Medieval Madness

There are many famous mysteries from the Middle Ages that have kept us guessing. Such as the fate of King Edward II and the princes in the Tower, or the meaning of the Voynich Manuscript. Today we thought we would take you on a journey back to the Middle Ages to discover some more puzzles that have stumped the curious for centuries. Welcome to Medieval Madness. 00:00 Introduction 01:26 The Lost Book 03:42 The Lost Explorer 05:50 The Lost Tomb 07:19 The Lost Caliph 09:51 The Lost Origin Narrated by James Wade Written by Lisa E Rawcliffe Edited by James Wade Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gertrude of Merania, Queen of Hungary, and Agnès Sorel, the first officially recognised mistress to a French king. One a ‘princess’, the other a minor aristocrat. What could these two young women born two centuries apart possibly have in common? Welcome to Medieval Madness! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thought to have been built sometime between 800 and 1100 AD, around 2,000 Erdstall tunnels can be found across central Europe, particularly in Bavaria, where there are over 700. With only one way in and one way out some of these claustrophobic tunnels have crawl spaces that are just over one foot wide. Could they be graves for the souls of the dead or have some other religious purpose? Maybe they are hideaways from raiding parties or pillaging soldiers or as some have suggested the relics of aliens who left hundreds of years ago. Let’s join the archaeologists who are examining the Erdstall tunnels to try and determine their real purpose. 00:00 Introduction 00:55 Did You Know That There’s A Tunnel Under Europe? 02:40 Deeper Underground 04:28 Tunnels, Tunnels Everywhere 05:34 An Underground Superhighway? 07:42 Hide and Seek 08:59 No Way Out Narrated by James Wade Written by Lisa E Rawcliffe Edited by Jamit Productions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When many people think of the Medievals, they imagine castles and knights on white horses saving damsels in distress, or perhaps superstitious, backward-looking peasants, who’s only thought is to toil in the fields and serve their lord. It may come as a shock to discover that there were some great innovations in the Middle Ages, such as the mechanical clock, the printing press and coffee houses! But it is in construction, where we can see that the Medievals pushed their ingenuity to the limits. From bridges to cathedrals, and walls to cities, let’s travel back in time and take a look at some of these medieval feats of engineering. Welcome to Medieval Madness! 00:00 Introduction 00:56 “God created the world, but the Dutch created the Netherlands” 02:17 Foreseeing the Flood – The Nilometer 03:45 The Earth Dragon -The Great Wall of China 04:48 A City Like No Other - Baghdad 05:55 A Wonderful Waterway– The Naviglio Grande 07:05 Piers & Arches – The Medieval Bridge 08:21 Harnessing Water – The Bazacle Dam 09:38 “A Gateway To the Divine” – Gothic Cathedrals Narrated by James Wade Written by Lisa E Rawcliffe Edited by Jamit Productions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we thought we would travel outside of the Middle Ages and into the early modern period. But why? We hear you shout when you have 1,000 years of medieval history to go at. Well, the answer is easy. The Great Fire of London was one of the greatest catastrophes ever to befall the City and was a tale just too extraordinary not to be told. Over ffour days from Sunday 2nd to Wednesday 5th September 1666, London was over powered by the largest and fastest moving fire that it had ever faced. Fanned by easterly winds, it spread quickly across the city, like a relentless predator, consuming everything in its path. When the wind eventually dropped and the flames finally guttered out, the devastation was clear to see, causing the famed diarist Samuel Pepys to state that it was “the saddest sight of desolation that I ever saw”. Welcome to Early Modern Madness. 00:00 Introduction 01:21 A Whole New World 05:25 Tick, Tick, Boom! 08:13 Baker, Baker, Great Fire Maker 12:43 Bows and Arrows Against the Lightning 14:53 Hell Fire! 18:25 Burn Baby Burn 24:23 Firestarter? 