Medieval Archives

Professor and author Nicolas Morton joins the podcast to discuss his book, The Crusader States and their Neighbours.

The Crusader States were founded during the First Crusade. The Crusaders conquered the land and claimed it as their own. There were four Crusader States established during the First Crusade; The County of Edessa, The County of Tripoli, the Principal of Antioch and the Kingdom of Jerusalem. For almost 200 years the Crusaders States grew and thrived…or did they?

That’s why we have Nic Morton on the show today. His new book The Crusader States and their Neighbours, well it’s not really new. It was first published in 2020 but it’s now getting a new printing and in paperback. His book looks at the history of the Crusader States, their creation, how they were ruled over and how outside forces led to their eventually demise.

You can find Nic Morton online at: Twitter/X | YouTube | Academia.edu
You can buy The Crusader States and their Neighbours on Amazon or from Oxford University Press and grab a copy of The Mongol Storm on Amazon as well.

• (00:11) - Welcome to the Medieval Archives Podcast!

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Intro music provided by Tim Rayburn. It is available at Magnatune.com

We are embarking on a new podcasting adventure! Medieval Tales Podcast will be released every Tuesday and Thursday and feature medieval themed classic novels.

The first book in the series is: The Black Arrow by Robert Louis Stevenson 

The Black Arrow: A Tale of Two Roses is the 1888 historical adventure novel.

Set in fifteenth century England during the Wars of the Roses, the story revolves around Richard (Dick) Shelton as he becomes knighted, rescues his beloved Joanna Sedley, and finds justice for the slaughter of his father, Harry Shelton.

An outlaw named Ellis Duckworth equipped with a black arrow as his trademark weapon convinces Dick that his own personal guardian, Sir Daniel Brackley, has been disloyal. As a result, Dick helps a fellowship of outlaws called The Black Arrow to defeat Brackley and win back his lady.

*** Future episodes of Medieval Tales Podcast won't appear in this feed. Be sure to subscribe so you don't miss any exciting episodes! https://medievalarchives.com/medieval-tales-podcast ***

Welcome to the Medieval Tales podcast, well, to the trailer at least.

 Do you love reading classic novels set in the Middle Ages. Stories of brave Knights and epic battles, royal intrigue and life in a castle? 

Is it getting harder to find  time to sit down and read a good book? With all the cooking and cleaning and commuting. Maybe you have the time and aren’t sure what to read next. Whatever the situation, Medieval Tales Podcast has you covered.

We’ve curated some of the best Medieval themed classic novels for your listening pleasure. Now you can follow along as The White Company, a band of fearless archers fight in the Hundred Years War. Or listen to the exploits of Richard the Lionhearted as he battles Saladin in the 3rd Crusade.

Medieval Tales Podcast will be arriving in your podcast player on 11 Jan 2024. Subscribe and follow now so you don’t miss an episode. 

Head over to MedievalTalesPodcast.com to follow all the medieval adventures.

Professor and author Nicolas Morton joins the podcast to discuss his book, The Mongol Storm.

The Mongol Empire rose to power in the early 1200s, founded by Genghis Khan. At it’s peak the Empire stretched from the Pacific Ocean to the Black Sea, encompassing Korea, Mongolia, China, Russia and portions of Eastern Europe and the Near East.

Nic’s new book The Mongol Storm covers the Mongol Empire and their influence in the near east. We discuss the rise of the Mongol Empire, what their society looked like, their religion and of course, their great military might.

Creators & Guests

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It’s Halloween again, the air turns colder, the nights grow darker and spirits roam in the shadows. On this year’s Halloween episode we are traveling to the Emerald Isle. In 1324 Kilkenny, Ireland witnessed it’s first witchcraft trial and the first execution carried out by burning at the stake.

Alice Kyteler was a popular, beautiful inn keeper who's husbands had a bad habit of dying mysterious deaths. Her fourth and final husband, certain Alice was poisoning him, told his children and the church.

The zealous Bishop of Ossory, Bishop Ledrede, took up the case. He was a firm believer the devil walked among the people and made it his duty to banish evil. Ledrede beleived Alice Kyteler was not only a witch, but the leader of a coven of witches based in the Kilkenny area.

Alice Kyteler had powerful allies from her four marriages and her successful business. When Bishop Ledrede tried to have her arrested the tables were turned and Ledrede was thrown in jail.

When Ledrede was released from prison he resumed his case against Kyteler and her followers. The charges brought against Kyteler were murder, heresy, seeking advice from demons, sacrificing animals, making potions and having sexual relations with a demon.

Serious charges to be sure.

Could Ledrede prove them in court? Would Alice Kyteler be burned at the stake as a witch?

Mudlarks

A mudlark is defined as someone who digs or searches in in river or harbor mud for items of value. The term was widely used in 18th and 19th century London. Mudlarks would search the shores of the River Thames during low tide to find valuable items and sell them for a profit. Being a mudlark back then was usually a job for those in extreme poverty. Today things are different.

