For more Gone Medieval content, subscribe to our Gone Medieval newsletter here. ...
Apr 02, 2022•48 min•Ep. 90
Several large kingdoms were formed in the Viking-Age period, the best known settlements being in Ireland and York. Dublin became a thriving hub for western Viking expansion and trade. New discoveries of silver and other items show that traded commodities traveled vast distances, but how interconnected were these towns? And how much were they a part of a greater Viking network? In this episode, Dr. Cat Jarman is joined by Dr. Tom Horne, author of 'A Viking Market Kingdom in Ireland and Britain'. ...
Mar 29, 2022•38 min•Ep. 89
A gap in knowledge - both of stories and artefacts - provides a frustrating block when looking into the past. But, a new report, based on the use of statistics, is hoping to shine a light on some of these hidden mysteries. This week Matt is joined by Dr Katarzyna Anna Kapitan from the University of Oxford who talks Matt through her fascinating research, from finding out that medieval romance manuscripts were recycled into Bishop's mitres to the masses of Icelandic manuscripts discovered preserve...
Mar 26, 2022•27 min•Ep. 88
The dynamics in everyday life in the Medieval period may seem drastically different compared to how we live today. From traditions, gender, power, and religion, advancements in the present seem rapid. But do we have more in common with those of the past than we realise? In this episode of Gone Medieval, Cat is joined by Elizebeth Boyle. Elizebeth is a historian and author who specialises in the intellectual, literary, and religious culture of Britain and Ireland, with a particular focus on Irela...
Mar 22, 2022•35 min•Ep. 88
It's hard to imagine the familiar places around you disappearing forever. But all across Britain, there are once inhabited towns and buildings that disappeared under the sea, were decimated by plagues, or simply abandoned - leaving no trace of their existence. With discussions of the horrors of climate change, young archaeologists buying entire fields on a hunch, and hidden medieval wine cellars along the south coast, the lost history of Britain is slowly uncovered. On this episode of Gone Medie...
Mar 19, 2022•43 min•Ep. 87
Assassin's Creed: Valhalla has brought the Viking Age to life in stunning detail, and now the game is even being used as an educational tool! Maxime Durand is World-Design Director at Ubisoft and the mind behind the hit franchise's Discovery Tour, which is a fun way to learn about history in the game's virtual world. Our very own Dr Cat Jarman acted as a historical consultant for the game, making sure it was as accurate as possible. In this episode she sits down with Maxime to discuss the value ...
Mar 15, 2022•35 min•Ep. 86
How would you rule an early medieval dynasty? Maybe you'll send your spymaster to dig around for secrets or champion honestly to keep stress levels down. Remembering with every decision made consequences could have a ripple effect on entire medieval worlds; for generations to come. Crusader King III is an immersive grand strategy role-playing game, allowing you to rule from the comfort of your sofa. In this episode of Gone Medieval, Matt is joined by Alexander Oltner, Game Director at Paradox Ga...
Mar 12, 2022•35 min•Ep. 85
We've all heard epic tales of early medieval kings, but what about the queens? It doesn't get much more spectacularly brutal than Brunhild and Fredegund, two sixth century queens who fought a bloody civil war against one another that lasted no less than four decades. The rival matriarchs commanded armies, developed taxation policies, established infrastructure and negotiated with emperors and popes... yet their story has been largely forgotten, until now. In this episode for International Women'...
Mar 08, 2022•32 min•Ep. 84
24th of February 2022 marked the beginning of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. This episode of Gone Medieval looks at the origins of its capital city, Kyiv, and how today it has become central to this ongoing conflict. Host Matt Lewis is joined by Dr. Olenka Pevny from the University of Cambridge. Together, they discuss the emergence of the Rus people, the consequences of the Mongols' arrival into the region - and ultimately how this period of medieval history has influenced eastern European relati...
Mar 05, 2022•41 min•Ep. 83
The historic cathedral town of Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk may well be familiar to listeners to Gone Medieval - perhaps from our episode 'Saint Edmuntd: England's Lost King' or the town’s mention during our hunt for the 'Viking Great Heathen Army' on Dan Snow's History Hit. In its heyday, Bury St Edmunds served as a significant and life-changing place of pilgrimage. In this episode of Gone Medieval, Cat is on location, exploring Bury St Edmunds’ landmarks, including what was one of the richest an...
Mar 01, 2022•42 min•Ep. 82
1066 is a year carved into the history of western Europe. It radically transformed the cultural, political and built landscape of England in a way that is hard to overstate - and yet its immediate aftermath is often forgotten. By Domesday, just 20 years later, around 94 percent of England's land remained in the hands of the Normans and their allies, and their children would inherit its vast majority. So what became of those Anglo-Saxons who were too young to fight in 1066? In this episode Matt i...
Feb 26, 2022•32 min
Charlemagne is labelled by many as the most ambitious ruler in Europe prior to Napoleon - but what do we really know about him? A 46 year long rule beginning at the end of the 8th Century, responsible for a cultural and intellectual renaissance - what can we learn from the sources about Charlemagne and his own personal history? This week Cat is joined by Rosamond McKitterick to discuss Charlemagne's life, legacy, and shine some light on one of the most influential rules in European history. If y...
Feb 22, 2022•34 min
Throughout Medieval history, figures like Joan of Arc, Henry VIII, and William the Conqueror are commonly forefront when many think of the middle ages. However, some important figures and families are a mystery, and The Warenne Earls of Surrey are no exception. In this episode, Matt is joined by historian and author Sharon Bennett Connolly to focus on one of the richest dynasties in the world to date. From their extensive family tree, wealthy origins, and abrupt end, we explore the history of th...
Feb 19, 2022•42 min
Alfred the Great (r. 871-899) is without a doubt one of the best-known and most admired kings of early medieval England. We know quite a lot about his life, not least because he had a biography written about himself while he was still alive. However, we know very little about what happened to his remains after he died. The search for King Alfred's remains has involved some highly dubious antiquarians and quite a bit of detective work. Now, modern methods may have made a breakthrough. In this epi...
Feb 15, 2022•33 min
