Katherine Swynford’s life was full of drama. From a relatively lowly background, she became mistress to John of Gaunt, son of Edward III. Through her, descended the Tudor dynasty.Read More
HiT Braveheart
I, David Crowther, have managed to get to 54 without seeing Braveheart ended to end. I thought I cannot do this podcast without watching it. Find out if that proved aRead More
Sea 3 Catching a Crabbe - Members Only
Private enterprise, piracy and sate collusion – seafaring in the in 13th and 14th centuries
Shedcast 11b The Tournament: Rise and Fall - Members Only
The tournament grew in sophistication until it was focused around the individual challenge of the Joust. But the fundamentals of warfare and society changed and tournaments lost their relevance.
Shedcast 11a The Medieval Tournament: Beginnings - Members Only
The original melee was preparation for war. And like war, it was fought between two teams, was violent and resulted in death - and was banned by the church.
Shedcast 2 Fun with Wills and Words - Members Only
Wills are a fascinating historical record, giving some insight into the what really mattered to people of their time. Plus some delightful oddities...
195 The History of Europe Part VIII
15th Century European kingdoms were wracked by internal division as well as international war. By the end of the century, many nations had achieved unity and some degree of internalRead More
153 The Medieval Working Woman
Only 4% of women remained unmarried in the middle ages, and therefore for both men and women working life was a matter of team work. In towns in particular, womenRead More
149 Sex, Childbirth and Children
Medieval understanding of physiology had an impact on attitudes to sex, just as much as did the teachings of the church. Though who knows how much it had an impactRead More
133 The History of Europe Part VII
This week we finish off our survey of Europe, bringing us up to date with Byzantium, and the threat from the East. But we’ll also bring you up to dateRead More
132 The History of Europe Part VI
The growth of Aragon and its mediterranean empire, consolidation and political change in Northern Italy, fragmentation in Germany; Jan Hus, heresy and the Council of Constance. 132 A History ofRead More
131 The History of Europe Part V: Economic change and technology
Ths episode is the first of 3 to bring us up to date with the history of Europe to the time of Henry IVth. This week it's all about theRead More
129 Dominion
At last in 1397 Richard would have felt that he had put his past humiliation from the Appellants behind him. But he was no happier or secure. He gathered hisRead More
128 The Narcisist
In 1397, Richard finally saw the chance to try to get his revenge on the Appellants – Gloucester, Arundel and Warwick. So the parliament of September 1397 was momentus. 128Read More
127 The Model of Chivalry
Henry Bolingbroke, Earl of Derby, son of the most powerful magnate in England, was a golden child blessed with every advantage. While Richard tried to get his royal feet underRead More
126 An Uneasy Calm
Between the Appellants crisis of 1388 and 1397, Richard ruled with increasingly confidence. He was hardly the most impressive English king but he appeared to have cast off the wildnessRead More
125 Accusatio
By 1387, it was becoming clear that the Wonderful Parliament of 1385 had not solved the problem. Pressure had been building, and Gloucester, Warwick and Arundel were far from satisfiedRead More
124 The Character of a King
From the end of the Peasant's Revolt in 1381, England continues to be managed by the Council, but the young Richard began to have more and more influence. And despiteRead More
122 John Wycliffe – and a University Education
Wycliffe's writings were to prove controversial and proved an interesting early echo of the Reformation. They heavily influenced the view of Jan Hus and the movement in Bohemia. And hisRead More
121 Counter Revolution
After Richard had broken the revolt in London at Smithfield it was time to tackle the chaos outside London. The Counter Revolution took something between 1,500-7,000 judicial executions, and did nothingRead More
120 … Who was then the Gentleman?
