Did people in the Middle Ages take baths?
It was said that the Middle Ages was ‘one thousand years without a bath.’ However, a closer look shows that baths and bathing were actually quite common in the Middle Ages, but in a different way than one might expect.
How did people sleep in the Middle Ages?
A look at the theory that medieval people slept in two periods during the night.
Medieval Insults
If you are looking for ways to hurl insults at your enemies, then the medieval world has some interesting examples for you.
Mythbusting Illiteracy in the Middle Ages
A look at literacy and illiteracy in medieval Europe.
Jobs on a Medieval Manor
A medieval nobleperson needed employees to run their manor. Who were these people and what jobs did they do?
Traffic Problems in the Medieval City
The medieval city was seen as a crowded, bustling place, with people, horses, carts and wagons all moving around. Just as in our modern city, this would all lead to inevitable traffic problems.
Medieval Beds: Two Examples from 1488
What should a medieval bed look like? A contract from 1488 gives many details about two custom-made beds.
The 5 Most Common Jobs in a Medieval City
The five most common jobs were farming, carpentry, butchery, shoemaking and Church-related work.
Public Toilets in the Middle Ages
Where could a medieval person find public toilet?
How did medieval people dance?
Historians have known that medieval people enjoyed dancing, but they did not know exactly how they danced. A book by Robert Mullally is answering a part of this question, detailing one of the most popular dances of the Middle Ages.
Time and the Middle Ages
A look at time and time-keeping in the Middle Ages
Medieval Table Manners: The Messiest Myth?
Because medieval people ate with their hands, there is a common idea that they had no table manners at all.
Banquets in the Middle Ages
If the medieval meal you’re imagining looks a little bit like a modern wedding, you’re not too far off.
A Medieval Autobiography
The autobiography of Opicino de Canistris is both very mundane and very strange.
Did people drink water in the Middle Ages?
One of the oddest myths about the Middle Ages is that people did not drink water.
The Daily Life of a Medieval King
Have you wondered what a medieval king did on a typical day? Thanks to Christine de Pizan, we have an account of what daily life was like for King Charles V of France.
New Medieval Books: Minstrels and Minstrelsy in Late Medieval England
This book examines the careers of professional entertainers between the fourteenth and early sixteenth centuries.
40 Jobs in the Middle Ages
Want to know what kind of jobs there were in the Middle Ages? A unique source from the 15th century gives us some beautiful images of medieval people at work.
What it was really like to be a medieval physician
A look at the day-to-day problems of a medieval physician.
New Year’s Resolutions from the Middle Ages
On January 1, 1404, a Florentine named Gregorio Dati wrote down his good intentions in his “secret ledger” to keep himself accountable. This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle revisits Dati’s New Year’s resolutions and the life of this colourful medieval silk merchant.
A Look into Medieval Homes
One of the most common questions about daily life in the Middle Ages is what did homes look like. Medieval manuscript illuminations can reveal much about the exteriors and interiors of a peasant’s house.
Festivals in a Medieval English Village
What were the celebrations held in a typical medieval village? Evidence for this can be hard to find, but one article focusing on the villages of Berkshire, England, offers us some clues into the local festivals that were held there in the Middle Ages
Medieval kitchen discovered in Czech Republic
Archaeologists working in the Czech Republic have discovered the remains of a kitchen dating back to the 15th century. Many items have been found in remarkable condition, including pots with their lids intact and kitchen utensils.
Medieval Scottish Women with Elizabeth Ewan
On this episode of Scotichronicast, Kate is joined by Elizabeth Ewan as they talk about women in medieval Scotland, focusing on some court cases and what women did for work.