Gone Medieval

Latest Episodes:

The Habsburgs Oct 02, 2023

Show notes

How did an obscure Swiss family grow in power to gain control of the Holy Roman Empire in the 15th century? How did they manage to then take in a large part of Europe stretching from Hungary to Spain, and from the Far East to the New World?

In this episode of Gone Medieval, Dr. Eleanor Janega meets Professor Martyn Rady to find out the reasons for the Habsburg’s incredible endurance, founded in the belief that they were destined to rule the world as defenders of the Roman Catholic Church, guarantors of peace and patrons of learning.

This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Mysterious Anglo-Saxon Bone Chests with Cat Jarman Sep 28, 2023

Show notes

In 1642, a Parliamentarian army smashed up Winchester Cathedral, including ten beautiful, 7th century mortuary chests, that housed the mortal remains of West Saxon kings, saints and bishops. In 2014, a team of forensic archaeologists, using the latest scientific methods, attempted to identify the contents, finding an elaborate jumble of bones, and making some surprising discoveries.

In this episode, Matt Lewis catches up with Gone Medieval's former co-host Dr. Cat Jarman to talk about her new book The Bone Chests, whichuntangles the stories of the people within the desecrated tombs.

This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Rob Weinberg.

You can take part in our listener survey here.

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Margaret of Anjou Sep 25, 2023

Show notes

Dr. Eleanor Janega continues Gone Medieval’s special series exploring Medieval Queens with a look at Margaret of Anjou, who rose to become a figurehead, and even a military leader, when her husband King Henry VI suffered bouts of mental illness. She became one of the principal figures in the Wars of the Roses and at times personally led the Lancastrian faction, being praised for “her valiant courage and undaunted spirit.”

Eleanor explores Margaret’s remarkable life and influence with medieval scholar Dr. Joanna Laynesmith

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

You can take part in our listener survey here.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Emma of Normandy Sep 21, 2023

Show notes

Matt Lewis continues Gone Medieval’s special series showcasing Medieval Queens with a look at Emma of Normandy, the Norman-born noblewoman who became the English, Danish, and Norwegian Queen through her marriages to Æthelred the Unready and the Danish King Cnut the Great. After Cnut's death, Emma continued to play an active role in politics during the reigns of her sons by each husband, Edward the Confessor and Harthacnut.

Matt finds out more about Emma from historian Elizabeth Norton, author of England's Queens: The Biography and She Wolves: The Notorious Queens of Medieval England.

This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Rob Weinberg.

You can take part in our listener survey here.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Holy Roman Empire Sep 18, 2023

Show notes

Voltaire famously wrote that the "The Holy Roman Empire was in no way holy, nor Roman, nor an empire.” But Dr. Eleanor Janega believes that literally everything about Voltaire’s statement is wrong - in the medieval context.

In this explainer episode of Gone Medieval, Eleanor attempts to describe this important and powerful entity that lasted for around 800 years, stretching from Sicily to the North Sea, from Burgundy to Poland, which was home to some of the wealthiest and most important cities in medieval Europe and a huge percentage of the medieval European population.

This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Rob Weinberg.

You can take part in our listener survey here.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Middle Ages in Five Facts Sep 15, 2023

Show notes

Where is the grave of King Arthur? What was the worst year in human history? Who were the most fractious royal siblings? What were the origins of humble pie? Which monsters pre-occupied Medieval minds?

In this episode, Gone Medieval’s co-hosts Matt Lewis and Dr. Eleanor Janega delve into some of the big Medieval questions, obscure facts and bizarre stories featured in History Hit Miscellany, our fascinating and entertaining new book published this month.

The History Hit Miscellany is published on September 28, but you can pre-order here or visit historyhit.com/book to order from your favourite book shop.

This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Rob Weinberg.

Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world renowned historians including Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code MEDIEVAL. Download the app on your smart TV or in the app store or sign up here >

You can take part in our listener survey here.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anne of Bohemia Sep 12, 2023

Show notes

Dr. Eleanor Janega continues Gone Medieval’s special series of podcasts about Medieval Queens with a look at Queen Anne of Bohemia, the first wife of England’s King Richard II.

Eleanor is joined by Kristen Gaiman, lecturer at the University of Toledo, Ohio, to find out about Anne’s influence on English culture, how queens could work to mitigate the worst excesses of kings, and what childlessness meant in a royal context.

This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Rob Weinberg.

You can take part in our listener survey here.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How to Spot Magic in Medieval Buildings Sep 08, 2023

Show notes

In the Middle Ages, people made marks and concealed many objects in their buildings to protect themselves from harmful magic. Dead cats, horse skulls, hidden shoes, written charms and protection marks were all used widely as methods of repelling, diverting or trapping negative energies.

In this episode of Gone Medieval, Matt Lewis finds out more from Brian Hoggard, author of Magical House Protection: The Archaeology of Counter-Witchcraft.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world renowned historians including Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code MEDIEVAL. Download the app on your smart TV or in the app store or sign up here > http://access.historyhit.com/checkout?code=medieval&plan=monthly

You can take part in our listener survey here > https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK

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Origins of the Māori Sep 05, 2023

Show notes

Around the time of the start of the Hundred Years’ War between England and France, and the Black Death was devastating tens of millions of people in Europe and Asia, waves of migration from Polynesia laid the foundations of the Māori society in Aotearoa - modern-day New Zealand.

In this episode of Gone Medieval, Dr. Eleanor Janega traces the early history of this remarkable people with archaeologist Dr. Amber Aranui, curator at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

You can take part in our listener survey here.

If you’re enjoying this podcast and are looking for more fascinating Medieval content then subscribe to our Medieval Monday newsletter here: https://insights.historyhit.com/signup-form

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Æthelflæd: Lady of the Mercians Sep 01, 2023

Show notes

Matt Lewis kicks off Gone Medieval’s special series of podcasts about Medieval Queens with a look at Æthelflæd, Lady of the Mercians who ruled Mercia in the Midlands from 911 until her death. She was the eldest daughter of Alfred the Great and his wife Ealhswith, and played a pivotal role in defending Mercia against Viking invasions and expanding its territory.

In this episode, Matt is joined by prize-winning writer and historian Annie Whitehead, to find out more about this extraordinary woman who ruled independently in a male-dominated era, and helped lay the foundation for a unified England.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world renowned historians including Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code MEDIEVAL. Download the app on your smart TV or in the app store or sign up here >

You can take part in our listener survey here.

If you’re enjoying this podcast and are looking for more fascinating Medieval content then subscribe to our Medieval Monday newsletter here: https://insights.historyhit.com/signup-form

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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