Medieval Africa at the Aga Khan Museum
The Aga Khan Museum in Toronto, Canada has unveiled a new exhibition: Caravans of Gold, Fragments in Time: Art, Culture, and Exchange Across Medieval Saharan Africa. Danièle took in the exhibition and spoke with Michael Chagnon, the Curator of the museum. They talk about medieval Africa, its connections with the wider world, and what you can see at the Aga Khan Museum.
Publishing about the Middle Ages with Richard Barber
This week, Danièle speaks with Boydell and Brewer’s Richard Barber about how the field has changed over the last fifty years, current trends in medieval publishing, and what Richard’s best tips are for up-and-coming authors.
How Richard the Lionheart Got His Name (The epic version)
As historical figures go, Richard’s life had everything a storyteller could want. And yet, it wasn’t epic enough.
Education in the Middle Ages
It’s the most wonderful time of the year – time to go back to school! This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle takes a quick look at medieval education.
The Beowulf Manuscript
Beowulf may be one of the world’s most famous poems, but there’s a lot more to its manuscript than this poem alone. This week, Danièle looks into the other content of the Beowulf manuscript, its history, and what makes it both unique and special.
Why Is English So Weird?
The English language is notoriously difficult to learn and to spell. In this episode of The Medieval Podcast, Danièle talks about the medieval roots of English and how it got to be so weird.
Where to get your medieval fix – travel recommendations for medievalists
On this episode of The Medieval Podcast we offer our travel recommendations for great places to learn about the Middle Ages – from amazing castles to gorgeous towns.
Surviving the Zombie Apocalypse (The Medieval Way)
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle shows how useful medieval history can be in helping us survive the imminent zombie apocalypse.
Books about the Middle Ages that are great reads
Looking for a book to read about the medieval world? On this week’s episode of The Medieval Podcast Danièle offers her picks for which books about the Middle Ages you should read.
Myths about the Middle Ages that are so very, very wrong!
This week, Danièle asked her listeners which myths about the Middle Ages really drive them crazy. From the Flat Earth to daily hygiene, here is our attempt to shed light on some of the most common (but wrong!) ideas we have about the Middle Ages.
A Man for all Centuries: The Changing Myth of King Arthur
The secret to enduring popularity, clever marketers tell us, is changing just enough to stay relevant. Since the Early Middle Ages, no one has done that better than King Arthur.
And now our watch has ended: A look back at Game of Thrones
Love it or hate it, Game of Thrones has had a major impact on people’s perceptions of the Middle Ages.
How to be a Medieval Romance Hero in Five Easy Steps
If you follow these simple steps, you can be a hero straight out of a medieval romance in no time at all.
Gwerful Mechain and the Joy of (Medieval) Sex
For medieval Europeans, talking openly about sex in what we might think of now as explicit detail was a very normal part of life.
The Winter Blues in the Middle Ages
Winter got you feeling down? You’re not alone. The long, dark nights of winter have always been the cause for a little doom and gloom, especially before the age of electric lights and electric blankets.
Childhood in the Middle Ages
What was childhood like in the Middle Ages?
Was the Gawain Scribe also the Artist?
That the scribe and artist of the Gawain manuscript may have been one and the same person raises some interesting questions about this unique and famous manuscript.
Medieval Movie Review: Outlaw King
Although it sticks to the medieval film playbook – mud, blood, and a bit of romance – it’s in the details that Outlaw King stands out, giving Robert the Bruce’s fight for independence a uniquely Scottish air.
How to Become Invisible
Here are two completely different medieval methods you can use to render yourself invisible, so you can choose whichever one works best for you.
Book Review: Medieval Monsters: Terrors, Aliens, Wonders
Beyond its incredible, stunning pictures, Medieval Monsters: Terrors, Aliens, Wonders by Sherry C.M. Lindquist and Asa Simon Mittman, explores the medieval love of monsters in all their glory and complexity in a book that transcends its purpose as an accompaniment to an exhibit – it’s a book in which to lose yourself in your love of medieval manuscripts.
Six Degrees of Chaucer: How Southwark Shaped The Canterbury Tales
Sebastian Sobecki has found a network of intriguing connections between Geoffrey Chaucer and some of the biggest influencers of the day, including John Gower, and Bishop William of Wykeham, chancellor of England.
Sex Tips from Late Medieval France
In his book The Ship of Virtuous Ladies, Symphorien Champier offers sex and conception tips to keep everyone healthy. There are a lot of do nots!
Medieval Book Review Round-Up
Here’s a round-up of new books that have landed on my desk that I thought are definitely worth checking out.
Tiny Edens: What you can find in a medieval monastery’s garden
Here are five garden elements you’d regularly find on a monastery’s grounds.