For three medieval Iberian queens, grief - and the way they expressed it - had immense and far-reaching consequences. This week, Danièle speaks with Núria Silleras-Fernández about what grief and widowhood were "supposed" to look like, how grief and madness were thought to be intertwined with love, and how the grieving women in the famous Isabella the Catholic’s family shaped the history of Spain and Portugal. Listen to this podcast ad-free on Patreon - go to https://www.patreon.com/medievalists...
Jul 03, 2025•57 min•Ep. 297
There are several famous examples of mysterious medieval writing, including the so-far unbreakable Voynich Manuscript. So, what secrets were medieval people trying to hide? And why? This week, Danièle speaks with Garry Shaw about who was encrypting their manuscripts, the codes they used, and the centuries of attempts to crack the Voynich Manuscript. You can support this podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/medievalists
Jun 26, 2025•55 min•Ep. 296
There are a lot of gamechanging inventions that shifted the trajectory of the Middle Ages, but one machine managed to hit at just the right time and place to create a massive enterprise in medieval Europe, with consequences that touched the entire globe: Gutenberg's printing press. This week, Danièle speaks with Eric White about Johannes Gutenberg’s life, his early entrepreneurship, and the invention that changed the world. Support this podcast on Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/medievalists...
Jun 19, 2025•52 min•Ep. 295
Given that the term literally means “rebirth”, the Renaissance throws some not-so-subtle shade on the period that comes before it. So, where did the idea of the Renaissance actually come from? And was it truly a golden age? This week, Danièle speaks with Ada Palmer about Petrarch, Machiavelli, atheism, and how we should look at the period formerly known as the Renaissance.
Jun 12, 2025•56 min•Ep. 294
It's one of the most notorious political assassinations in history: the murder of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Becket. The story of two friends who became bitter enemies in a struggle between church and state that drew in some of the most powerful people from all over medieval Europe. So, how did a pretty ordinary kid from London end up as England’s most famous saint? This week, Danièle speaks with Michael Staunton about Thomas’ rapid rise to the highest positions in England, his epic fe...
Jun 05, 2025•57 min•Ep. 293
One of the most celebrated moments in childhood is when a person utters their very first words, stepping over a brand new threshold of communication. And from that moment on, all bets are off. This week, Danièle speaks with Julie Singer about what medieval people thought about infancy in general, how literary children could be vehicles for truth and justice, and how even in the Middle Ages kids were known to say the darnedest things. Help support this podcast on Patreon - go to https://www.patre...
May 29, 2025•48 min•Ep. 292
A mysterious figure ruling at the fringes of the known world, Prester John might be the most famous person you've never heard of. Like a medieval Carmen Sandiego, Prester John was a man people searched the globe for, from Ethiopia, to Tibet, to the New World, never quite catching up to him in the end. So, who was Prester John and why were medieval people so keen to find him? This week, Danièle speaks with Chris Taylor about where the legend comes from, how it may have had a disastrous effect on ...
May 22, 2025•44 min•Ep. 291
In the centuries since his death, the famous El Cid has been the star of plays, romances, feature films, and even propaganda campaigns. But how does history compare to the hype? This week, Danièle speaks with Nora Berend about the real Rodrigo Díaz, the astonishing way his legend grew and changed over time, and how El Cid is still being used as a political tool in the modern world. Support this podcast on Patreon - go to https://www.patreon.com/medievalists...
May 15, 2025•50 min•Ep. 290
To get a fuller picture of medieval queenship, it's time to head to the heart of Scandinavia to learn about the lives of the lesser-known medieval women who found themselves - intentionally or unintentionally - ruling a kingdom. This week, Danièle speaks with Caroline Wilhelmsson about the royal women of Sweden, how they became queens, and how they exercised their power. Listen to this podcast ad-free by joining our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/medievalists...
May 08, 2025•49 min•Ep. 289
When we look back to medieval Europe, there are a handful legendary figures who stand out above the rest. Richard the Lionheart. Charlemagne. El Cid. And Frederick Barbarossa. A powerful emperor, focused crusader, and stubborn supporter in the middle of a papal schism, Barbarossa certainly made waves in the twelfth century, and left a lasting impression. This week, Danièle speaks with Graham Loud about how Barbarossa came to power, how he managed to reign supreme in both Germany and Italy despit...
