Gunpowder, Cannons, and Military History with Cliff Rogers
During the Late Middle Ages, warfare began to change with the rise of gunpowder weapons. But is every medieval gunpowder recipe actually effective? This week, Danièle speaks with Clifford J. Rogers about his gunpowder experiments at West Point Military Academy, how small variations might affect each recipe, and why a modern military academy needs a medievalist.
What academic tenure does for you (yes, you!), with Jacques Berlinerblau
This episode of Byzantium & Friends features a wide-ranging conversation with Jacques Berlinerblau about the changing nature of the academic profession, especially regarding the erosion of academic freedom through the expansion of contingent academic labor and direct attacks on it by the states. Is research becoming increasingly vulnerable to outside political pressures?
The International Congress on Medieval Studies 2023 edition
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Peter Konieczny from Medievalists.net about the new research they learned about at the International Congress on Medieval Studies in Kalamazoo.
Siege of Tournai (1340)
After his victory at the Battle of Sluys, Edward III leads a coalition of England, Flanders, Hainaut, Brabant and the Holy Roman Empire against the French city of Tournai. In this episode of Bow & Blade, Michael Livingston and Kelly DeVries tell us about a siege involving complex alliances, starvation and the money problems of a medieval ruler.
Introducing Chrétien de Troyes
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle introduces Chrétien de Troyes, a thirteenth-century master of Arthurian literature and one of the most influential writers of all time.
The afterlife of pagan inscriptions in Byzantium, with Anna Sitz
A conversation with Anna Sitz on how Byzantines read ancient inscriptions – or modified, re-used, and defaced them. Ancient cities were full of inscribed texts, many on temple walls or referring to the gods in prominent ways. How did Christians cope with these monuments when they took over the cities of Greece and Asia Minor?
A Who’s Who of English Kings
In anticipation of the coronation of King Charles III, this week, Danièle goes through all of the medieval English kings in sequence from 1066 to 1509, highlighting some of their best and worst moments.
Shakespeare and the Middle Ages
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle discusses the medieval stories that informed some of the world’s most famous plays, as well as the influence William Shakespeare has had on our collective memory of the Middle Ages.
Battle of Roncevaux Pass (778)
On August 15, 778, the forces of Charlemagne find themselves in battle with the Basques. Many years later, this encounter inspired a famous story known as the Song of Roland. In this episode of Bow & Blade, Michael and Kelly discuss the historical and the legendary when it comes to this battle.
An insider’s guide to academic publishing, with Byzantine studies in mind, featuring Anna Henderson
A conversation with Anna Henderson of ARC Humanities Press about the world of academic publishing today, including its challenges, opportunities, and aspirations. ARC is a fairly recent venture, but has already published a number of excellent books in medieval studies (including on Byzantium).
Saint Colette with Renate Blumenfeld-Kosinski
Not every saint gets a contemporary biography, let alone two, but fifteenth-century French saint Colette is among them. This week, Danièle speaks with…
Scavenging in the ruins of empire, with Robin Fleming
A conversation with Robin Fleming about how the lives and material circumstances of people in Roman Britain changed when the imperial state and…
Balthazar with Bryan Keene
During the Middle Ages, one figure began to consistently symbolize the renowned wealth and wisdom of African kingdoms in European art: Balthazar. This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Bryan Keene about this wise king, his evolution in medieval art, and his continuing impact in modern culture.
The Battle of Sluys (1340)
In the early stages of the Hundred Years’ War, the English and French naval forces fight a battle just off the coast of…
Medieval Storytime: Dogs
They’ve been our helpers, protectors, and best friends for thousands of years, but what did people in the Middle Ages think about our canine companions? This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle shares some medieval writers’ thoughts about dogs.
At the dawn of Byzantine Studies: Martin Crusius (1526-1607), with Richard Calis
A conversation with Richard Calis about Martin Crusius (aka Kraus: 1526-1607 AD), one of the first philologist-historians who tried to reconstruct Byzantine history from the sources. We talk about his interest in the Greek language and the Ottoman empire, in using Byzantine sources to understand antiquity, and his working methods — all in an era before there was much scholarship to guide him.
Medieval Women’s Letters
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle shares letters written by some of the most iconic women of the Middle Ages, including Empress Matilda, Eleanor of Aquitaine, and Christine de Pizan.
The Battle of Falkirk (1298)
William Wallace comes up against King Edward I in a fight for Scotland. Will the battle be like what you see in the movie Braveheart? This episode of Bow and Blade has Michael and Kelly looking at the English-Scottish wars of the late 13th century.
The Once and Future Sex with Eleanor Janega
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Eleanor Janega about medieval womanhood, the ideal feminine body in the Middle Ages, and how past perceptions of women’s roles are still affecting society today.
The resilience and agency of rural communities, with Fotini Kondyli
A conversation with Fotini Kondyli about our changing picture of rural communities in late Byzantium. We talk about resilience in times of crisis — the fourteenth century was not an easy one! — and about how we can reimagine and restore the power and agency of these rural non-elites. We also talk about survey archaeology, one of our main tools for accessing these communities.
An ExtraMedieval Crossover
This week, Danièle previews her new podcast ExtraMedieval in a crossover episode covering The Feast of the Swan, medieval guide dogs, and how modern research on animals can help us think more deeply about the Middle Ages.
Why was 11th-century England so conquerable?
The fifth Q&A episode of Bow and Blade. Michael Livingston and Kelly DeVries answer your questions. Topics include: Kings on the battlefield, Brunanburh, Richard III, raids from Iberia, and who would be the medieval person to share a drink with.
Scotichronicast: The Finale
With Episode 51, Scotichronicast comes to an end. In this finale, Kate Buchanan and Lucy Dean review the success of the Scotichronicast and what they hope to see in future research on medieval Scotland.
Women’s labor, with Anna Kelley
A conversation with Anna Kelley about women’s labor and occupations in the Roman and later Roman Empire. It turns out that they may have engaged in more types of business and workshop production, especially in textile manufacture and marketing, than contemporary gender norms suggest.