From long-lost Viking ships to kings buried in unexpected places; from murders and power politics, to myths, religion, the lives of ordinary people: Gone Medieval is History Hit’s podcast dedicated to the middle ages, in Europe and far beyond.
New episodes every Tuesday and Friday.
A podcast by History Hit, the world's best history channel and creators of award-winning podcasts Dan Snow's History Hit, The Ancients, and Betwixt the Sheets.
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Were papal indulgences really just a medieval “get out of hell free” card? How were they expanded after the Crusades? And how were they used to fund projects, including the rebuilding of St Peter’s in Rome? Dr. Eleanor Janega is joined by Dr. Felicity Hill to unpack this complicated system of confession, absolution, penance and purgatory. MORE Conclave: Picking Popes Listen on Apple Listen on Spotify Pope Joan: Sacred Scandal Listen on Apple Listen on Spotify Gone Medieval is presented by Dr. El...
Matt Lewis journeys into the world behind the latest story from the Game of Thrones universe, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms , to discover how it illustrates that medieval history is far more colourful and spectacular than you might think. After nerding out about the world created by George R.R. Martin with Dr. Eleanor Janega, Matt is joined by Dr Hugh Doherty, the show’s historical advisor, who worked with its writers to build a believable world of knights, codes, and clashing swords, bringing ...
** Contains strong language** What would Britain look like today if Richard III had won at Bosworth? What did medieval people sing when they were drunk and hanging out? What is the most historically accurate part of Monty Python and the Holy Grail ? For this special 500th episode of Gone Medieval , Matt Lewis and Dr. Eleanor Janega get stuck into the questions at the forefront of the minds of our listeners. MORE Why the Early Middle Ages Matter Listen on Apple Listen on Spotify What are the High...
Who is the Sultan that beat back Richard the Lionheart, and earned his respect as a worthy foe? Matt Lewis is joined by Professor Jonathan Phillips to delve into the life and legacy of Saladin, the formidable Muslim leader who reclaimed Jerusalem for Islam and triggered the Third Crusade. They discuss Saladin’s Kurdish origins, his strategic rise to power in Egypt, and the crucial battles that culminated in his historic victory at the Battle of Hattin. Prepare to navigate centuries of historical...
What would you do if a royal feast turned into a death sentence before dessert was served? Step into Edinburgh Castle as the boy-king James II looks on in horror, and the Douglas brothers are dragged from candlelit feast to shadowed courtyard. Dr. Eleanor Janega is joined by Professor Michael Brown to dissect the Black Dinner of 1440 - often cited as the inspiration behind the "red wedding" in Game of Thrones - and ask how far will powerful nobles go to secure their grip on power? From sewer-ass...
How integral were horses to warfare, agriculture and travel in the Middle Ages? What did your horse say about your status? How can knowing more about horses unlock a deeper understanding of medieval society itself? Matt Lewis is joined by equestrian historian Dr. Anastasija Ropa to understand the way horses powered the Middle Ages. MORE Fantastic Beasts of the Middle Ages Listen on Apple Listen on Spotify Dragons: From Eden to Middle Earth Listen on Apple Listen to Spotify Gone Medieval is prese...
Matt Lewis and Dr.Eleanor Janega are launched into a medieval battle, how do they survive? They explore the intricacies of medieval warfare; from the strategic brilliance of leaders like Saladin to the unexpected outcomes of famous battles like Agincourt and Bannockburn, delving into what it takes to win against overwhelming odds. MORE What Are The High Middle Ages? Listen on Apple Listen on Spotify The Battle of Agincourt Listen on Apple Listen on Spotify Gone Medieval is presented by Matt Lewi...
How could England be ruled when the king was just a baby? When Henry VI came to the throne at nine months old, the hunger for power among his Plantagenet uncles spilled into violence. 600 years ago, in February 1426, parliament even moved to Leicester to avoid mob violence in London. Even so, MPs armed themselves with wooden bats and clubs. What happened next? Matt Lewis and Dr. Hannes Kleineke explore one of the most explosive parliaments in English history and an episode that presaged the Wars...
A wind whips across the North Sea as dragon-headed ships cut through the waves towards Anglo-Saxon England. Their arrival marks the start of the Viking Age. In this episode of Gone Medieval , Dr Eleanor Janega is joined by Terri Barnes and C.J. Adrien of the Vikingology podcast to explore why Vikings left their Scandinavian homelands. From climate change and political upheaval to innovations in shipbuilding, they examine the forces that set these raiders and explorers on a path that would reshap...
Matt Lewis explores the evolution of the Knights Hospitaller, from charitable brotherhood to a formidable fighting force at the heart of the Crusades. How did they reconcile their piety with the brutality of medieval warfare? How did their growing military and financial power reshape the fragile politics of the Holy Land? And how did they endure as one of the most resilient institutions in medieval Europe? Matt is joined by Dr. Rory McClellan to delve into the origins, purpose, daily life, and l...