May 01, 2025•54 min•Ep. 288
Though he’s remembered as the man who united the two royal houses of England, Henry Tudor was more than just the red rose of Lancaster: he was also the red dragon of Wales. This week, Danièle speaks with Nathen Amin about Henry Tudor's Welsh ancestry, how generations of royals and rebels shaped him, and how he managed to claim the English throne despite desperately long odds.
Apr 17, 2025•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 287
When we think about the joys of modernity, perhaps one of the images that comes to mind is hospitals. But, believe it or not, hospitals were also a fundamental part of the medieval world. Catering to the sick, the poor, and the needy, hospitals were institutions many medieval people could rely on in their most desperate moments. This week, Danièle speaks with Sarah Loose Guerrero about what to expect at a medieval hospital, how institutions like the Ospedale di Santa Maria della Scala supported ...
Apr 10, 2025•48 min•Ep. 286
When it comes to influential writers of the Middle Ages, there are big names that are probably familiar to a lot of us. But who was it who influenced them? It’s time to get to the deep cut of medieval literature, and look at a writer whose worked crossed genres from epic, to drama, to heartfelt notes, to raunchy humour. This week, Danièle speaks with Lynn Ramey about the incredible Jean Bodel, his massive influence on other medieval writers, and some of his unforgettable works. Support this podc...
Apr 03, 2025•44 min•Ep. 285
Although it’s the cradle of our species, and a land as rich in culture as it is legendarily rich in resources, retellings of African history often place their focus heavily on the transatlantic slave trade. While this is valuable, too narrow a focus can make it easy to lose sight of how incredibly powerful, interconnected, and respected African people have been within the fabric of global history. This week, Danièle speaks with Luke Pepera about medieval Africa, what it would’ve been like to fin...
Mar 27, 2025•42 min•Ep. 284
Although they’re often presented as a sort of living, breathing set decoration, the women at aristocratic courts in the Middle Ages served many different functions, from the practical to the ceremonial. Educated and influential, these women served as ambassadors not only of their gender, but often of their families, and places of origin, as well. So, what was it like to be a daily companion to the elites of the medieval world? This week, Danièle speaks with Caroline Dunn about the lives of ladie...
Mar 20, 2025•50 min•Ep. 283
When it comes to intercontinental trade in the Middle Ages, the Silk Road seems to get all the love. But the movement of people and goods between kingdoms and continents was made possible in large part by water. This week, Danièle speaks with Amanda Respess about ships and shipbuilding in the medieval world, what we know about early global trade routes, and the fascinating bits of archaeology we’re still finding under the sea. Support this podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/medievalists...
Mar 13, 2025•45 min•Ep. 282
Last week was all about Christian monks, but naturally, there were a whole lot of monks in different traditions across the medieval world. And some of them were even poets. This week, Danièle speaks with Thomas J. Mazanec about the Buddhist poet-monks of medieval China, why they chose to write poetry, and why their art was so controversial. You can support this podcast on Patreon - go to https://www.patreon.com/medievalists
Mar 06, 2025•45 min•Ep. 279
It's safe to say that this moment in history is proving to be a stressful one, leaving many of us feeling anxious and unsettled. This week, Danièle revisits some of the science-backed tools and strategies medieval monks used to help them stay mentally healthy in tough times. Check out Danièle's book How to Live Like a Monk: Medieval Wisdom for Modern Life at https://www.danielecybulskie.com/monk
Feb 27, 2025•32 min•Ep. 280
Although he’s one of the longest-reigning monarchs in English history, he tends to be largely forgotten when it comes to top ten lists. He’s not even in the top three most popular Henrys. Sandwiched between his father, Bad King John, and his son, the “great and terrible” Edward I, Henry III was a pious, peaceful, family man – for better and for worse. This week, Danièle speaks with David Carpenter about what people loved and loathed about Henry, how he managed to survive the rockiest moments of ...
Feb 20, 2025•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 279
It's almost Valentine's Day, which means that sexy playlists are being created all over the world to help people communicate their steamiest and most heartfelt emotions - just like they did in the Middle Ages. This week, Danièle speaks with Elizabeth Eva Leach about sexy medieval songs, who was singing them, and how they served as inspiration in the bedroom. You can support this podcast on Patreon - go to www.patreon.com/medievalists...