Mudlarks in the 21st century aren't finding and selling items to survive, they are helping document and preserve the history of London. On this episode of the Medieval Archives Podcast we are joined by two modern day Mudlarks, Jason Sandy and Nick Stevens. They have over twenty years experience searching the foreshore of the River Thames.

Thames Mudlarking

Jason and Nick share their experiences mudlarking and the amazing artifacts they've found throughout the years. They also share their vision for the Thames Museum, a place to showcase all the great items found in the mud of the river Thames. For more information about the Thames Museum visit ThamesMuseum.org you can also donate to the museum and help the vision become a reality.

Over the years they've found artifacts from all time periods; a Mesolithic ’Thames Pick’ flint adze, a Roman Hair Pin, Roman coins, medieval pilgrim badges, medieval gadling, Victorian coins and maybe most shockingly, the skull of a 12 year old girl dated back to 1730.

About the Book

This beautifully illustrated book tells the captivating story of London and its inhabitants through the extraordinary assortment of artefacts discovered by mudlarks along the banks of the River Thames.

The foreshore of the River Thames is an enchanting and mystical place where time seems to have stopped. As the murky tidalwaters of the river slowly recede, the exposed riverbed becomes the longest archaeological site in Britain. Jason Sandy, Nick Stevens and other mudlarks can often be found combing the shoreline at low tide searching for historical treasures concealed by the mud: from megalodon teeth to Roman coins, Georgian shoe buckles and shrapnel from the Blitz. You never know what you might find in the Thames!

Over the years, mudlarks have found a vast array of historically significant artefacts, deepening our understanding of London’s past. This fascinating new book is packed with 160 incredible photographs of the intriguing objects discovered by over 50 mudlarks. Each artefact offers a clue to the past and provides a glimpse into London’s rich history and its people.

Thames Mudlarking: Searching for London's Lost Treasure is available online at:

Bloomsbury Publishing Website

Amazon (affiliate link)

Barnes & Noble

Target.com

Jason Sandy

is an American architect and developer who moved to London in 2007. A member of the Society of Thames Mudlarks, he has written many articles about mudlarking, as well as lecturing, appearing on national television and having an active presence on Instagram at @jasonmudlark.

Nick Stevens

is a professional photographer, a member of the Society of Thames Mudlarks, and can be found on Instagram at @rockthemudlark. He appeared in all three seasons of the History Channel’s Mud Men and co-founded the Thames Museum, which will tell the story of London through mudlarking finds.

When people think of the Middle Ages one of the first images that pops into their head is a knight in shining armor. Knights are synonymous with the Middle Ages. Slaying dragons, saving damsels in distress, but beyond the fairy tales are the real life knights. Men who sacrificed and endlessly trained to earn the title of Knight.

On this episode of the Medieval Archives podcast I’m joined by historian and author Christopher Gravett to discuss The Medieval Knight. Chris is a former curator at the Royal Armouries, Tower of London, and an expert in the field of medieval arms, armor and warfare.

He also worked with numerous TV series and movies as a historical advisor including The Conquerors, Braveheart and Ivanhoe. Chris even advised Terry Jones, best known as part of Monty Python, for his books. Chris has some fascinating ‘behind-the-scenes’ stories.

Chris’s new book The Medieval Knight covers the evolution of the knight over 300 years, from the early Norman Knights of William the Conqueror to the gradual decline in the 15th century.

We discuss a variety of topics including how knights trained, how armor evolved over the years and tournaments. Did you know a king and a prince were killed while jousting in a tournament! Listen in to find out.

You can read my review of The Medieval Knight here. It is a fantastic book! Grab a copy today and enjoy the well researched history and the amazing pictures that help visualize the weapons and armor.

The witching season is upon us once again. Past Halloweens we’ve covered a Medieval Serial Killer, Medieval Zombies and more. All the Halloween episodes are available on the Halloween Podcast page.

This Halloween we are looking at haunted castles from the Middle Ages. Castles

We’ll visit a handful of castles around England and one in Ireland. Most of the castles today are in Northern England and one isn’t a castle. We’ll start out at Whitby Abbey and make our way north to Alnwick Castle and the infamous Alnwick Vampire! The Alnwick Vampire spread death and pestilence wherever it roamed. It was even recorded by medieval chronicler William of Newburgh.

Then we’ll look at a castle dubbed ‘The Most Haunted Castle” in England, Chillingham Castle. Filled with the ghosts of hundreds of Scottish prisoners, an evil torturer and an innocent boy caught in the middle of political betrayal.

The last two stops on our trip are on the Emerald Isle at Malahide Castle talking about perhaps, the first evil clown and ending up in London at the massive Tower of London!

The Tower of London is home to some of the most famous ghosts in England including the Princes in the Tower and Queen Anne Boleyn. The night before her execution, Queen Anne wrote her death poem, which you can read below. I found a beautiful rendition of the poem set to music in the episode.