The death in 1290 of Eleanor of Castile, beloved Queen of King Edward I, sparked one of the grandest gestures of royal mourning in English history. Her body was carried on a 200-mile journey from Lincoln to London, commemorated at each of its 12 overnight stops by a monumental cross. Dr. Eleanor Janega visits two of the surviving Eleanor Crosses with Alice Loxton and tells the extraordinary love story between Edward and Eleanor that inspired these monuments. MORE King Edward I: Hammer of the Sco...
With Greenland in the news, you may be wondering how and why Greenland became inhabited in the first place. Like all great stories, it is a medieval one! Matt Lewis retells the fascinating tale of Norse Greenland, from the arrival of Norse explorers over a thousand years ago to the mysterious disappearance of their settlements and the myths and legends surrounding the Viking presence in Greenland. MORE Norse Mythology: Creation Myths Listen on Apple Listen on Spotify How To Live Like A Viking Li...
Sail north with Gone Medieval to Orkney’s storm-lashed islands, where saints, shipwrecks, blood-feuds and tax disputes all unfold in the Sagas of the Earls of Orkney. Dr Eleanor Janega is joined by Professor Judith Jesch to explore Saint Magnus, turf-cutting Viking Earls, miracle-working dice games, and how a new translation reshapes this Norse world for modern readers. MORE Scotland's Stone of Scone Listen on Apple Listen on Spotify Viking Warrior Women Listen on Apple Listen on Spotify Gone Me...
Locked in the Tower of London after hours, Matt Lewis searches for his vanished co‑host Dr. Eleanor Janega. They swap wild escape stories of Ranulf Flambard and Roger Mortimer, and shiver inside the Bloody Tower discussing legendary prisoners including Princes in the Tower, Henry VI and William Wallace. Along the way, they meet a former Tower resident with a ghost in his bedroom, an unused toilet for Hitler, and a menagerie of spectral bears, barrels and bile. MORE The Princes In The Tower Liste...
In the first of two special episodes from the iconic Tower of London, Dr. Eleanor Janega charts the transformation of the William the Conqueror's Norman fortress by Henry II and Edward I into an opulent royal palace. Now imaginatively recreated, the palace is brought to life with furniture, tapestries, original artefacts, and vivid illustrations. Eleanor is guided by curator Dr. Charles Farris who tells the stories of ambition, intrigue and the royal court within the Tower’s grand medieval rooms...
Once the powerhouse of the Anglo-Saxon world, the kingdom of Mercia dominated not just Wessex but nearly all its neighbouring realms. At its height, Mercia held sway over regions that include modern Birmingham and even London. Though the kingdom eventually faded with the rise of Alfred the Great, its story—and its influence—were far from over. In this episode, Matt Lewis sits down with historian Annie Whitehead to uncover the enduring legacy of the Mercians. From the fierce warrior-king Penda, t...
Who was the worst Medieval monarch? Dr. Eleanor Janega teams up with the hosts of our sister podcast After Dark to delve into the lives of some of Europe's most notorious medieval monarchs..and rank them! From Pedro the Cruel of Portugal to Richard the Lionheart, and from Isabella the She Wolf of France to Vlad the Impaler, the team unravel their nefarious deeds and personal vendettas to decide who can be crowned as the worst monarch. MORE Richard the Lionheart Listen on Apple Listen on Spotify ...
The heart of the Assassin’s Creed franchise is the deadly rivalry between the brotherhoods of Assassins and Templars. These were real groups in history, whose power and influence in their lifetimes matched the longevity of their reputations. But how much of what we know of the two organisations is myth, and what is reality? To help separate fact from fiction, Matt Lewis is joined by Dr Steve Tibble, author of Assassins and Templars: A Battle in Myth and Blood. Echoes of History is a Ubisoft podc...
Come closer, warm yourself by the fire, and don't look too closely at the shadows playing at the edges of the room. Dr. Eleanor Janega explores eerie medieval ghost tales with Dr. Michael Carter, of knights with blood-stained souls and transforming ravens, fleeing monks and night walkers. Together they explore how winter hauntings reflected beliefs about ghosts, purgatory, and prayers for the dead, and why such stories, later revived by M.R. James, still captivate us today. MORE The Haunting Med...
Did Lady Godiva ride naked through Coventry? Matt Lewis welcomes Annie Whitehead to delve into the legendary tale of Lady Godiva, uncovering the true historical figure behind the myth. They explore primary sources, the political landscape of 11th-century Mercia, and Godiva's significant role as a landholder and patron, as one of many independent and influential of Anglo-Saxon women. MORE Legends of Robin Hood Listen on Apple Listen on Spotify Murder in Anglo-Saxon England with Annie Whitehead Li...
