Olivia and Aran explore three guys from the Middle Ages who gained fame, power and notoriety through their wives. At a time when husbands were expected to exercise complete control over their spouses, these men's stories are inextricably linked with their affection and respect for their wives. Also discussed are the true nature of Parisians, how Grimace came to be, and historical parallels with the Joker and Harley Quinn.For more information about some of what we cover, check out:

• A rundown of the "wife guy" phenomenon

https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/wife-guys

• An English translation of the full text of Procopius' Secret History, especially Chapter IX onwards for more about Theodora and her relationship with Justinian

https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/12916/pg12916.html

• A detailed discussion of the mosaics of Justinian and Theodora in Ravenna

https://brewminate.com/byzantine-art-as-propaganda-justinian-and-theodora-at-ravenna/

• The letters of Héloïse and Abelard

https://www.gutenberg.org/files/35977/35977-h/35977-h.htm

• A discussion of Héloïse's influence on Abelard's philosophy

https://www.jstor.org/stable/41963758

• The Wife of Bath's Tale translated into modern English

https://www.poetryintranslation.com/PITBR/English/CanterburyTalesVI.php

• A couple articles on gendered power dynamics in The Wife of Bath's Tale

https://www.jstor.org/stable/41925333https://www.jstor.org/stable/25093919Remember, you can read 100 JSTOR articles for free each month if you sign up for an account! (no payment needed!)Follow us on Twitter!Weird Medieval Guys @WeirdMedievalOlivia @olivia__msAran @aranptappers