Gone Medieval

Ever worn a St. Christopher medallion and wondered about the man carrying the Christ child across a river? Or heard of St. Uncumber, the bearded female saint invoked by women desperate to escape unwanted marriages? In this episode of Gone Medieval, Matt Lewis is once again joined by historian and storyteller Amy Jeffs, this time to uncover the fascinating stories of medieval saints connected to the summer months. From the legendary Seven Sleepers of Ephesus—precursors to fairy tales like Snow White and Sleeping Beauty—to England’s own warm-weather holy figures, these stories are as strange as they are sacred.More: Edward the Confessor & New Year Saints >St. George & Springtime Saints >Gone Medieval is presented by Matt Lewis. The narrator was Sophie Gee. It was edited and produced by Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.All music used is courtesy of Epidemic Sounds.Gone Medieval is a History Hit podcast.Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here: https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on

Dr. Eleanor Janega sifts through the myths to uncover the foundations of medieval Hungary and its peoples. From the legendary tales of the country's origins to the process of Christianization under King Stephen, Eleanor and Professor Nora Berend discuss how various migrations shaped the kingdom, the devastating impact of the Mongol invasions, and Hungary's intricate relationships with surrounding empires. MOREGenghis Khan's Pax Mongolica >The Habsburgs >Gone Medieval is presented by Dr. Eleanor Janega. It was edited by Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.All music used is courtesy of Epidemic Sounds.Gone Medieval is a History Hit podcast.Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here: https://uk.surveymonkey.com/r/6FFT7MK

An investigation into the dramatic siege of London in 1471 and the controversial and mysterious death of Henry VI. Matt Lewis is joined by Andrew Boardman to unpack Thomas Neville's assault on London, a rebellion that set the city on fire and led to panic within its walls. They explore the aftermath and the evidence that Edward IV made a calculated decision to end Henry VI’s life to quash future rebellions.Was Henry VI's death due to 'pure melancholy' as reported, or something more sinister?MOREThe Hundred Years Warhttps://open.spotify.com/episode/3UQkEb0MTdJdwYmJB333RXTower of London: Most Infamous Prisonershttps://open.spotify.com/episode/21EtfN6sWWVsA0fWwD89u2Gone Medieval is presented by Matt Lewis. It was edited by Amy Haddow, the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.All music used is courtesy of Epidemic Sounds.Gone Medieval is a History Hit podcast.Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here: https://uk.surveymonkey.com/r/6FFT7MK

Dr. Eleanor Janega delves into the enigmatic figure of the Green Man, tracing his origins and uncovering the myths and realities behind this medieval character. Eleanor is joined on location in Kent - at St. Mary's, Minster-in-Thanet, and St. Nicholas at Wade - by Imogen Corrigan to explore the symbolism and significance of the medieval Green Man carvings, a detail often misunderstood as a pagan symbol but here reinterpreted within a Christian context of rebirth and eternal life. Along the way, they discuss the influence of historical periods including the Black Death, the role of craftsmen, and the blending of pagan and Christian elements in religious art.MOREA Guide to Medieval Churcheshttps://open.spotify.com/episode/6uL2WMaHruAxVlwSNV8elPA Stonemason's Secretshttps://open.spotify.com/episode/0QGLLrkD8KV44EfTGsOK3LGone Medieval is presented by Dr. Eleanor Janega. It was edited by Amy Haddow, the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.All music used is courtesy of Epidemic Sounds.Gone Medieval is a History Hit podcast.Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here: https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on

For more than 400 years, Irish warfare was dominated by the Galloglass, elite Norse-Gael mercenary warriors who reshaped battles with their two-handed sparth axes and claymores. Why did Gaelic chieftains and Norman lords alike rely on these foreign fighters? And what drove the Galloglass to fight with such ferocity that English observers would later write, "When they strike they inflict a dreadful wound"?To find out more, Matt Lewis is joined by Fergus Cannan-Braniff, a descendant of Rob Roy MacGregor and Robert the Bruce, and author of Galloglass 1250-1600: Gaelic Mercenary Warrior.MORECastles and the Conquest of Irelandhttps://open.spotify.com/episode/4mQSY11BBAru3Q3tDQgXWAMedieval Ireland: Death & Politicshttps://open.spotify.com/episode/3sGKfux9jioLnvOUcydbovGone Medieval is presented by Matt Lewis and edited by Amy Haddow. The producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.All music used is courtesy of Epidemic Sounds.Gone Medieval is a History Hit podcast.Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, including Matt's series Castles that Made Ireland, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here: https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on

