The Middle Ages for Kids – Questions and Answers
Kids have many questions about the Middle Ages. In this video, Danièle Cybulskie answers 16 questions that kids are asking about the medieval world.
The Black Death and COVID-19 with Winston Black
This week on The Medieval Podcast, with headlines turning once again to stories of the plague, Danièle catches up with Winston Black to talk about The Black Death and COVID-19, what’s different about them, and what we can learn today from looking back on the biggest pandemic in human history.
Sacred Marginalia: The Gargoyles and Buttresses of Gothic Cathedrals
There are few things which signal medieval architecture quite like buttresses. Those long, arching supports that give cathedrals like Notre Dame de Paris their distinctive silhouettes appeared on many medieval cathedrals across Europe from the twelfth century on
Anchorites: Life in Spiritual Self-Isolation
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle talks about anchorites, men and women who enclosed themselves for life to contemplate their religious beliefs. She also explores some of the work of Julian of Norwich, perhaps the most famous anchorite of the Middle Ages.
Living and Loving in Sin: The Remarkable Relationships of Margaret de Gatesden
One exceptional case bears out not only that marriages might not last, but that separation can indeed lead to a happy ending.
Medieval Drama
This week, Danièle gets dramatic with a look at medieval drama, how it changed and evolved, and how it influenced later forms of theatre.
Carnival vs. Lent: A Food Fight of Epic Silliness
During Lent, medieval Christians were meant to live simply and eat simply, with an emphasis on seafood instead of red meat and treats. And this, friends, is where the fun begins.
Beguines with Tanya Stabler Miller
Often, people think of the women of medieval Europe as either wives or nuns: women whose lives and property were under the control of someone else. But what tends to be forgotten is that for some women there was a third option: to become a beguine. This week, Danièle speaks with Dr. Tanya Stabler Miller about who the beguines were, and what medieval society thought of them.
Murder by Poison: A Crime from 15th century Valencia
In medieval Europe, arsenic was stocked as a matter of course along with other medicines. As with other medicines, the poisonous nature of arsenic is a matter of dosage and administration.
Doing Laundry in the Middle Ages
This week, Danièle gets down and dirty on medieval laundry. Who washed the clothes in the Middle Ages? How did they do it? And why was it so dangerous?
Five Medieval Tricks to Make You Luckier in Love
The Distaff Gospels is a fifteenth-century collection of pseudo-serious advice given by fictional women, and it covers a wide range of the topics we can’t seem to get enough of, love and lust included.
A Guide to Arthurian Literature
This week is all about King Arthur and his Knights on The Medieval Podcast.
Yonec: A tale of courtly love
We’re going back to the Lais of Marie de France, as Danièle tells the story of Yonec. It has all the hallmarks of a classic medieval romance: adultery, magic, spying, revenge, and women being blamed for wrecking everything.
Sanctuary with Shannon McSheffrey
In the Middle Ages, a person could claim sanctuary to delay or avoid punishment for a serious crime. But what were the rules? This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle interviews Dr. Shannon McSheffrey to find out how and why medieval people sought sanctuary, and whether or not a convicted heretic could expect the church to save his life.
A Quest for Medieval Romance Novelists
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle reaches out to romance writers, giving both information and resources for those who want to write their very own medieval novels.
A Marriage in Medieval London: The Brother’s Tale
On January 15, 1472, in the case of Elizabeth Isaak versus John Bolde, the deposed witness was Elizabeth’s brother, Walter Isaak.
Queens of Infamy with Anne Thériault
In this first episode of 2020, Danièle connects with Anne Thériault, author of Longreads’ Queens of Infamy series, to talk about some of her favourite queens, saints, and foxes, and what it’s like to write infamous history on the internet in 2020.
What is Heraldry?
Heraldry, the use and identification of these symbols, developed slowly over the course of the Middle Ages, and expanded its use and reach across Europe, eventually settling in a language still used today for official coats of arms and flags.
When England was under Interdict
Under King John’s rule, England was placed under papal interdict for over six years.
Year in Review
For the final episode of The Medieval Podcast in 2019, Danièle is joined by Peter Konieczny to talk about the some of the top medieval-related news stories and their personal highlights from the last year.
Favourite Medieval Books from 2019
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle is joined by Peter Konieczny to talk about their favourite books on the Middle Ages that were published in 2019.
Christine de Pizan
This week, Danièle explores the life and writings of one of the most outspoken women of the Middle Ages: Christine de Pizan.
Getting medieval on your mail
The US Postal Service has designed a series of stamps which hearken back to medieval legend in the form of dragons.
Eat Sh*t and (Don’t) Die
Sometimes, when we get sick, it can feel like we’d do anything to get better. But what if the remedy we needed required us to swallow animal dung?
Lanval: A Tale of a Knight of the Round Table
Listen to the story of Lanval, a knight of the Round Table who is loved by a mysterious lady of the Otherworld – for better and for worse.