The Medieval Podcast

There’s one thing that seems common to humankind across time and space: we love a good origin story. This week, Danièle speaks with Amy Jeffs about some of the medieval origin myths and legends surrounding the British Isles and its peoples, and how she's retold them for a modern audience.

This podcast is made possible by the generous support of listeners like you! To find out how to help spread the joy of medieval history, please visit patreon.com/themedievalpodcast

Although you'd find them in cities and on farms, serving in wars and taking part in religious services, we're not talking about people (or bottoms). This week, Danièle speaks with Kathryn L. Smithies about one of the medieval world's most hardworking creatures and symbols: the donkey.

This podcast is made possible by the generous support of listeners like you! To find out how to help spread the joy of medieval history, please visit patreon.com/themedievalpodcast

A decade after The Black Death, French peasants rose up suddenly against the nobility in an unprecedented and remarkably coordinated revolt. This week, Danièle speaks with Dr. Justine Firnhäber-Baker about the rebellion that shocked the elites of Europe: the Jacquerie. You can support this podcast and Medievalists.net on Patreon - go to https://www.patreon.com/medievalists

This podcast is made possible by the generous support of listeners like you! To find out how to help spread the joy of medieval history, please visit patreon.com/themedievalpodcast

Although it tends to be thought of as a time when people rejected technology, there were many new inventions met with enthusiasm in the Middle Ages, including one we might not be able to imagine living without: paper. This week, Danièle speaks with Dr. Orietta Da Rold about the many uses of medieval paper. You can support The Medieval Podcast on Patreon - go to https://www.patreon.com/medievalists

This podcast is made possible by the generous support of listeners like you! To find out how to help spread the joy of medieval history, please visit patreon.com/themedievalpodcast

This week, Danièle starts the new year with a fun episode exploring how real history can be used to add challenges to your Dungeons & Dragons games. (If you’re not into D&D, don’t worry - there’s lots of quirky information for history lovers of all stripes!) You can support this podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/medievalists 

This podcast is made possible by the generous support of listeners like you! To find out how to help spread the joy of medieval history, please visit patreon.com/themedievalpodcast

As the new year approaches, it’s time to take a look back at the best parts of 2021: the medieval stuff. This week, Peter Konieczny returns for the third annual Medieval Podcast Year in Review, covering everything from new discoveries to movies to video games to our own adventures in 2021. You can support the podcast on Patreon - go to https://www.patreon.com/medievalists You can get a 20% discount on How to Live Like a Monk by using the code BENEDICT at checkout when visiting www.abbeville.com.

This podcast is made possible by the generous support of listeners like you! To find out how to help spread the joy of medieval history, please visit patreon.com/themedievalpodcast

One of the great things about 2021 drawing to a close is that we can take a moment to think about all of the really amazing books we’ve read over the past twelve months. This week, Danièle speaks with Peter Konieczny about ten of our favourite books of the last year. You can find these books on the Medievalists.net Amazon shop at https://www.amazon.com/shop/medievalists

This podcast is made possible by the generous support of listeners like you! To find out how to help spread the joy of medieval history, please visit patreon.com/themedievalpodcast

For medieval historians, a large part of the job tends to be working against common myths, using research to push back especially against narratives that erase people or that oversimplify complex issues. This week, Danièle speaks with Matthew Gabriele and David M. Perry, who have teamed up to write a new history of the Middle Ages in counterpoint to these old ideas: The Bright Ages. You can support this podcast and Medievalists.net on Patreon - go to https://www.patreon.com/medievalists

This podcast is made possible by the generous support of listeners like you! To find out how to help spread the joy of medieval history, please visit patreon.com/themedievalpodcast

Many medieval people were hugely invested in finding ways to organize and share what they knew about the world, including one influential translator from England. This week, Danièle speaks with Dr. Emily Steiner about John Trevisa and how his work on medieval compendia influenced history. You can get Danièle's book How to Live Like a Monk with a 20% discount - use the code BENEDICT at checkout at Abbeville Press. 

This podcast is made possible by the generous support of listeners like you! To find out how to help spread the joy of medieval history, please visit patreon.com/themedievalpodcast

In the last decade or so, there’s been a rising tide of history books and articles that are written to meet the people where they are; public histories of the Middle Ages full of life and energy, that hook even more people and bring them into our world. This week, Danièle speaks with a writer who does it better than maybe anyone else in the world today: Dan Jones. You can get Danièle's book How to Live Like a Monk with a 20% discount - use the code use BENEDICT at checkout at Abbeville Press. 

This podcast is made possible by the generous support of listeners like you! To find out how to help spread the joy of medieval history, please visit patreon.com/themedievalpodcast