Vikings have long been depicted as that stereotype of the hairy, nameless warrior, leaping ashore from his longboat, ready to terrorise a hapless local population in a northern European country. But there were also seers, artisans, travellers, and writers, too whose stories can now be pieced together through the traces that they left behind. Dr. Eleanor Janega is joined by Alex Harvey to bring to light new research and challenge our conventional understanding of the Viking era, which may not be ...
Sep 17, 2024•47 min•Ep. 352
For centuries, one English monarch basked in an almost unblemished, heroic reputation. But more recently questions have been asked about some of his actions. Was Henry V a great warrior king, or a vicious butcher - or both? Matt Lewis is joined by Dan Jones to fill the gap between the Plantagenets and the Wars of the Roses with an examination of the relatively newly divisive figure, Henry V. Clip of Shakespeare's Henry V from the 2013 Globe Theatre production, with Jamie Parker as Henry V. Gone ...
Sep 13, 2024•46 min•Ep. 351
One of the enduring mysteries of the Viking Age is the identity of two people buried in a spectacular blood drenched ship in southern Norway in the autumn of 834. Why the mystery? Because these remains were of women accorded the most lavish Viking burial ever discovered. Dr. Eleanor Janega is joined by Heather Pringle to discuss research that reveals how Viking women were warriors, traders, and leaders, and how their lives have been long overlooked by history. Gone Medieval is presented by Dr. E...
Sep 10, 2024•41 min•Ep. 350
The Crusades still capture the imagination today, for all of their professed good intentions they were also bloody ideological wars. But have we misunderstood some of the key sources for the First Crusade? The letters on record are not only from popes and bishops but also written by crusaders who were actually on the campaign. Matt Lewis is joined by Dr. Thomas Smith, a leading historian of the Crusades, to learn more about what we might have previously missed. Gone Medieval is presented by Matt...
Sep 06, 2024•45 min•Ep. 349
In the year 940 in North-Eastern France, a young peasant girl began to experience vivid visions that mirrored the brutal conflict engulfing her world. Flothilde's visions were written down by one of the era's most respected historians, creating a unique record of how 'smallfolk' experienced the violent power struggles around them. Dr. Eleanor Janega is joined by Dr. Fraser McNair, whose translation of the Visions of Flothilde reveals the horror that she experienced as her community was torn apar...
Sep 03, 2024•47 min•Ep. 348
For millions of Tolkien lovers around the world, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings are more than just fantasy fiction. Their rich mix of sacred mythology and archetypal saga stories draw deeply into history and legend and profoundly resonate with universal human experience. But from where did Tolkien derive his inspiration? As with most things, Matt Lewis is determined to claim it as medieval, with the help of today's guest, Tolkien scholar Dr. Chris Snyder. Gone Medieval is presented by Matt...
Aug 30, 2024•36 min•Ep. 347
It’s summer, so let’s kick back, give our brains a break and indulge in a little fantasy. Hollywood, like us, ADORES the medieval period and has made some stonking entertainment based on this period. Our esteemed historian hosts assess the most fun, the most accurate and the most absurd films set in medieval times and choose their favourite guilty pleasures. Starring Katherine Hepburn as Eleanor of Aquitaine, a rabble-rousing Chaucer and a cockney King Arthur. We also hear what medieval people w...
Aug 27, 2024•54 min•Ep. 346
William Marshal was one of the most famous and influential figures in English medieval history, rising from a lowly start to becoming the knight at the right hand of five Kings - Henry II, his co-regent young Henry, Richard I, John and Henry III. Marshal is the subject of the only known written biography of a non-royal to survive from the Middle Ages, extolled as being "the best knight in the world." But was he really as great as his biographers made him out to be? Matt Lewis finds out more from...
Aug 23, 2024•40 min•Ep. 345
On Gone Medieval we like to celebrate the best stories - and storytellers - of history, so today Dr.Eleanor Janega showcases the brilliant podcast History Daily . Host Lindsay Graham takes listeners back in time to explore a momentous event that happened ‘on this day’ in history and to tell the true stories of the people and events that shaped our world—one day at a time. This episode is all about the events that took place in April 1014: King Brian of Ireland is killed by Vikings during the Bat...
Aug 20, 2024•18 min•Ep. 344
Please be aware that this episode mentions sexual violence Amongst the countless crusaders who travelled to the Holy Land, there were undoubtedly some who believed they were doing the right thing for their God and King. Others though were gangsters, bandits and even worse, murderers and rapists, bringing horror and terror to the region. In fact, the real tensions stemmed not from religion but from young men - dislocated, disinhibited and present in disturbingly large numbers. Matt Lewis finds ou...
