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
Search Results for: medieval
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
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
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
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
Did your ancestor fight in the 100 year war?
Les Read introduced this website to me…a stunner ! There is a Crowther who fought in the 100 years way – wonder if he’s a relative? http://www.medievalsoldier.org/
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
92a The Cult of Thomas of Lancaster
Medieval man loved their saints. Remember the Anglo Saxons? Saints popping up all over the place. The Martyrdom of Thomas Beckett I suppose is reasonable, but cult of Simon deRead More
89 The Great Famine
For a long time we have been having a ball, economy wise – the medieval warm period, towns springing up all over the place, prices gently rising, population growing. SoRead More
88 Politics, Scandal, Intrigue and Turmoil
The period between 1308 and 1311 was dominated by the attempts of the barons to resolve the issues left unsolved from Edward I's reign; and by the scandal and disruptionRead More
82 The Sucker Punch
Since the Treaty of Paris in 1259, England and France had been friends, united by a monarchy with close ties and relationships. So when in 1293 a dispute blew upRead More
78 The Crisis in Wales
In 1270, you would have been more likely to pick Alexander, king of Scotland or Llewellyn of Wales as the leader most likely to breach the peace. Edward looked moreRead More
77 Reconstruction
The country Edward came back to in 1274 wasn't in particularly good nick. Crime was on the rise, with a general disaffection with the regime as the benzedrine of deRead More
Song against Richard of Cornwall
Any chance to hear the authentic voice of ordinary people is rather exceptional for the early and mid medieval period – but here’s one example. It’s a political song ofRead More
The Provisions of Oxford, 1258
The Provisions of Oxford are one of the most radical documents in English history, if such a sentence means anything – they were such a change from the medieval wayRead More
Magna Carta: The Great Charter of Liberties of King John, 1215
Text in blue is mine. *means that the clause was withdrawn from later re-issues of the charter @means that the clause is still valid under later charters, but with someRead More
The Constitutions of Clarendon, 1164
The Constitutions are part of the struggle between Henry and his Archbishop – Thomas Becket – and between Church and State. Thomas initially accepted the document, deserting his bishops underRead More
A 12th Century Village
This contemporary survey gives an insight into the economic and social life of the country at this time. Notes in blue are my text. Survey of the Manor of Elton,Read More
72 The Empire Strikes Back
Things looked pretty good for the reformers in 1259; but at the heart of the reform movement were fault lines that weakened them, and made them vulnerable. The differing aimsRead More
70 Lords, Knights and Gentry
The 13th Century sees the start of changes that will come to full fruit in the 14th Century – the development of the role of the knight in the shires,Read More
Economic and Social History Charts 1000-1485
We talk quite a lot about population, prices, wages and all the time in the podcast; so I thought it might be good to have a bit of a referenceRead More
69 Merchants and trivial stuff about Magnates
Wool was the wealth of England, the great trade that brought wealth and prosperity to England. The people who really made the money were the big ticket Italian Merchants. ThisRead More
68 13 C Life – Peasants fighting back…and Towns
Being a Peasant was no doubt a pretty hard existence. But they were not without their methods of fighting back, and protecting their rights. This week also we look atRead More
67 13th Century Life – the Peasantry
Over the 13th century, economic growth continued. For the Peasantry, this gave some opportunities; more chance to sell their produce and get involved in a wider range of money makingRead More
62 The Minority Abroad
Harmony with Scotland, the career of Llewellyn the Great, the loss of Poitou. During the minority of Henry, English prestige and power was at something of a low point –Read More
Maps, 1225 – 1327
Gascony Gascony around 1300. The St Sardos war with Edward II removed most of the saintonge from English control. Scotland Wales Ireland
44 Introducing the Lion Heart
