The Last Duel with Eric Jager
Trial by combat has captured people’s imaginations for centuries, which is exactly why it’s the focus Hollywood’s latest medieval film: The Last Duel. This week, Danièle speaks with Eric Jager, author of the non-fiction book that inspired the film.
Medieval Partytime!
Want to party like it’s 1399? This week, on The Medieval Podcast Peter Konieczny joins Danièle to walk back through the centuries to the medieval world of parties, from crashing a celebration in early medieval Baghdad to trying to impress your dining partner in late medieval England.
Christians and Jews in 13th-century England, with Adrienne Williams Boyarin
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Adrienne Williams Boyarin about the ways in which Christians and Jews dealt with similarity and difference in thirteenth-century England.
Alice Chaucer with Michèle Schindler
Much ink has been spilled on Geoffrey Chaucer, but there’s another Chaucer that should be showing up on our radar, as well. This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Michèle Schindler about the life and times of Alice Chaucer.
The Medieval University
It’s back to school time. This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle tells us about life in the medieval university. What did students learn, what was expected of them, and how they really behaved.
Medieval Storytime: Sir Orfeo
It’s medieval storytime! This week on The Medieval Podcast, a story from the ancient world is translated into the Middle Ages in the tale of Sir Orfeo.
The Green Knight and Sir Gawain
The Green Knight has just been released in the cinemas. This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle is joined by Peter Konieczny to talk about the film and how it compares to the 14th-century story Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.
Medieval Movie Review: The Green Knight
For many years, medievalists have gone to the movies with the expectation that their beloved stories will be given only lip service in favour of directorial changes meant to pander to a modern audience. With The Green Knight, they are in for a surprise.
The Beginnings of England with Marc Morris
The roots of some important English traditions and political institutions began in one of those historical pockets of huge change but scarce written material in the centuries after the Romans left and the Normans arrived, making it challenging to find answers. Enter Dr. Marc Morris.
What would you bring back to medieval England?
Imagine yourself going on a one-way trip to medieval England. What items would you bring back with you?
St. Francis, Disability, and Illness, with Donna Trembinski
One of the world’s most well-known and beloved medieval saints is, of course, St. Francis, a man who faced many tribulations in the form of physical illness and disability. This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Donna Trembinski about what we can learn about the person behind the saint by studying how his physical life affected his spiritual life.
Medieval Contraception with Eleanor Janega
One of the things medieval and modern people definitely have in common is an interest in preventing unwanted pregnancies. This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Eleanor Janega to get all the details on medieval contraception.
The Horde with Marie Favereau
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Marie Favereau about the myths and truths surrounding the Golden Horde, how nomadic people tend to be misunderstood, and how the Mongol people changed the world.
Reynard the Fox with Anne Louise Avery
Among the most popular folk heroes of the Middle Ages is one who hails not from a traditional kingdom, but from the animal kingdom. This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Anne Louise Avery about the charming, troubling, and evergreen trickster, Reynard the Fox.
The Trotula with Monica Green
In honour of the 20th anniversary of the publication of The Trotula, Danièle speaks with editor and translator Dr. Monica Green about this astonishing collection of medieval medical and cosmetic advice for women.
Having a medieval dinner party – who should we invite?
It’s a fun episode for this week’s edition of The Medieval Podcast. Danièle is joined by Peter Konieczny to talk about which three people we would invite for a dinner party.
Ethiopia and Europe in the Middle Ages, with Verena Krebs
Among the most powerful kingdoms in the medieval period was Solomonic Ethiopia, a Christian kingdom that sought out contact with Western Europe in the Late Middle Ages. This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Verena Krebs about contact between Solomonic Ethiopia and Western Europe, how historians have misconstrued Ethiopian interests in the past, and what we can learn when we dig into primary sources.
Kzoo by Zoom: The 2021 International Congress on Medieval Studies
This year’s version of the International Congress on Medieval Studies was held online. This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle is joined by Peter Konieczny to discuss their highlights from the conference.
Nine medieval poems
An uplifting episode of fun medieval poetry! This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle reads nine of her favorites poems, which tell of a student who wants to enjoy the day, a priest and a wolf, pet peeves about courtly love, a goliard’s feast, and more.
The Art of Courtly Love
The Art of Courtly Love by Andreas Capellanus is a twelfth-century guide to the ins and outs of medieval love affairs, from how to find love to how to keep it – and why maybe it’s best to avoid it altogether. This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Peter Konieczny about this fascinating book, and why it’s probably time to ditch some of its outdated dating advice.
John of Gaunt with Helen Carr
Diplomat, soldier, prince, adulterer. This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Helen Carr about one of the most colourful and powerful figures of the late Middle Ages: John of Gaunt.
Random Medieval Questions Answered
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle reveals the answers to some questions asked by authors taking her Medieval Masterclass for Creators, including such varied topics as breastfeeding, shaving in the army, and how long it takes to make an arrowhead.
Medieval Warfare with Kelly DeVries and Michael Livingston
If there’s one thing the medieval period is known for, it’s warfare. But to get the full picture, it’s important that we push past stereotypical ideas and listen to the words that medieval people left behind. This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Michael Livingston and Kelly DeVries about medieval warfare and how it was seen by the people who actually lived through it.
Travel in the Middle Ages, with John F. Romano
A common myth about the medieval period is that no one traveled anywhere, but stayed in the place they were born until they died. This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with John F. Romano to find out what travel was really like in the Middle Ages.