The Medieval Podcast

She’s said to be the first professional female author, a champion of women, and the builder of The City of Ladies. She was also one of the most popular writers of the fifteenth century, despite virtually disappearing until the twentieth. This week, Danièle explores the life and writings of one of the most outspoken women of the Middle Ages: Christine de Pizan.

This week, Danièle invites you to get cozy and listen to the story of Lanval, a knight of the Round Table who is loved by a mysterious lady of the Otherworld - for better and for worse. The story is one of the lais of another mysterious woman: 12th-century author Marie de France.

What happened when someone got sick in the Middle Ages? Medieval medicine and healthcare might be two of the most misunderstood aspects of the whole era. This week Danièle speaks with Winston E. Black about some of the myths we have about medicine in the Middle Ages.

This week, Danièle answers questions sent to The Medieval Podcast by our listeners, including how did people get rid of human waste in the Middle Ages? How were medieval cities planned? What was it like to be a seamstress? And who is Danièle’s favourite knight?

Who were the men and women who took up the cross and journeyed to Holy Lands? Danièle speaks with Dan Jones about his latest book on crusaders and on why it’s important for historians to talk about the crusades today.

It’s the spookiest season, which means it’s the perfect time to investigate medieval witches. This week, Danièle speaks with Gemma Hollman, author of Royal Witches, about some of the fifteenth century’s most high profile accusations of witchcraft.

When it comes to stories of reinvention and forging new paths, there’s one historian whose body of work stands out. This week, Danièle sat down with Dr. Natalie Zemon Davis over a cup of tea and talked about some of her favourite trailblazers, how she sees Medieval Studies today, and how historians can use their work to bring people together across cultures

This week, Sandra Alvarez, cofounder of Medievalists.net was back in Toronto, so Danièle sat down with Sandra and Peter Konieczny to talk about how the website got started, and how the field has changed in the decade since.

It often seems it’s the things that we take for granted that have the biggest impact. One of these things is the way we measure. This week, Danièle speaks with Dr. Emanuele Lugli about the way people used measurement for business, for justice, and for devotion.

The Aga Khan Museum in Toronto, Canada has unveiled a new exhibition: Caravans of Gold, Fragments in Time: Art, Culture, and Exchange Across Medieval Saharan Africa. Danièle took in the exhibition and spoke with Michael Chagnon, the Curator of the museum. They talk about medieval Africa, its connections with the wider world, and what you can see at the Aga Khan Museum.