To most contemporaries, Richard I was a hero. Since then his reputation has suffered badly, until even Winston Churchill describes him as the worst of our Richards – which givenRead More
42 English Justice and The Irish Invasion
Henry's far sighted reform of justice; and Richard Strongbow and Norman invasion of Ireland So here are two completely unconnected subjects then! Henry is responsible for reforms to the processRead More
40 Bishop Trouble
The 1160's. A time of consolidation of the Angevin Empire, still ruled by a dynamic, young and aggressive Henry. But mainly remembered for the start of the struggle between churchRead More
39 The Ruling of the Angevin Empire
Bear in mind at all times that Henry, while being a Good King, was a tyrant. Still, he was a tyrant who ran a mean administrative system for the time.Read More
37 12th Century Life – Village, Town and Trade
12th Century England was envied for it's fertility and yes it's climate. Any during the 12th century, the population of England and its towns and villages expand. But by andRead More
35 12th Century Life – A Knight’s Tale
Medieval England thought of it's people in 3 estates – those who fight (nobles), those who pray (churchmen) and those who work (peasants). This week in the history of EnglandRead More
30 Henry I – Barons, Warfare and Wales
The fight with Robert gave Henry a great chance to replace the old conquest families with his own men, and particularly in the Welsh Marches. And this week we alsoRead More
27 Hateful to his People and Odious to God
Rufus fell out big time with Anselm, his Archbishop of Canterbury. Unusually for Medieval Man he was impious and irreverent. Meanwhile, the Welsh struggled for independence against Norman tyranny, and makeRead More
26 William Rufus, Normandy and the First Crusade
William Rufus was a flamboyant, red faced, pudgy and irreverant bloke, but none the less his father's favourite son. So Dad tipped him the wink and he left the deathRead More
25 Death of a Conqueror
The last years of William the Conqueror’s reign were mainly the meat and drink of the Norman King – beating off other feudal lords, keeping your nobles down, trying notRead More
24 Revolt of the Earls
It took William the Conqueror a few more years until he felt safe from the English. But when the Revolt of the Earls collapsed in 1075, English revolution was overRead More
22 1066 and Goodbye to all That
The most iconic date in English history – a story of bravery, drama – and a close run thing
Maps: 1000 – 1225
Maps, 1000 – 1225 – Contents of this web page Maps below include: England in Stephen’s Reign The Regions of France Normandy The Crusades – Outremer in 1140, 1190 andRead More
21 The Normans – a race unbridled
The Normans were wildly adventurous from Viking stock a carve out realms in France, Sicily – and England
The Discovery at St Mary’s Church
St Mary’s church tells the story of a village in Norfolk and holds the oldest surviving Anglo Saxon wall paintings in England
9 Pillar of the Western People
In 892, the vikings returned – and found a very different, much better prepared Wessex waiting for them. Until in 899, Alfred died to be succeeded by his Son, Edward,Read More
7 Alfred and the Fight for Survival
Between 871 and 878, Wessex came close to extinction, as the Great Heathen Army, the Great Summer Army, and Guthrum the Dane came to conquer. The Campaigns In 870 theRead More
2 The Rise of Mercia
From the 650s, a power begins to emerge in the west midlands – the border people, Mercians
1.8 Revival
Towns had simply disappeared along with the post Roman economy by 500. But slowly by 600 there’s tiny shoots of recovery discernible – so we talk about towns. And weRead More
1.7 Conversion
At the start of the 7th century England was a basically pagan country; by the end of it it was officially at least Christian. While no doubt many pagans stillRead More
1.1 Change and Calamity
This is the story of late antique Britain. How in the 3rd to 5th centuries, Britain went through two waves of economic dislocation and transformation, that changed the face ofRead More
1 The Anglo Saxons: Chronicles and Arguments
Introducing the Anglo Saxons, the series, and an episode about the people who kept a written record of the Anglo Saxon age. It’s also a good time to talk aboutRead More
Sources for Early Anglo Saxon England
Written chronicles are far and few between until we arrive at the time of Alfred in the 9th century. There are 3 big ones, and you can link to themRead More