The Medieval Podcast

Although they’re often presented as a sort of living, breathing set decoration, the women at aristocratic courts in the Middle Ages served many different functions, from the practical to the ceremonial. Educated and influential, these women served as ambassadors not only of their gender, but often of their families, and places of origin, as well. So, what was it like to be a daily companion to the elites of the medieval world? This week, Danièle speaks with Caroline Dunn about the lives of ladies in waiting.You can support this podcast on Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/medievalists

When it comes to intercontinental trade in the Middle Ages, the Silk Road seems to get all the love. But the movement of people and goods between kingdoms and continents was made possible in large part by water. This week, Danièle speaks with Amanda Respess about ships and shipbuilding in the medieval world, what we know about early global trade routes, and the fascinating bits of archaeology we’re still finding under the sea.Support this podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/medievalists

Last week was all about Christian monks, but naturally, there were a whole lot of monks in different traditions across the medieval world. And some of them were even poets. This week, Danièle speaks with Thomas J. Mazanec about the Buddhist poet-monks of medieval China, why they chose to write poetry, and why their art was so controversial.You can support this podcast on Patreon - go to https://www.patreon.com/medievalists

It's safe to say that this moment in history is proving to be a stressful one, leaving many of us feeling anxious and unsettled. This week, Danièle revisits some of the science-backed tools and strategies medieval monks used to help them stay mentally healthy in tough times.Check out Danièle's book How to Live Like a Monk: Medieval Wisdom for Modern Life at https://www.danielecybulskie.com/monk

Although he’s one of the longest-reigning monarchs in English history, he tends to be largely forgotten when it comes to top ten lists. He’s not even in the top three most popular Henrys. Sandwiched between his father, Bad King John, and his son, the “great and terrible” Edward I, Henry III was a pious, peaceful, family man – for better and for worse. This week, Danièle speaks with David Carpenter about what people loved and loathed about Henry, how he managed to survive the rockiest moments of his reign, and the incredible architectural legacy he left behind.You can listen to these epispdes ad-free on our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/c/medievalists

It's almost Valentine's Day, which means that sexy playlists are being created all over the world to help people communicate their steamiest and most heartfelt emotions - just like they did in the Middle Ages. This week, Danièle speaks with Elizabeth Eva Leach about sexy medieval songs, who was singing them, and how they served as inspiration in the bedroom.You can support this podcast on Patreon - go to www.patreon.com/medievalists

After the Christian conquest of Jerusalem in 1099, scholarship tends to focus on the Muslim populations outside of the newly established crusader kingdoms. But what happened to the Muslim people who remained within? How did they interact with the new culture and laws imposed upon them? And how much of a dealbreaker was a person’s religion in real life, anyway? This week, Danièle speaks with Ann Zimo about the interactions between Muslims and Christians within the legal, political, and even spy networks of the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem.You can support The Medieval Podcast on Patreon - go to https://www.patreon.com/medievalists

It’s a storied island with a rich saga tradition. A land of ice and fire. But rarely do we hear of how Iceland went from being a stouthearted farming settlement to one of the most respected nations on Earth. This week, Danièle speaks with Sverrir Jakobsson about what life in Iceland was like in the early Middle Ages, how it became linked to the kingdom of Norway, and how Iceland’s interactions with Europe changed after the Black Death.  You can support this podcast on Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/medievalists

Though they're often overlooked, the dowager queens of Korea were the one of the most powerful legitimizing forces behind the throne. This week, Danièle speaks with Alban Schmid about how Korea was ruled in the late Middle Ages, its relationship to Ming China, and the power wielded by the women at the top.You can support The Medieval Podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/medievalists

If you browse the shelves of your local bookstore, it may seem like Eastern Europe basically didn’t exist until the Soviet Union. Fortunately, Medieval Studies is slowly widening the lens to give us a bigger and better picture of what went on beyond the invisible borders of west versus east. This week, Danièle speaks with Florin Curta about why it’s taken the field so long to address Eastern Europe, why we need to look at enslavement as part of our understanding of the European Middle Ages broadly, and how we can all get started including Eastern Europe in our scholarship, is coming up right after this.You can support this podcast on Patreon - go to https://www.patreon.com/medievalists