In June 1381 the revolt came to London. Before long, London was in flames, and the qualities of the young king Richard, and his advisers, were tested to the limitRead More
119 When Adam delved and Eve Span…
On a hill outside Blackheath, just to the south of London, a hedge priest called John Ball is preaching to a massive crowd of peasants. When Adam delved and EveRead More
118 Introducing Richard II
Richard arrived with the expectation of a nation on his shoulders – the son of the illustrious hero Edward the Black Prince. So what was Richard like, and how hasRead More
117a The Poet and the Mistress by Carrie Palmer
This week, a guest episode by Carrie Palmer – on Chaucer and Katherine Swynford Sadly, after this there is something of a gap to come – works has happened. SoRead More
117 The Medieval Year
The rhythm of the year would have been far more important to most medieval people that the goings on at Westminster and the court of the king. The stream ofRead More
116 The Good Parliament and a Bad Death
There were now unusual expecations for the parliament of 1376. But in fact a revolt from the Commons was brewing, dismayed by the failures of the war. The Good ParliamentRead More
115 The Rotten Apple
From 1371 to 1375 the army went from bad to worse. An English fleet was destroyed at La Rochelle and Poitou and the Saintonge fell to the French. The greatRead More
114 The Worm in the Apple
On the face of it, the 1360's were a continuation and celebration of the great victories of the 40's and 50's. In 1364, Charles of Blois was defeated and killedRead More
113 Fashion and Clothing in the 14th Century
Fashion finally comes to town in the 14th Century. At the start of the century people are wearing what they've been wearing for centuries. By the end of it thereRead More
112 On the Crest of a Wave
After the victory at Poitiers and capture of the French King, the English seemed to hold all the cards, and the Treaty of Bretigny in 1360 for a while maintainedRead More
111 Poitiers
1356 saw one of the greatest exchange of arms of the war. Early in the year, the Duke of Lancaster attacked into Normandy and with lightening marches ran rings roundRead More
110 Fire and Sword
In 1354 – 1355 Edward and his court wavered between optimism that a negotiated settlement was within their grasp – and determination to continue to prosecute the war. The TreatyRead More
109 The War between the Wars
The period between 1347 and 1353 was one of low level war and violence; punctuated by more or less effective truces. But even the truces don't stop the low levelRead More
108 What has the Black Death ever done for you?
The theory runs that the Black Death transformed medieval society. With a dramatic shortage of labour, the English peasant was able to demand whatever wages and terms they wanted –Read More
107 The Death of Joan
In 1348 a 14 year old royal princess, Joan, set out from Portsmouth to marry Pedro of Castile. Her route went by Bordeaux, and with the massive trousseau she carriedRead More
106 Calais and Neville’s Cross
By the end of the march across Normandy in 1346, Edward had accepted that he was not going to be able to hold French territory. But he had a clearRead More
105 Crecy
In 1346 Edward invaded finally launched the invasion he had hoped to lead in 1345. The target was Normandy a devastating raid through northern France, a glorious victory in battleRead More
104 Lancaster and the Battle of Auberoche
Edward had little intention of keeping the truce for long. After a brief period of reconstruction, he repudiated the truce a year early. And so enters one of the mostRead More
103 The war in Brittany
1341 saw a serious political crisis – Edward returned home determined to put his English administration, parliament and particularly Archbishop in their places. In fact it's Edward who is forcedRead More
102 Highs and Lows
In 1340 against all the odds – of numbers and quality – Edward defeated Philip VIth's Great Army of the Sea at Sluys. The impact on morale, English and FrenchRead More
101 King of France and England
Edward faced a weary time, a weary time. His allies demanded money, he had none to give them. So they refused to fight, while the French closed in on GasconyRead More
100 Theatres of War
This week, a bit of a scene setter; Edward and the development of consent from the commons in his parliaments, the theatres of the 100 years war ahead – andRead More
99a Stephen Guerra The Avignon Papacy
The Story of the early 14th Century papacy and their exile in Avignon – a guest episode from Stephen Guerra 99a Stephen Guerra Avignon Papacy
99 Year One of a Hundred
Edward had traditionally received much of the blame before the start of the Hundred Years War. But in fact there were many reasons why France and England ended up goingRead More
98 The Disinherited
In the early 1330's, Edward was a hero searching for a way to undo the humiliations visited on him by Mortimer and by the French. And Edward Balliol, son ofRead More
97 Above all Princes of his Age
In 1330 a group of Edward's friends gathered together at the foot of the rock on which Nottingham castle stands. They had learnt of a secret passage that led toRead More
96a Sharyn Eastaugh The Templar Knights
null The Templar Knights are endlessly fascinating; a glamorous and powerful order of warrior monks, with all kinds of mystique. In a guest episode, Sharyn Eastaugh gives a potted history.Read More
96 A history of Medieval Europe – Part IV
With the defeat of the Hohenstaufen, surely the Papacy had finally won it's battle for supremacy? Actually not. A new challenge rode into town in the form of Phillip IVthRead More
95 The History of Medieval Europe – Part III
Frederick II renewed the argument that had been going on since the time of Otto the Great – Emperor or Pope? This time there would be a solution one wayRead More
94a The Mysterious Death of Edward II
Time to vote? Did Edward die in 1327? Now, traditionally, Edward II is supposed to have died after an unfortunate meeting with a red hot poker. Which had always beenRead More