Harald Hardrada with James Turner

In this episode, we’re looking at a legendary figure who thought ruling England would be one more step in his quest to be the dominant power in the North Sea. His legendary prowess in battle was known from Sicily to Orkney, and his name was Harald Hardrada. This week, Danièle speaks with James Turner about Harald’s travels, his conquests, and his place in the wide world of the eleventh century.This podcast is made possible by the generous support of listeners like you! To find out how to help spread the joy of medieval history, please visit patreon.com/themedievalpodcast

Early medieval kings come to us in glimpses, with legends, a few chronicles, and some archaeological finds sketching faint portraits of figures who were larger than life in their own time. One of these kings left a literal impression on Britain that speaks to the power he had in the eighth century: Offa, King of the Mercians. This week, Danièle speaks with Rory Naismith about Offa’s life, his rule, and his impact on Early Medieval England.This podcast is made possible by the generous support of listeners like you! To find out how to help spread the joy of medieval history, please visit patreon.com/themedievalpodcast

While there was more violence in the medieval world than there is today on the whole, much of that was in the context of warfare. And even in medieval warfare, there were many people who felt the need for limits. This week, Danièle speaks with James Houlihan about medieval perspectives on warfare, attitudes towards noncombatants, and the steps one Abbot of Iona took to protect the innocent.This podcast is made possible by the generous support of listeners like you! To find out how to help spread the joy of medieval history, please visit patreon.com/themedievalpodcast

In the fifteenth-century, a woman named Jehanne reported a sexual assault to the city authorities of Dijon, setting in motion a detailed criminal investigation that has survived in the records. This week, Danièle speaks with Sara McDougall about what Jehanne's story can tell us about truth and lies, investigative procedures in fifteenth-century France, and contemporary attitudes towards survivors.This podcast is made possible by the generous support of listeners like you! To find out how to help spread the joy of medieval history, please visit patreon.com/themedievalpodcast

From gruesome visions of torment, to Sunday holidays from the flames, to absolutely epic images of Jesus freeing lost souls at the point of a sword, medieval people couldn’t get enough of their fire and brimstone. The question is: why? This week, Danièle speaks with Stephen C.E. Hopkins about where medieval people got their ideas about the afterlife, how they adapted these ideas across cultures, and why everyone was so obsessed with hell.This podcast is made possible by the generous support of listeners like you! To find out how to help spread the joy of medieval history, please visit patreon.com/themedievalpodcast

One of the more popular clichéd images of the medieval world is an angry mob with torches and pitchforks, ready to cause wanton destruction. And while there were rebellions on occasion, the truth is much more complex. This week, Danièle speaks with Shane Bobrycki about how the nature of crowds – and how people spoke about them – changed, and how crowds, themselves, point to the uniqueness of the Early Middle Ages.This podcast is made possible by the generous support of listeners like you! To find out how to help spread the joy of medieval history, please visit patreon.com/themedievalpodcast

When it comes to powerful and impressive dynasties of the Middle Ages, it’s hard to compete with China’s Ming Dynasty. And yet, a lot of us didn’t learn much about the Ming in school. If you’re looking to start your journey on all things Ming, this is the episode for you. This week, Danièle speaks with Craig Clunas about how the Ming Dynasty began, how it functioned, and how it lasted for centuries.This podcast is made possible by the generous support of listeners like you! To find out how to help spread the joy of medieval history, please visit patreon.com/themedievalpodcast

Motherhood is different for each person who experiences it, and yet one thing is for certain: everyone has an opinion about it. This week, Danièle speaks with Kirsty Bolton about the places mothers appeared in medieval romance, from birthing rooms to otherworldly forests, and what this can tell us about the lives of real medieval mothers.This podcast is made possible by the generous support of listeners like you! To find out how to help spread the joy of medieval history, please visit patreon.com/themedievalpodcast

There’s a beautiful country that every once in a while comes to the forefront of our collective consciousness to steal our hearts. But Scotland isn’t a country that just appears out of the mist from time-to-time. It’s always been an integral part of European politics, especially during the late Middle Ages. This week, Danièle speaks with Michael Brown about Scotland’s involvement in European politics, its long alliance with France, and its tumultuous relationship with England during the Wars of the Roses.This podcast is made possible by the generous support of listeners like you! To find out how to help spread the joy of medieval history, please visit patreon.com/themedievalpodcast

Pretty much everyone has heard about Marco Polo and his thirteenth-century journey from Italy to China. But just as the Polos were making their way east, two other intrepid travellers were making the journey in reverse. This week, Danièle speaks with Thomas A. Carlson about two Eastern Christian monks who made their way from China all the way to Western Europe, and this unique account of what medieval Europe and its kings looked like from the outside.This podcast is made possible by the generous support of listeners like you! To find out how to help spread the joy of medieval history, please visit patreon.com/themedievalpodcast