Oh Death, rock me asleep, Bring me to quiet rest, Let pass my weary guiltless ghost Out of my careful breast. Toll on, thou passing bell; Ring out my doleful knell; Let thy sound my death tell. Death doth draw nigh; There is no remedy.

My pains who can express? Alas, they are so strong; My dolour will not suffer strength My life for to prolong. Toll on, thou passing bell; Ring out my doleful knell; Let thy sound my death tell. Death doth draw nigh; There is no remedy.

Alone in prison strong I wait my destiny. Woe worth this cruel hap that I Should taste this misery! Toll on, thou passing bell; Ring out my doleful knell; Let thy sound my death tell. Death doth draw nigh; There is no remedy.

Farewell, my pleasures past, Welcome, my present pain! I feel my torments so increase That life cannot remain. Cease now, thou passing bell; Rung is my doleful knell; For the sound my death doth tell. Death doth draw nigh; There is no remedy.

The Tower of London also had one of the craziest executions recorded. A novice executioner missed his mark and chased an elder lady around hacking her to death. As comical as it sounds it as a gruesome death seen by over 150 witnesses.

Grab some candy and get ready for a chilling tour of haunted castles!

Haunted Castles covered in this episode:

• Whitby Abbey
• Alnwick Castle
• Chillingham Castle
• Malahide Castle
• The Tower of London

Download the MP3 and listen to it on your favorite MP3 player. Subscribe to the feed so you do not miss a single episode.

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The intro music was provided by Tim Rayburn. It is available at Magnatune.com

VIKINGS! The scourge of the early middle ages. Vikings raided England, Ireland and Europe with a ferocity never seen before. On this episode we’re going to look at a few Vikings that you may not have heard of, or know much about. One of them should be taught in every school in America and Europe. They are portrayed as blood thirsty killers who pillage and plunder, but they were also adventuring explorers who discovered new lands and some even set aside their Viking ways to adapt in new societies.

If you are interested in learning more about The Viking Age and Viking warriors below is a list of books I used while researching this episode.

• Brownworth, Lars. The Sea Wolves: A History of the Vikings, 2014.
• Castleden, Rodney. Vikings: Raiders, Traders and Masters of the Sea, 2015.
• Clements, J. M. Vikings. Lost Worlds. New York: Metro Books, 2012.
• Kunz, Keneva, ed. The Vinland Sagas: The Icelandic Sagas about the First Documented Voyages across the North Atlantic ; the Saga of the Greenlanders and Eirik the Red’s Saga. New ed. Penguin Classics. London: Penguin Books, 2008.
• Logan, Francis Donald. The Vikings in History. 2. ed., reprinted. London: Routledge, 1998.

Disclaimer: Affiliate links are used on this site. While they don't cost you anything when you purchase through them they help support Medieval Archives.

Download the MP3 and listen to it on your favorite MP3 player. Subscribe to the feed so you do not miss a single episode.

Apple Podcasts | Stitcher Radio | Download MP3 | RSS Feed

The intro music was provided by Tim Rayburn.  It is available at Magnatune.com

King John II of France, called The Good. John ruled during a tumultuous time, the Plague was in full force killing large parts of France’s population, the Hundred Years’ War was raging and France was in financial trouble. With all that going on how did John get dubbed, The Good? We’ll take a look at his rise to the throne, his exploits in battle and on the home front to see if he was truly a good king.

King John II and his son Philip The Bold were captured by the English during the Battle of Poitiers. King John spent the next four years in England trying to negotiate a release and raise the ransom money. His eldest son, Charles worked on the home front trying to raise money and support for his father’s return. In 1360 England and France signed the Treaty of Brétigny ensuring the release of King John

If you are interested in learning more about Medieval Mercenaries below is a list of books I used while researching this episode.

• Tuchman, Barbara Wertheim. A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14th Century. Ballantine, 1979.
• Jones, Michael K. The Black Prince: England’s Greatest Medieval Warrior. Pegasus Books, 2019.
• Jones, Michael, ed. The New Cambridge Medieval History, Volume 6: C.1300 – c.1415. Vol. 6. The New Cambridge Medieval History 6. Cambridge University Press, 2015.
• Sumption, Jonathan. Trial by Battle: The Hundred Years War. Vol. 1. 3 vols. The Hundred Years War 1. Faber & Faber, 1990.

Disclaimer: Affiliate links are used on this site. While they don’t cost you anything when you purchase through them they help support Medieval Archives.

In today's lesson we discuss:

• Salic Law
• The Black Death
• The Hundred Years War
• England & King Edward III
• The Battle of Poitiers
• The Order of the Star

Get your free audio book from Audible.com at https://www.medievalarchives.com/AudioBook

Download the MP3 and listen to it on your favorite MP3 player. Subscribe to the feed so you do not miss a single episode.

Apple Podcasts | Stitcher Radio | Download MP3 | RSS Feed

The intro music was provided by Tim Rayburn.  It is available at Magnatune.com