Two Houses, Two Kingdoms with Catherine Hanley
To see the tangled knots of medieval interpersonal and international relationships, we need look no further than two of the most powerful, long-lasting, and entwined dynasties of the Middle Ages. This week, Danièle speaks with Catherine Hanley about two hundred years of rule by the houses of Plantagenet and Capet.
The Fall of the Templars: How to destroy a military order
Why did the king of France think that he had the power to bring about the Templars’ downfall?
Low water levels along French river help to reveal medieval fishery
The harsh drought across Europe this summer has led to water levels dropping heavily in lakes and rivers. This has led to finds being made along these waterways, which now includes the remains of a 12th-century fishery in France.
The Deeds of Philip Augustus with Cecilia Gaposchkin and Sean Field
As a teenage king, a crusader, and a bigamist, Philip Augustus’ life story is filled with enough saintliness and scandal to satisfy the appetites of any medieval chronicler. This week, Danièle speaks with Cecilia Gaposchkin and Sean Field about the life of Philip II Augustus, as recorded by a contemporary monk.
(Bio)archaeological Approaches: Disease and Death in Early Medieval France
Reconstructing what happened, in France and across western Eurasia, during the first pandemic of bubonic plague in the Roman Empire and its neighbors from 541 to 750 AD.
The Most Common (and Uncommon!) Medieval Names in Southern France
Here are the top three names for medieval men and women in southern France, as well as some of the more uncommon names you could find in the region.
The Viking Sieges of Paris
Examining the two main Viking sieges of Paris, which took place in the years 845 and 885.
The Jacquerie Revolt with Justine Firnhaber-Baker
A decade after The Black Death, French peasants rose up suddenly against the nobility in an unprecedented and remarkably coordinated revolt. This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Dr. Justine Firnhäber-Baker about the rebellion that shocked the elites of Europe: the Jacquerie.
Medieval Confraternities: Prayers, Feasts, and Fees
We can examine what were medieval confraternities by focusing on those the existed in the towns and cities of Southern France.
Matt, Ben and Myself: From History to Hollywood with The Last Duel
Eric Jager, author of The Last Duel, gives the inside story of how his book was turned into a major Hollywood movie.
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.
A Rotting Cat and a Damaged Penis
Do you know what is the best weapon to attack your drinking pal outside of a tavern? A rotting cat, of course! In today’s episode, Allison Bailey, a PhD candidate in history at the University of Toronto presents her research about the intersection of gender, violence and emotions in fourteenth- and fifteenth-century France.
‘The Worthiest Man’: The story of Count Philip I of Flanders
Philip I Count of Flanders was one of the most controversial nobles in twelfth-century France. His choleric temperament was equaled only by his reputation in many historical and literary works. Where he went, trouble and greatness followed.
Medieval Scottish Patronage in France with Bryony Coombs
Talking about medieval artwork that connects France to Scotland. The first part of a conversation with Bryony Coombs.
Gens experts & non suspects: Recipe Transmission in the World of Professional Parisian Cooks, Charcutiers, and Caterers, 1475-1599
This paper examines three shared perspectives that guildspersons of the Rôtisseurs,Charcutiers, and Cuisiniers of Paris took pains to teach to their apprentices.
Mass graves of soldiers from 1491 French siege discovered
In 1491, French forces laid siege to the city of Rennes. A team of researchers have now discovered two mass graves that contain the remains of over thirty soldiers who fought and died during the conflict.
Ivory, Copper, and the Island of Gold: Medieval trade between France and West Africa
Discussing the development of trade networks linking medieval Europe and western Africa, exploring the important role played by Africa in the medieval world system of Europe.
The Borderlands of Slavery in Medieval Mediterranean France
Daniel Lord Smail examines slavery in medieval France.
The Love and Loyalty of the Good Duke and his Men
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the Chronicle is how it depicts the love of his soldiers for him, and his love for them. It shows his friends observing him in action. The Chronicle is as much a portrait of Louis’ circle of friends as it is of Louis himself.
‘War, Cruel and Sharp’: England’s Grand Strategy during the Hundred Years’ War
Edward developed a grand strategy for his war against France: use highly disciplined, compact forces to penetrate deep into French territory in chevauchées for the purpose, not of occupying territory, but of wreaking extensive economic, social, and psychological havoc on the French, with the ultimate goal of fatally undermining France’s war effort.
Medieval Geopolitics: The Hundred Years’ War: A Tale of Two Crowns
Ultimately, the war was caused by the confluence of a series of events – deeply rooted in medieval concepts of statehood and sovereignty that seem alien at first to modern observers – that eventually formed into a cascade that swept both belligerents (as well as the rest of Europe) out of the medieval era and towards their early modern national destinies.
Seizing Power, Keeping Power, and kicking up a fuss in early medieval England and France
The early middle ages on both sides of the Channel is full of episodes of rebellion and opposition by many parties with an axe to grind, whether disinherited members of ruling families, sidelined aristocrats, or disgruntled peasants.
French castle for sale: Manoir de la Sausserie
In 1198, Eleanor of Aquitaine gave lands to Robert le Saucier, the bailiff of Domfront and kitchen officer of the English queen. Robert built a manor house, located near the Norman town of La Haute-Chapelle.
Philip II “Augustus” of France
The early reign of Philip II of France was an exhibition of poor generalship, but by the early 1200s, Philip had seized most of the counties and duchies under the control of England’s King John