27:36 Rise Like A Phoenix Narrated by James Wade Written by Lisa E Rawcliffe Edited by Jamit Productions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Medievals are often criticised for their bad child-rearing skills, such as sending their youngsters off to be fostered and trained by other families. Many of the decisions they made as parents are considered bizarre, if not downright cruel, today. So, just what was needed to survive babyhood in the Middle Ages? Let’s travel back in time now to discover how medieval babies were fed and clothed, how precarious their lives were, and how they were lucky to have been conceived at all. Welcome to Medieval Madness. 00:00 Introduction 00:44 Dirty Little Secret 01:56 It’s a Wrap 04:27 Breast is Best 06:53 Danger: Heartbreak Dead Ahead 09:51 High Hopes Narrated by James Wade Written by Lisa E Rawcliffe Edited by Jamit Productions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

During the Middle Ages, disabled people were found in all parts of society. Those born into ordinary peasant families just got on with their lives and coped as best they could, whatever their impairment, be they “lame”, “blynde,” or “dumbe”. However, the ‘Little People’ with their short stature found themselves popular with monarchs across Europe. At court, they were required to fill roles such as the King’s Fool or Jester, giving them a level of prestige that the Medieval disabled person couldn’t find anywhere else. Welcome to Medieval Madness. 00:00 Introduction 00:52 Closer To God 02:43 It Is Hard For A Rich Man To Enter Heaven 04:51 Mind Matters 07:07 It's Just Foolishness 08:42 Let's Hear it For The Little Guy Narrated by James Wade Written by Lisa E Rawcliffe Edited by Jamit Productions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 14th century wasn’t a great time for sunbathing in Europe. Right from the start it seemed as though a distinct chill had settled over the land. The Baltic Sea froze over twice in 1303 and again over the winter of 1306 to 1307. For many years following there were cold storms and heavy rains, resulting in a rise in levels in the Caspian Sea. What the Medievals could not have known then, was that this was the start of what we now call the ‘Little Ice Age’. It wasn’t a real ‘Ice Age’, more of a cooling down of the temperature, and it caused havoc for the Europeans. Let’s travel back in time now to take a look at rain, snow and cannibalism in the Middle Ages. Welcome to Medieval Madness. 00:00 Introduction 00:55 It's Cold Up North 03:08 The Hunger 06:19 Here Comes The Rain Again 07:38 Stormy Weather 08:39 Let It Snow 11:28 Frozen Narrated by James Wade Written by Lisa E Rawcliffe Edited by Jamit Productions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For most of us, Halloween is the commercial holiday celebrated every year on the 31st of October, when people carve jack-o-lanterns from pumpkins and dress up in scary costumes to go out trick or treating. But what did Halloween mean to the Medievals and how did their superstitions and beliefs influence how we celebrate Halloween today? Let’s travel back now to a time of witches, soul-hunters, and ‘Stingy Jack’. Welcome to Medieval Madness! 00:00 Introduction 00:46 Do You Believe in Magic? 02:35 Strange Magic 04:02 Sinners, Saints & Souls 06:01 Hallowmass 08:20 Devil In Disguise? 10:14 The Subtle Shifts Narrated by James Wade Written by Lisa E Rawcliffe Edited by Jamit Productions Thank you for watching. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Like us, the Medievals wanted to step out looking and smelling their best. For women especially, grooming was not just about creating the illusion of beauty, it was also a way to show off their social status because the higher the rank and wealth then the more access people had to expensive cosmetics made with rare ingredients. Let’s travel back to the Middle Ages to take a look at male and female grooming and discover how people used their available resources to create beauty products, that still inspire and influence cosmetics manufacturers today. 00:00 Introduction 00:45 The Beautiful People 02:13 All The Pretty Faces 05:14 Not A Hair Out of Place 06:44 Manscaping 09:37 Smile Like You Mean It Narrated by James Wade Written by Lisa E Rawcliffe Edited by Jamit Productions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices