In the fourth century AD, the Christian faith exploded out of Palestine, overwhelming the paganism of Rome, converting the Emperor Constantine in the process. Almost a thousand years later, all of Europe was controlled by Christian rulers, and the religion was deeply ingrained within culture and society. 

In this edition of Gone Medieval, Matt Lewis talks to Professor Peter Heather, author of Christendom: The Triumph of a Religion, about how Christianity rose to wield authority across nearly all of the disparate peoples of medieval Europe.

First published November 2022

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In times of plenty, we stuff ourselves. When the food runs out, we're basically stuffed. How did people in medieval Britain share the riches from our fields, dairies, kitchens and seas?

In this episode of Gone Medieval, Matt Lewis is joined by acclaimed food historian Pen Vogler, whose latest book Stuffed: A History of Good Food in Hard Times in Britain, places food at the centre of society, of upheavals and of the development of a nation. 

This episode was edited by Ella Blaxill and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Just like us, medieval people loved a bit of entertainment at Christmas. But what did they consider funny? How did humorous stories spread in a world where most people could neither read nor write?

In this episode of Gone Medieval, Dr. Eleanor Janega finds out more from Kleio Pethainou, who specialises in medieval comedy and storytelling, and also offers an authentic and bizarre Christmas Day story from the middle ages.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

For more about Kleio Pethainou, her podcast The Court Jester and books, visit: https://kleiopethainou.com/ 

**WARNING: This episode contains examples of medieval humour that some may find challenging to modern-day sensibilities**

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Berengaria of Navarre is mainly remembered for just one thing: being a Queen of England who never set foot in England, at least not as Queen. But all that is about to change as Dr Gabrielle Storey's forthcoming biography of Berengaria is set to shed more light on this neglected, English Queen Consort. 

In this episode of Gone Medieval, Matt Lewis finds out more from Gabrielle about this fascinating woman.

This episode was edited by Tean Stewart-Murray and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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In this episode of Gone Medieval, our co-hosts Dr. Eleanor Janega and Matt Lewis get together to revive some of the Christmas traditions that were commonplace in the Middle Ages - from the literal origins of the Yule log to having a procession to celebrate finding a duck in a drain!

So grab a festive drink and a mince pie because Matt and Eleanor are ready to get serious about the silly season. 

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

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In the ninth century, the Vikings earned a fearsome reputation by wreaking chaos on the coasts of western Europe. But what is perhaps less well known is that they also travelled eastwards. By sailing along the great rivers of north-eastern Europe, they reached Constantinople, the Caspian Sea and even Baghdad, the bustling heart of the mighty Islamic Abbasid Empire. 

In this episode of Gone Medieval, Matt Lewis welcomes Dr. Cat Jarman back to the podcast to explore why Viking raiders traded the frozen hinterlands of Northern Europe for the heat and hubbub of the Near East. 

Senior Producer: Elena Guthrie

Assistant Producer: Peta Stamper

Scriptwriter: Peta Stamper

Editor: Joseph Knight

This was a special collaboration between Ubisoft and History Hit. The content and story was inspired by Assassin's Creed Mirage. To learn more about 9th century Baghdad and the historical characters in the game, listen to Echoes of History here.

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In many parts of Europe, before Christmas comes, you have first to celebrate one of the medieval period's favourite saints - Saint Nicholas of Myra. It's his legend and celebration that eventually transformed into our own Santa Claus. St Nicolas’s commemoration was a great excuse for medieval people to let down their hair and celebrate while still in the much more sombre and reflective period of Advent.

In this episode of Gone Medieval, Dr. Eleanor Janega is joined by experiential archaeologist Caroline Nickolay. They discuss how St. Nicholas’ life has been embellished and commemorated from the late antique period until today and how a relatively unremarkable bishop managed to give birth to the party event of the festive season.

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

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May 1453 saw Constantinople under siege - the culmination of an age long struggle between Christianity and Islam for control of the Eastern Mediterranean. The Ottoman leader Mehmed II had dreamed of possessing the city since he was a boy, and now the shining light of Christian civilization, that had lasted 1100 years, fell into the hands of Ottomans. 

In this episode of Gone Medieval, Matt Lewis is joined by Prof. Marc David Baer to delve into this epochal moment in medieval history.

This episode was edited and produced by Joseph Knight and Rob Weinberg. Senior Producer was Elena Guthrie

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The city of Constantinople, founded by the Roman Emperor Constantine in 324 AD, was a glittering jewel in the eastern Mediterranean for more than a thousand years. Its dazzling cathedrals, ambitious emperors and mixing pot culture were the stuff of legend throughout Christendom. But how did it come to tower over medieval Europe as one of the continent’s foremost cities? And why did it earn such a lofty reputation? 

In today’s episode of Gone Medieval, Dr Eleanor Janega is joined by Bettany Hughes, author of Istanbul: A Tale of Three Cities to discover how Constantinople came to rise, came to rule and came to ruin. 

This episode was produced and edited by Joseph Knight. Senior Producer was Elena Guthrie.

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The popular BBC television series Villages by the Sea explores coastal life through the centuries. Its presenter Ben Robinson is an archaeologist with the fantastic job of exploring lost villages and uncovering their secrets, including those that give an insight into medieval life on the coasts of Britain. 

In this episode of Gone Medieval, Matt Lewis is joined by Ben to talk about some of the series’ - and Britain’s - medieval highlights.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

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