Medieval Archives

Soldiers in the Middle Ages fought for King and Country. But what did they do when the wars ended? Not all soldiers retired back to a life of farming or trade. Some men wanted to continue fighting and they fought for profit

Medieval Mercenaries rose to prominence in the 13th and 14th centuries. The Mercenary Companies were made up of men from every corner of Europe; Germany, France, England, Spain, Scandinavia, Italy.

The Mercenaries formed companies, small (and in some cases large) armies of men who would fight for the right price. The Catalan Company, always outnumbered but never at a disadvantage counted around 8,000 men in its ranks.

The White Company led by the infamous Sir John Hawkwood, employed over 15,000 men at its peak. Hawkwood was a longbowman for Edward III in the Hundred Years War and fought at both the Battle of Crécy and Poitiers.

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

• Caferro, William. John Hawkwood: an English Mercenary in Fourteenth-Century Italy. Johns Hopkins Univ. Press, 2015
• Cooper, Stephen. Sir John Hawkwood: Chivalry and the Art of War. Pen & Sword Military, 2008
• D’Amato, Raffaele, and Giuseppe Rava. The Varangian Guard: 988-1453. Osprey, 2010
• Deiss, Joseph Jay. Captains of Fortune: Profiles of Six Italian Condottieri. New York, 1967
• Keen, Maurice Hugh. Medieval Warfare: A History. Oxford University Press, 1999

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:
• John Hawkwood and the White Company
• Albert Sterz
• Werner von Urslingen and the Great Company
• Konrad von Landau
• The Varangian Guard
• Roger de Flor and the Catalan Company

 We hit a milestone this month for the Medieval Archives Podcast. Ten years of podcasting!

Unfortunately the podcast hit an unexpected and lengthy hiatus. But we are coming back this summer!

Along with the 10 year anniversary is a fresh new website. And we're removing all the ads from the website as well!

The new website and renewed podcast will remain ad-free!

There are great lessons ready and planned, looking at the history and tragedy of Notre Dame cathedral, Medieval Mercenaries, Vikings, the Crusades, explorers and much more.

The Medieval Archives podcast and website will remain ad-free. The money I earned from the ad networks helps keep the website and podcast running. But I'd rather lose that money to make a better experience for you on the website and while listening to the podcast.

I might still keep reminding you about the free book from audible! But seriously, who doesn't like free books!

Your support is always appreciated. anyway you want to contribute helps, subscribe on apple podcasts or your podcast listener of choice, share the podcast with a friend, send in topic ideas, write a guest post for the website or donate. Send any thoughts or comments to me at Podcast[at]MedievalArchvies.com

Subscribing to the podcast and being a dedicated listener is all the support needed!

In today's lesson we are joined by author Wayne Bartlett to discuss Richard the Lionheart! Wayne's new book Richard the Lionheart: The Crusader King of England is available through Amberley Publishing. It's an excellent biography and the first biography of Richard the Lionheart in over 40 years!

Wayne and I discuss Richard's upbringing, the Crusades and his war in France. We also cover the women in his life; his powerful mother, Eleanor of Aquitaine, the rejected Alice of France and his wife Berengaria of Navarre.

Whilst Richard I is one of medieval England’s most famous kings he is also the most controversial. He has variously been considered a great warrior but a poor king, a man driven by the quest for fame and glory but also lacking in self-discipline and prone to throwing away the short-term advantages that his military successes brought him.

In this reassessment the author looks at his deeds and achievements in a new light. The result is a compelling new portrait of ‘the Lionheart’ which shows that the king is every bit as remarkable as his medieval contemporaries found him to be. This includes his Muslim enemies, who spoke of him as their most dangerous and gallant opponent. It shows him to be a man badly let down by some of those around him, especially his brother John and the duplicitous French king Philip. The foibles of his character are also exposed to the full, including his complicated relationships with the key women in his life, especially the imposing contemporary figure of his mother, Eleanor of Aquitaine, and his wife, Berengaria, with whom he failed to produce an heir, leading to later suggestions of homosexuality.

This is a new Richard, one for the twenty-first century, and a re-evaluation of the life story of one of the greatest personalities of medieval Europe.

W. B. Bartlett has worked across the globe in almost twenty countries and has spent time in over fifty. He is the author of many history books for Amberley including titles on the Titanic, Medieval History and Dam Busters. He lives in Bournemouth.

You can buy his book from Amberley Publishing at https://www.amberley-books.com/richard-the-lionheart.html or from Amazon

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

We have a special episode today of medieval inspired music! Ian Churchward and his band The Legendary 10 Seconds write music about Richard III and the Wars of the Roses. Today we are showcasing one of their albums Tant le Desiree, the second album in the Richard III saga. You can find all their music at thelegendary10seconds.co.uk Ian and his band have a new album out called Sunnes and Roses, which focuses on the Wars of the Roses. Head over to their website and check out all their great music! Please send any comments or suggestions to [email protected] If you are enjoying the podcast please considering leaving a rating on iTunes. Rate the Medieval Archives Podcast now! http://www.medievalarchives.com/medievalpatron Get your free audio book from Audible.com at: http://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. iTunes | Stitcher Radio | Download MP3 | RSS Feed The intro music was provided by Tim Rayburn. It is available at Magnatune.com