Gone Medieval continues to explore the life cycle of castles, today considering the role for which they were explicitly designed - as fortresses to protect those within - by focussing on the incredible Carlisle Castle. Matt Lewis speaks to Professor Jackson Armstrong about this frontier castle and the significance of its location on the border of the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland. Gone Medieval is presented by Matt Lewis. The producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne...
Nov 01, 2024•39 min•Ep. 365
**This episode contains some strong language** Few women had the luxury of writing down their thoughts and feelings during medieval times. But remarkably, there are at least four extraordinary women who did. Marie de France, a poet; Julian of Norwich, a mystic; Christine de Pizan, a widow; and Margery Kempe, a "no-good wife". What was life really like for them? Could they live independent lives? And how can we hear their stories? In this episode of Gone Medieval, Dr. Eleanor Janega is joined by ...
Oct 29, 2024•39 min•Ep. 364
Old Sarum was the earliest settlement of Salisbury in Wlitshire. While there are indications of a prehistoric settlement on the site from as early as 3000 BC, its importance in Norman England has slipped from prominence. Matt Lewis talks to archaeologist and TV presenter Alex Langlands, whose recent book - Tales of Two Cities: Settlement and Suburb in Old Sarum and Salisbury - offers fresh insights into the significance of this ancient site. Gone Medieval is presented by Matt Lewis. It was edite...
Oct 25, 2024•39 min•Ep. 363
All this month, Matt and Eleanor are ranging across England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland to discover the stories of our greatest castles. In this episode, Eleanor looks at one of the most iconic and strategically important fortresses. Over the centuries, Stirling Castle has reflected Scotland's changing political and cultural landscape. The early wooden structures gave way to stone fortifications, which, in turn, were transformed into a Renaissance palace with a flourishing court life, symboliz...
Oct 22, 2024•37 min•Ep. 362
Ireland has been known as the land of saints and scholars and once was the farthest reach of the known world. But it's also home to one of the densest selections of castles in Europe thanks to the bloody invaders, the Normans. Matt Lewis visits the immense fortress that is Trim castle to learn about how castles in Ireland were built as instruments of conquest and colonisation, to crush and contain the people's of the Emerald Isle. Gone Medieval is presented by Matt Lewis. The producer is Joseph ...
Oct 18, 2024•36 min•Ep. 361
Medieval churches are among our most enduring links with the Middle Ages. But it's not always easy to understand what parts of a church to look out for and what they can tell us about the people who built them. Dr. Eleanor Janega finds out how to achieve enlightenment through the very bricks and mortar of a medieval church from Andrew Ziminski, author of Church Going: A Stonemason's Guide to the Churches of the British Isles . Gone Medieval is presented by Dr. Eleanor Janega and edited by Jo Tro...
Oct 15, 2024•38 min•Ep. 360
Castles in Medieval Britain didn't just serve a military purpose, they were central to the social and cultural life of society. In the second episode of Gone Medieval 's special series telling the story of castles, Matt Lewis looks at how castles were built by turning the spotlight on Conwy Castle in North Wales. Built as part of Edward I's campaign to consolidate his control over Wales, Conwy's unique construction and architectural innovations had an enduring influence on castle design across t...
Oct 11, 2024•24 min•Ep. 359
At the edge of the Gobi Desert, Dunhuang was once a bustling oasis on the famous Silk Road connecting China and the Mediterranean. For more than 1000 years, Dunhuang was an important pilgrimage site and a cultural melting pot where ideas, technologies and art flowed freely - encompassing multiple languages, faiths and cultures - and spanning literature, astronomy, medicine, politics and art. Dr. Eleanor Janega goes to the British Library and meets curator Mélodie Doumy to get a rare glimpse into...
Oct 08, 2024•33 min•Ep. 358
For the Plantagenets, family might be a curse as often as a boon. They could provide invaluable support, or dangerous rivalry. At the end of the 14th century, the relationship between two first cousins rocked England, ruptured the line of succession and had a long legacy. Helen Castor joins Matt Lewis to discuss the fascinating true story of cousins who became deadly rivals. Gone Medieval is presented by Matt Lewis. The editor is Ella Blaxill and the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior produce...
Oct 04, 2024•59 min•Ep. 357
Castles. For centuries they have held fast across the landscape of the British Isles. Like beacons on a hill they project power in stone and wood. But where did these quintessentially medieval strongholds come from? And how were they put to use? All this month on Gone Medieval, Dr Eleanor Janega and Matt Lewis are embarking on a new six-part series exploring the story of Britain's great castles: how they were built, how they survived assault and what they represented to the peoples that lived ne...
Oct 01, 2024•54 min•Ep. 356
Bonfires of paperwork have accompanied human upheaval for centuries, eradicating, making space for rewriting. Imagine standing in the centre of Paris as revolutionaries sweep away the old ways along with the ashes of centuries of records and memories. Matt Lewis is joined by Professor Robert Bartlett to consider how much of what we might have known about the past has been consumed by the fires of revolution and war, and how close we were to losing every word of Beowulf. Gone Medieval is presente...
Sep 26, 2024•46 min•Ep. 355
If you’ve ever been to Prague, you’ll have noticed that there are many places and institutions that bear the name Charles - all of them because Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV was responsible for their creation. Furthermore, almost every great medieval building you’ve seen in Prague was commissioned by him. But Charles IV was also an incredibly skilled politician, and a devoted religious man who sought relentlessly to restore the glory of the Empire, and the papacy to Rome from Avignon. In this ex...
Sep 24, 2024•40 min•Ep. 354
The stories often told and retold of the early medieval period are those of great kings, battles and daring deeds. But ordinary people can often be harder to get at. Matt Lewis is joined by Dr. Eleanor Barraclough to discuss how the once-lost little bits and pieces that survive - love letters carved into wood, combs and pots mainly from medieval rubbish dumps - provide windows into everyday Viking lives as they were lived. Gone Medieval is presented by Matt Lewis and edited by Max Carrey. The pr...
Sep 20, 2024•45 min•Ep. 353
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