Aug 16, 2024•38 min•Ep. 343
How did a peasant girl go on to lead French armies at the age of 17? How did her visions of saving France from the English play a part in her life? Why was it significant that she wore men's clothes and led armies? And what is her legacy today? In this episode of Gone Medieval , Dr. Eleanor Janega pops across to our sister podcast Betwixt the Sheets to discuss the life of the formidable Joan of Arc with Dr. Kate Lister. This episode was edited and produced by Stuart Beckwith and Rob Weinberg. Th...
Aug 13, 2024•47 min•Ep. 342
Christians had a problematic relationship with Jewish populations as the Medieval period progressed. Jews were frequently persecuted, targeted and pushed out by societies across Europe. In England, Edward I first issued the edict of expulsion in 1290. It remained illegal to be Jewish in England for 350 years. In this episode of Gone Medieval , Matt Lewis talks to Professor Ivan Marcus, author of How the West Became Antisemitic , which shows how Christian and Jewish competition in medieval Europe...
Aug 09, 2024•36 min•Ep. 341
Say Norman Conquests; think 1066 and William the Conqueror. But the massive success of the English conquest often overshadows the several other conquests across Europe which the Normans executed very successfully. Dr. Eleanor Janega is joined by Dr. Levi Roach to consider how the Normans fared in 11th century Italy, how the papacy forced a rethink of war strategy and how stories of religious conflict are often used to gain territory and power. Gone Medieval is presented by Dr. Eleanor Janega and...
Aug 06, 2024•43 min•Ep. 340
Cecily Neville was the matriarch of the House of York, the mother of two kings of England and an ancestor of every monarch since Henry VIII. Born in the year of Agincourt and at the centre of the Wars of the Roses; Cecily lived through some of the most tumultuous events in medieval English history. Matt Lewis is joined by Annie Garthwaite to celebrate this often overlooked woman, her dangerous rivals and maybe a little bit of Richard III. Gone Medieval is presented by Matt Lewis and edited by El...
Aug 02, 2024•43 min•Ep. 339
Rollo was a Viking leader who became the first ruler of Normandy in the early 10th century. His descendants, the Normans, later conquered England and southern Italy, leaving a lasting legacy on European history. So how did a Viking outlaw became a respected Frankish Jarl and founder of a conquering dynasty? In this episode of Gone Medieval , Dr. Eleanor Janega meets Mathias Dilys, cultural interpreter at Château de Falaise in Normandy, to find out why canny political manoeuvres are often as impo...
Jul 30, 2024•44 min•Ep. 338
Almost immediately after Thomas Becket’s murder, reports of miraculous healings and divine interventions spread like wildfire. Canterbury witnessed a huge influx of hundreds of thousands of pilgrims from all over Europe, boosting the city’s wealth. In this final episode of our series about Becket, Matt Lewis is joined by Dr. John Jenkins to look at the cult of Becket, how it spread across the continent and continues to this day to keep Canterbury up there among the UK’s top destinations, exactly...
Jul 26, 2024•46 min•Ep. 337
One of the most important of Holy Roman Emperors, Frederick II was revered and reviled in equal measures. He was a scholar, an architect, a poet, a scientist and a composer. Yet rumours swirled that he was a pagan, a sensualist who kept a harem, even secretly a Muslim, who was excommunicated by the Roman Catholic Church numerous times. In this explainer episode of Gone Medieval , Dr. Eleanor Janega tells the compelling story of one of her favourite historical figures; a ruler who fought for reco...
Jul 23, 2024•33 min•Ep. 336
We don't often use the word 'Tudor' on Gone Medieval but we can't ignore how the Tudors have a sensational medieval story. Henry VII was descended from the greatest Welsh princes and when word spread that he had a chance to sit on the English throne the Welsh prophecies, which foretold that one day one of their own would become king of the islands and would be crowned in London, looked to be coming true. Nathan Amin joins Matt Lewis to share the surprising story of the medieval ancestors of the ...
Jul 19, 2024•47 min•Ep. 335
Today on Gone Medieval we arrive at one of the most consequential events in English history; the murder of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Becket. A moment in time that is famed for its horrendous brutality, but from which it is impossible to look away. Across four special episodes, Gone Medieval is charting Becket's meteoric rise, his disastrous fall leading to his murder and the spectacular consequences which spawned a world famous legacy. Matt Lewis and Dr. Eleanor Janega relive the even...
Jul 16, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 334
It's 1163; Thomas Becket has cast off the shackles of his working class roots to become King Henry II's right-hand man. He is appointed to the highest position in the land next to the Crown; Archbishop of Canterbury. But Church and state are at loggerheads, with Henry and Thomas at the centre of the storm. Across four special episodes, Gone Medieval is charting Becket's meteoric rise, his disastrous fall leading to his murder and the spectacular consequences which spawned a world famous legacy. ...
