She’s one of the most well-known figures in history: married to two kings, mother to three, and a powerful duchess in her own right. This week, Danièle speaks with Karen Sullivan about the legendary Eleanor of Aquitaine, her famous - and infamous - relationships, and what makes her such a fascinating subject for historians and fiction writers alike.


Karen Sullivan's book, Eleanor of Aquitaine, as It Was Said: Truth and Tales about the Medieval Queen, is published by University of Chicago Press.

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Often, the stories we tell about colonization focus on the takeovers themselves, and the circumstances that led up to them. But what happens to the people when the dust settles? How do they manage the clash of two cultures and often two law codes? And how do the stories they tell about themselves and each other help them navigate society? This week, Danièle speaks with Joanna MacGugan about how the justice system worked in Ireland under medieval English rule, how communities shaped justice, and what this meant when a person was faced with capital punishment.

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This week, Danièle explores the big medieval news stories of 2023 in conversation with Peter Koniezcny, editor of Medievalists.net.

You can support this podcast on Patreon - go to https://www.patreon.com/medievalists

In the Middle Ages, December meant a celebration of jolly old St. Nicholas along with a host of other sainted figures and important moments in the Christian story. This week, Danièle presents a quick guide to medieval holiday saints and feasts.

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In the past few years, trans and genderqueer issues have come to the forefront both in society and in the way scholars are approaching medieval studies. But what do these terms mean? And how do we apply them responsibly to the past? This week, Danièle speaks with Alicia Spencer-Hall and Blake Gutt about trans and genderqueer scholarship in medieval studies.

You can read the open-access book, Trans and Genderqueer Subjects in Medieval Hagiography, edited by Alicia Spencer-Hall and Blake Gutt, at https://library.oapen.org/handle/20.500.12657/61200

You can support this podcast on Patreon - go to https://www.patreon.com/medievalists

This week, Danièle continues the annual tradition of sharing some of her favourite books of the year, along with the top picks of Peter Konieczny, editor and co-founder of Medievalists.net.

Danièle's list:

Temptation Transformed: The Story of How the Forbidden Fruit Became an Apple, by Azzan Yadin-Israel

Balthazar: A Black African King in Medieval and Renaissance Art, edited by Kristen Collins and Bryan C. Keene

Vox Clamantis, translation by Robert J. Meindl and Mark T. Riley

Women in the Crusades, by Helen Nicholson

How to Focus: A Monastic Guide for an Age of Distraction, by John Cassian, translation by Jamie Kreiner

Peter's list:

The Donkey and the Boat: Reinterpreting the Mediterranean Economy, 950-1180, by Chris Wickham

The Cosmography and Geography of Africa, by Johannes Leo Africanus, translation by Anthony Ossa-Richardson and Richard Oosterhoff

The Emperor and the Elephant: Christians and Muslims in the Age of Charlemagne, by Sam Ottewill-Soulsby

Inked: Tattooed Soldiers and the Song Empire's Penal-Military Complex, by Elad Alyagon

Meteorological Disasters in Medieval Britain (AD 1000‒1500), by Peter J. Brown

In honour of the new discoveries around the Princes in the Tower, Danièle delves into some other mysterious deaths and disappearances in English royal history.

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Humans have always been fascinated by the birds and beasts of planet Earth, collecting and compiling information on their habits, habitats, and where they got their names. This week, Danièle speaks with Hana Videen about her contribution to the field: a brand new Old English bestiary.

The Deorhord: An Old English Bestiary, by Hana Videen is published by Princeton University Press - https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691260006/the-deorhord

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This week, Danièle and Peter Konieczny share profound - and profoundly odd - medieval proverbs from one of their favourite books of the Middle Ages: The Well-Laden Ship.

The Well-Laden Ship, by Egbert of Liège, was translated by Robert Gary Babcock as part of the Dumbarton Oaks Medieval Library. You can get details about the book at https://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674051270

You can now buy digital maps from Medievalists.net's Patreon Shop - visit it at https://www.patreon.com/medievalists/shop

For a thousand years – and especially the last two hundred or so – people have had a love affair with Vikings. But what do we know about the Norse voyages to the Americas? Why are Vikings so fascinating at this historical distance? And how do they fit into modern people’s ideas of identity? This week, Danièle speaks with Martyn Whittock about Vikings and their influence on American culture.

You can support this podcast and Medievalists.net on Patreon - go to https://www.patreon.com/medievalists