In early 15th century, the execution of Jan Hus — a fiery preacher who dared to challenge the might of the Catholic Church in Bohemia — ignited a rebellion that shook medieval Europe to its core. The Hussite Wars were not just a fight for religious reform; they were an explosion of new ideas, military innovation and national identity that would echo across centuries.Dr. Eleanor Janega recounts this tale of heresy, revolution and a relentless quest for justice. From the thunderous defenestration of Prague’s city council to the ingenious war wagons of Jan Žižka, discover how a movement of peasants, preachers and visionaries defied crusades, toppled kings, and carved out the world’s first Protestant state.MOREAnne of Bohemiahttps://open.spotify.com/episode/19zx9ph2V4RtGOxnI50POxThe Czech Braveheart: Jan Žižka - Gone Medievalhttps://open.spotify.com/episode/59wq9imDllVuDj97YoPCxlGone Medieval is presented by Dr. Eleanor Janega. It was edited by Amy Haddow, the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.All music used is courtesy of Epidemic Sounds.Gone Medieval is a History Hit podcast.Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here: https://uk.surveymonkey.com/r/6FFT7MK

Inside Edward IV's Last Will: Secrets, Stories, and Medieval MysteriesJourney back to 1475, a time when Edward, undefeated on the battlefields of the Wars of the Roses, prepared for a grand invasion of France, including writing his Will.Matt Lewis is joined by Dr. Euan C. Roger from the National Archives and discovers the untold stories behind Edward's preparations, including the mysterious fate of his will, the detailed provisions for St. George's Chapel at Windsor and the efforts to secure the future of the Yorkist dynasty.They discuss the relics, tomb designs, and extraordinary lengths Edward went to ensure his legacy, and explore the dramatic last moments at his deathbed, surrounded not by family, but by courtiers with their own agendas.MOREThe Wars of the Roses: Originshttps://open.spotify.com/episode/3DHhrD90zRN0IppdA29QXkThe Wars of the Roses: Dynastic Warhttps://open.spotify.com/episode/49FZ4NiUW5XNi1RSh7rkH7Gone Medieval is presented by Matt Lewis. It was edited by Amy Haddow, the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.All music used is courtesy of Epidemic Sounds.Gone Medieval is a History Hit podcast.Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here: https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on

Dr. Eleanor Janega and author Stella Duffy dive into the extraordinary life and legacy of Empress Theodora.A woman who rose from the lowest ranks of society as a prostitute at the Hippodrome to capture the heard of an emperor to become the most powerful woman in the Byzantine Empire.A strident feminist, she fought for women's rights bringing in laws to stop sex trafficking and punish rape, Theodora was a game changer of the highest order who was venerated a as a saint by the Eastern Orthodox Church.MOREThe Rise of Constantinoplehttps://open.spotify.com/episode/0xDnUgTBWpztIx2NCDrFPtJustinian: the Greatest Byzantine Emperor?https://open.spotify.com/episode/5rCisdx9LPzINtcXPa1pRgGone Medieval is presented by Dr. Eleanor Janega. It was edited by Tim Arstall, the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.All music used is courtesy of Epidemic Sounds.Gone Medieval is a History Hit podcast.Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here: https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-onSign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here: https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on

Dr. Eleanor Janega and Matt Lewis embark on a rollicking journey through the High Middle Ages, unearthing the epic power struggles between popes and kings, and getting to know standout figures like the audacious Frederick II.They discuss how game-changing innovations like the heavy plough and crop rotation systems transformed medieval farming and sparked a social revolution, exploring the intellectual boom of the 12th-century Renaissance, the relentless Norman conquests, and the majestic Mongol Empire. It's a period packed with fascinating advancements and larger-than-life characters.MOREEmperor Frederick II: Scourge of the Papacyhttps://open.spotify.com/episode/0f2RDfAxdDuaQFCvrDJ1HBGengis Khan's Pax Mongolicahttps://open.spotify.com/episode/6KtWTM2HM99H29Aotldkc9Gone Medieval is presented by Matt Lewis and Dr. Eleanor Janega. Audio editor is Joseph Knight, the senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.All music used is courtesy of Epidemic Sounds.Gone Medieval is a History Hit podcast.Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here: https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on