Jul 12, 2024•46 min•Ep. 333
When you think of drama in the medieval period the appointment of bishops would not naturally come to mind. But the Investiture Controversy is one of those political storms that eventually embroiled almost all of Europe's leaders. Bishops were a big deal, carrying as much political heft as religious, so ceding ground on who picked them was as dangerous as you could get. This was a period when Popes had the power to make or break emperors. Today Dr. Eleanor Janega is joined by Dr. Felicity Hill, ...
Jul 09, 2024•37 min•Ep. 332
Parliament is perhaps the single most significant institution in the United Kingdom. Like anything worthwhile, it's a medieval creation. But why did these meetings become settled in Westminster, where Parliament now has its home? Matt Lewis is joined by Dr. Hannes Kleineke from the History of Parliament Project to answer these questions. We also learn about the mischievous medieval practice of hooding... Gone Medieval is presented by Matt Lewis and edited by Ella Blaxill. The producer is Rob Wei...
Jul 05, 2024•31 min•Ep. 331
"Who will rid me of this troublesome priest?!" These words supposedly uttered by a King over 800 years ago set in motion a chain of gruesome events, and sparked cult-like devotion across the world. This month Gone Medieval marks the 850th anniversary of King Henry II’s penance for the murder of Thomas Becket by recounting the events leading up to and following Becket’s martyrdom. Across four special episodes Dr. Eleanor Janega and Matt Lewis consider Becket's meteoric rise in status to becoming ...
Jul 02, 2024•46 min•Ep. 330
Two years after King John had agreed to the terms of Magna Carta, he reneged on his word, plunging England into war. The rebellious barons offered the throne to the French prince Louis and set off the chain of events that almost changed the course of English history. In this episode of Gone Medieval , Matt Lewis meets Catherine Hanley, author of 1217: The Battles that Saved England which charts the three key battles that would determine England's destiny. It's an epic story of medieval siege war...
Jun 28, 2024•51 min•Ep. 329
What does a document written in 1215 in England have to do with the United States? Surprisingly a lot actually! The Magna Carta is thought to have influenced foundational documents like the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. But where did this inspiration come from? And why were America's founding fathers so influenced by a charter that King John broke almost immediately after signing it? In today's episode of Gone Medieval, we bring you an episode from our sister podcast American...
Jun 25, 2024•28 min•Ep. 328
Once connected to a busy and thriving hospital, Great St Bart's Church in Smithfield is not only a survivor of the Great Fire of London, but also has a fascinating foundation story. In this episode of Gone Medieval , Matt Lewis goes to get a closer look at London’s oldest surviving parish church with Father Marcus Walker. Gone Medieval is presented by Matt Lewis and edited by Ella Blaxill. The Producer is Rob Weinberg, the Senior Producer is Anne-Marie Luff. Gone Medieval is a History Hit podcas...
Jun 21, 2024•28 min•Ep. 327
Out of the shadowy world of the medieval church, an extraordinary legend emerged of a woman who disguised herself as a man and remarkably, rose to become Pope. It's a story of secret identities, illicit affairs and a Church shaken by the unthinkable - a female pope giving birth in the midst of a sacred procession. In this episode of Gone Medieval, Dr. Eleanor Janega is joined by Professor Craig Rustici from Hofstra University NY, author of The Afterlife of Pope Joan: Deploying the Popess Legend ...
Jun 18, 2024•34 min•Ep. 326
The Crusader states in the Near East were created after the First Crusade in order to keep hold of the territorial gains made by those known in the region as the Franks - essentially Christians from Western Europe. What can the military activities of the many different factions in the region tell us about how and why those states rose and then fell? In this episode of Gone Medieval , Matt Lewis finds out more from Dr. Nicholas Morton, author of The Crusader States and Their Neighbours: A Militar...
Jun 14, 2024•39 min•Ep. 325
One of the last kings of Anglo-Saxon England, Edward the Confessor regained the throne for the House of Wessex and is the only English monarch to become a Saint. But Edward the Confessor has also been blamed for causing the invasion of 1066―the last successful conquest of England by a foreign power. In this episode of Gone Medieval , Dr. Eleanor Janega talks to Professor Tom Licence, author of Edward the Confessor: Last of the Royal Blood , about a compassionate and conscientious ruler, whose re...
Jun 11, 2024•46 min•Ep. 324
The Anarchy is an intriguing and often forgotten period of history. There are fascinating characters and moments of deep political importance to England's development as a state. The involvement of women in the Anarchy is vital to understanding how it played out over almost two decades. In this episode of Gone Medieval, Matt Lewis talks to Sharon Bennett Connolly - author of Women of the Anarchy - in which she demonstrates how certain women were prime movers in a time of conflict and how their s...
Jun 07, 2024•38 min•Ep. 323
