Delve into the chaos, warfare, and religious persecution of the 14th century. Learn about the pivotal role of knights in medieval Europe. Explore the struggles and daily routines of people living in medieval Europe. Discover the devastating impact of the Black Death and its uneven death rates. Uncover the embrace of secular humanism and its role in the Renaissance.
The book 'A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14th Century' explores how medieval society responded to disasters like the Black Death, warfare, economic chaos, insurrection, and religious persecution.
Knights in medieval Europe played a crucial role in imposing stability through force and intimidation, becoming some of the most lethal warriors of the time.
Deep dives
Supporting the Podcast through Listener Contributions
The podcast host announces a change in funding model, opting for listener support rather than running ads. Listeners can have access to exclusive episodes by supporting the show through platforms like Patreon. Merchandise and gimmicks will not be offered as incentives, with the focus on providing supporters with more content.
Historical Perspective on Catastrophe and Resilience
The podcast explores how society has recovered from major calamities throughout history. The book 'A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14th Century' is discussed, which provides a case study of how medieval society responded to disasters like the Black Death, warfare, economic chaos, insurrection, and religious persecution.
The Role of Knights in Medieval Europe
The podcast explores the importance of knights in medieval Europe as stabilizers of society. Knights acted as enforcers of order and security, imposing stability through force and intimidation. They were heavily armed and trained in combat, becoming some of the most lethal warriors of the time.
Europe's Turmoil in the 14th Century
The podcast describes the multiple challenges Europe faced in the 14th century. These challenges included the little Ice Age, famine, political instability, the Hundred Years' War between France and England, and the devastating impact of the Black Death. Society experienced widespread death, social breakdown, and a loss of confidence in established order.
Plague, political upheaval, the looming prospect of another civil war... what century are we in?
To retain historical perspective, and to find inspiration in how humanity has recovered from far greater upheavals in the past, we turn to Barbara Tuchman's classic work, A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14th Century.
What we find in the late Middle Ages is a vision of hell, along with overwhelming evidence that the best of humanity can endure the worst.
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