Episodes

  • Surviving Dwarfism in the Middle Ages...

    Surviving Dwarfism in the Middle Ages...
    Sep 30 2026
    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
    Show More Show Less
    16 mins
  • Surviving a Winter Storm in the Middle Ages...

    Surviving a Winter Storm in the Middle Ages...
    Sep 27 2026
    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
    Show More Show Less
    17 mins
  • Halloween in the Middle Ages...

    Halloween in the Middle Ages...
    Sep 24 2026
    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
    Show More Show Less
    16 mins
  • Staying Pretty in The Middle Ages...

    Staying Pretty in The Middle Ages...
    Sep 22 2026
    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
    Show More Show Less
    16 mins
  • This Medieval Knight Was a Total D*&k...

    This Medieval Knight Was a Total D*&k...
    Aug 30 2026
    English soldier and knight, condottiero, Captain-General of Florence, Duke of the Duchy of Spoleto. Who was this man? A man nicknamed John Sharp by the Italians in reference to his “cleverness and cunning”. A man so highly thought of by the Italians that he is depicted in a fresco painted by Uccello at the Duomo in Florence. Could such an honourable man really be responsible for one of the worst massacres of the Middle Ages? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
    Show More Show Less
    15 mins
  • Dying in The Middle Ages...

    Dying in The Middle Ages...
    Aug 28 2026
    Where do we go when we die? It’s a question that humans have been pondering for thousands of years. For the Christian Medievals, there were only three options – heaven, hell, or purgatory. The problem was, they didn’t know what condition their soul was in until they died and that was causing concern. Even the theologians, with all their ecclesiastical knowledge and writings, debated the problem without success so what chance did the common people have? Welcome to Medieval Madness. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
    Show More Show Less
    15 mins
  • The Medieval Murder Mystery You Didn't Read in History Class...

    The Medieval Murder Mystery You Didn't Read in History Class...
    Aug 27 2026
    We’ll begin, as all good murder stories do, with the finding of a body. It was the end of May 1375, in the Lincolnshire countryside when the decomposing remains of a man were discovered in the fields near Grayingham. The man was about 30 years old and had been lying there for several months but his clothes showed he was a man of means. On examining the body, the coroner decided he had died from “diverse mortal wounds” caused by a knife. But who was the man? What was the motive for his murder? And what has a court case between William’s brother Nicolas and Nicolas’s wife, some seven years earlier, have to do with anything? Let’s travel back in time now to the late 14th century to discover treason, conspiracy, a tiny penis, and the connection between a wife, her lover, the chambermaid, the cook, the squire, and their neighbour. Welcome to Medieval Madness Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
    Show More Show Less
    15 mins
  • Getting Wasted in the Middle Ages...

    Getting Wasted in the Middle Ages...
    Aug 26 2026
    The Medievals consumed alcohol all the time. At every event, whether that was a wedding, a funeral, a business negotiation, or the completion of an apprenticeship ... they didn’t really need an excuse. They even drank at work, all day, every day. Which begs the question. Were the people who lived through the Middle Ages always drunk? It makes you wonder how they could work, fight their many wars, or even function properly when they were all constantly hammered. Welcome to Medieval Madness! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
    Show More Show Less
    15 mins