The chilling discovery of a medieval well in Norwich, filled with the remains of 17 Jewish adults and children, opened a window into the lived reality of historical antisemitism. What do these findings tell us about the forces that shaped Jewish life and loss in medieval England? Dr. Eleanor Janega and Matt Lewis continue their exploration of Norwich, uncovering the rich, and often heartbreaking, story of the city’s once-thriving Jewish community. Dr. Oren Margolis joins Eleanor to trace the jou...
Medieval Norwich comes alive as Matt Lewis and Dr. Eleanor Janega visit Norwich Castle, once a hulking Norman fortress, royal palace and later a Victorian jail. Matt tours the huge Keep with archaeologist Dr Tim Pestell, exploring fire-scarred vaults from medieval sieges and exquisite high-status finds unearthed in recent excavations. Matt also gets to attend Henry I's feasting hall where he spent Christmas in 1121. MORE Castles, Kings and Courtly Life Listen on Apple Listen on Spotify Castles i...
Christmas would not be complete without a nativity play: Baby Jesus, Mary and Joseph, all watched over by an ox, a donkey and assorted bystanders in the stable. St Francis of Assisi staged the very first nativity play way back in 1223, so like all the best things in life; it's medieval! Dr. Eleanor Janega is joined by Professor Tim Larsen to uncover how St Francis turned worship into theatre and how a single night in Italy transformed the way the world would celebrate Christmas forever. MORE Med...
How did the alphabet we use today take shape? Matt Lewis welcomes Danny Bate to explore how the medieval period shaped the alphabet we use today. They discuss the transformation of Egyptian hieroglyphs, the significant impact of the Norman Conquest of 1066, and the eventual disappearance of medieval letters like thorn (þ) and ash (æ). This is a journey across millennia from the adaptability of letters during the fall of Rome to innovations in medieval script and chaotic English rules. MORE Medie...
What if the Renaissance was powered by Arabic science? Dr. Eleanor Janega is joined by Dr. Elizabeth Drayson to uncover how figures like Constantine the African and Fibonacci transformed European learning and commerce by channelling Islamic knowledge into Latin Christendom. They dive into records from multicultural Spain and Sicily, where Islamic science, mathematics, and medicine helped forge the foundations of “Western” progress. MORE The Rise and Fall of Al-Andalus Listen on Apple Listen on S...
Journey east with Matt Lewis and Martyn Whittock to uncover how the Vikings came face to face with the Slavs. Using clues like the Ingvar Rune Stones, Matt and Martyn discover how the Vikings reshaped Northeastern Europe, with Norse trade, warfare, and cultural exchange, as well as their role in the Byzantine Empire and Islamic Caliphates, and how these adventurers helped forge the Kievan Rus and influence Russian and Ukrainian identities. MORE Viking Travels Listen on Apple Listen on Spotify Ru...
Delve into the extraordinary 1431 heresy trial of Joan of Arc, a calculated political prosecution designed to discredit both Joan and King Charles VII. Dr. Eleanor Janega and Professor Anne Curry meticulously trace Joan's journey from battlefield leader to condemned heretic, highlighting the immense intellectual and political pressure she faced from the Anglo-Burgundian alliance. The discussion explores the trial's intricate legal procedures, Joan's surprising recantation, and her subsequent reassertion of faith, ultimately shaping her enduring legacy as a symbol of courage and defiance despite her tragic end.
Delve into the extraordinary saga of the Stone of Scone, also known as the Stone of Destiny, examining its medieval role in crowning Scottish kings and its eventual seizure by Edward I. Professor Dauvit Broun unravels the myths, discusses its historical significance in shaping Scottish nationhood, and recounts the daring 1950 student rebellion that temporarily returned it, highlighting its ongoing legacy as a symbol of national identity.
From the tactical nautical decisions of the Normans and Vikings to medieval monks' meticulous wind records, medieval civilisations have always harnessed and feared the wind. Dr. Eleanor Janega and Simon Winchester explore the intimate relationship medieval people had with the wind, from it's role in agriculture and health, to its perceived divine and magical properties, providing a comprehensive look at the wind's historical significance. MORE: The Medieval Moon Listen on Apple Listen on Spotify...
Matt Lewis pays a visit to Gone Medieval 's sister podcast The Ancients for a lively debate with Tristan Hughes about the blurred boundary between the ancient and medieval worlds. Can Tristan champion Roman Emperor Justinian as an Ancient? What about Charlemagne? Which period can lay claim to the worst year in history? And was there a single moment when people woke up and realised they'd entered a new era? Watch this episode on The Ancients YouTube channel MORE Why the Early Middle Ages Matter L...
