Medieval Wills and Testaments with Robert A. Wood
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Robert A. Wood about medieval wills, funerals, and some memorable bequests
Childhood in the Middle Ages
What was childhood like in the Middle Ages?
Forensic Medicine and Death Investigation with Sara Butler
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Sara Butler about forensic medicine, and how death investigation was conducted in medieval England.
From Cradle to Choir: Music in the Lives of Medieval Children
What songs did medieval children grow up with? From soothing lullabies sung by mothers to the first lessons at cathedral song schools, music was an essential part of childhood in the Middle Ages.
Viking Hairstyles Uncovered in a Medieval Gaming Piece
A Viking Age figurine from Denmark reveals rare details of elite hairstyles and grooming, offering a unique three-dimensional portrait of Viking fashion from over 1,000 years ago.
Medieval Love Letters with Ad Putter and Myra Stokes
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Myra Stokes and Ad Putter about where we find love letters, and the way people wrote and sent them, along with a couple of spicy – and hilarious – examples.
Twelve Medieval Types of Drunk, According to Oswald von Wolkenstein
Medieval poet Oswald von Wolkenstein knew his way around a wine jug—and the many personalities it could unleash. In one lively poem, he catalogued twelve all-too-recognisable types of drunk, from the swaggering braggart to the repentant sinner.
Medieval Finland’s Sibling Connection Revealed by DNA
Ancient DNA from two 12th-century burials in Finland has revealed they were siblings, offering rare evidence of medieval family ties and centuries of genetic continuity in the region.
Medieval Rednecks: How Rustici Became the Butt of the Joke
From crude punchlines to the ‘medieval mullet,’ discover how peasants—known as rustici—became the butt of jokes in medieval Europe.
When the Groom Paid the Dowry: New Study Rethinks Marriage in Medieval Catalonia
A new study reveals that in 13th- and 14th-century Catalonia, some grooms brought dowries to their brides, challenging long-held assumptions about gender and wealth in medieval marriage
Earrings and Infamy: The Male Ear in the Medieval Imagination
Explore how male earrings were viewed in the Middle Ages—from symbols of infamy and foreignness to fashionable adornments—through art, religion, and cultural transformation.
New Medieval Books: Shortage and Famine in the Late Medieval Crown of Aragon
Food security was a major concern for any medieval society. This book examines how individuals and communities responded to this challenge, particularly during periods of famine.
Daily Life in the Medieval Home
Explore daily life inside a medieval home, from kitchens and chambers to workshops and power dynamics, based on records from late medieval York.
Medieval Infancy with Julie Singer
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Julie Singer about what medieval people thought about infancy in general, how literary children could be vehicles for truth and justice, and how even in the Middle Ages kids were known to say the darnedest things.
Mothers Who Weren’t: Wet Nurses in the Medieval Mediterranean
Explore the complex and often harsh realities of wet nursing in the Middle Ages, from slave contracts to moral expectations—revealing how “mothers who weren’t” shaped medieval childhood and society.
Tupac Could Have Been a Viking
Discover the striking parallels between Viking warriors and 1990s gangsta rappers in this thought-provoking article exploring shared values of honour, violence, reputation, and poetic legacy across two seemingly distant cultures.
The Mental Toll of Polygamy in Medieval Egypt
Discover how women in 15th-century Cairo resisted polygamy—and the emotional toll it took—through rare accounts from a medieval biographical dictionary.
Inside Eleanor de Montfort’s Lavish Medieval Wardrobe
In the 13th century, noblewomen like Eleanor de Montfort used fashion to display power, status, and wealth. From rich wool and fine linen to opulent furs and intricate accessories, her medieval wardrobe was a statement of prestige and influence.
New Medieval Books: Cross-dressing in the Middle Ages
Whether it’s Joan of Arc donning armor or women disguising themselves as monks to enter monasteries, gender-crossing attire appears in medieval history more often than you might expect. This book explores the subject in depth.
New Medieval Books: The Art of Medieval Falconry
An introduction to the sport of falconry in the medieval world, this book details several different aspects, ranging from how these birds were trained to their usefulness as gifts in diplomacy.
Drunk and Disorderly: How Taverns Led Crusaders into Trouble
Crusading was meant to be a holy mission, but for many knights and soldiers, the lure of taverns, drink, and other temptations often…
Medieval University Life Was Rough—Just Ask the Freshmen
Medieval university life was anything but dull—freshmen endured brutal hazing rituals, public humiliations, and even bizarre traditions involving feces, all in the name of scholarly initiation.
Medieval Love Hacks: Romance Advice from The Distaff Gospels
The search for love—and the perfect romance advice—is as old as time. In the Middle Ages, women turned to The Distaff Gospels, a fifteenth-century collection of witty and often bizarre advice on love, lust, and marriage. Want to know your future husband’s name or keep your partner faithful? This medieval guide had answers
Labor organizations and collective action, with Sarah Bond
A conversation with Sarah Bond about organized labor groups in the Roman Empire.