Feb 13, 2025•46 min•Ep. 278
After the Christian conquest of Jerusalem in 1099, scholarship tends to focus on the Muslim populations outside of the newly established crusader kingdoms. But what happened to the Muslim people who remained within? How did they interact with the new culture and laws imposed upon them? And how much of a dealbreaker was a person’s religion in real life, anyway? This week, Danièle speaks with Ann Zimo about the interactions between Muslims and Christians within the legal, political, and even spy n...
Feb 06, 2025•44 min•Ep. 277
It’s a storied island with a rich saga tradition. A land of ice and fire. But rarely do we hear of how Iceland went from being a stouthearted farming settlement to one of the most respected nations on Earth. This week, Danièle speaks with Sverrir Jakobsson about what life in Iceland was like in the early Middle Ages, how it became linked to the kingdom of Norway, and how Iceland’s interactions with Europe changed after the Black Death. You can support this podcast on Patreon - https://www.patreo...
Jan 30, 2025•49 min•Ep. 276
Though they're often overlooked, the dowager queens of Korea were the one of the most powerful legitimizing forces behind the throne. This week, Danièle speaks with Alban Schmid about how Korea was ruled in the late Middle Ages, its relationship to Ming China, and the power wielded by the women at the top. You can support The Medieval Podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/medievalists
Jan 23, 2025•47 min•Ep. 275
If you browse the shelves of your local bookstore, it may seem like Eastern Europe basically didn’t exist until the Soviet Union. Fortunately, Medieval Studies is slowly widening the lens to give us a bigger and better picture of what went on beyond the invisible borders of west versus east. This week, Danièle speaks with Florin Curta about why it’s taken the field so long to address Eastern Europe, why we need to look at enslavement as part of our understanding of the European Middle Ages broad...
Jan 16, 2025•45 min•Ep. 274
Most of us could probably come up with a few names of the kings who ruled in England in the centuries before the Norman Conquest, but the queens? Maybe not. We know they existed, but it can be hard to figure out much else about them – or whether later medieval notions of what queenship actually is even fit. This week, Danièle speaks with Matthew Firth about what early queenship looked like, the role queens played in legitimizing a king’s right to rule, and how three incredible women shaped Engli...
Jan 09, 2025•49 min•Ep. 273
There’s a pretty common myth that medieval women had no agency in their lives; that they were quiet and subservient, and accepted the status quo without thinking too hard about it. The reality, of course, was much different - even for those with the strictest rules: nuns. This week, Danièle speaks with CJ Jones about Dominican nuns, their theological sophistication, and how they left their own unique mark on the Middle Ages. You can support this podcast on Patreon - go to https://www.patreon.com...
Jan 02, 2025•44 min•Ep. 272
2024 has been another wild ride in politics and medieval studies. This week, continuing tradition, Danièle speaks with Peter Konieczny from Medievalists.net about what’s been happening in the world and in the field this year. You can support this podcast on Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/medievalists
Dec 26, 2024•40 min•Ep. 271
One of the favourite pastimes of certain thinkers throughout history has been to demonstrate the supposed inferiority of women, something both modern people and people of the past have resisted with spicy arguments of their own. These days, we tend to use science and statistics to help us lend weight to our positions. But what did people lean on in the past? This week, Danièle speaks with Margaret L. King about Renaissance man Pompeo Colonna, why he’s writing in defense of women, and how he craf...
Dec 19, 2024•50 min•Ep. 270
Medieval Studies has no shortage of amazing books coming out each year, but which ones are the best of the best? This week, Danièle continues the annual tradition of listing her top five book recommendations of 2024 alongside those of Peter Konieczny, editor of Medievalists.net. This year's list is: Beards and Baldness in the Middle Ages , translated by Joseph McAlhany Bad Chaucer, by Tison Pugh Crusader Criminals , by Steve Tibble The Broadview Anthology of Medieval Arthurian Literature , by Ka...
Dec 12, 2024•54 min•Ep. 269
There’s a general impression of the Middle Ages that wherever you started out in life is where you ended up. But with a few business smarts, the right connections, and a willingness to play fast and loose with ethics, sometimes a person could rise to the very gates of heaven. This week, Danièle speaks with Alan Stahl about life in one of the richest cities in the medieval world, and the fate and fortunes a family who climbed the social ladder to the very top. You can support this podcast on Patr...
Dec 05, 2024•53 min•Ep. 268
