logo
episode-header-image
Apr 2025
39m 2s

Troubadours: everything you wanted to kn...

IMMEDIATE MEDIA
About this episode
Composing songs of courtly love and war in the High Middle Ages, the troubadours were the poet-musicians of western and southern Europe – especially southern France. But were they really the lovesick wandering minstrels popular culture would have us believe? Or was there more to their artistry? Speaking to Emily Briffett, Linda Paterson answers your top ques ... Show More
Up next
Yesterday
How bullies shaped 19th-century America
America's Gilded Age is often remembered for rapid expansion and opportunity, but beneath the surface lay a brutal society in which it paid to be a bully. In this episode, Elinor Evans speaks to historian Andrew Wender Cohen about his new book Gangster of New York: A Violent Life ... Show More
42m 45s
Aug 29
Is there a royal sex scandal hidden in plain sight in the Bayeux tapestry?
The Bayeux Tapestry is making headlines as it is loaned to the British Museum to be shown in England for the first time in almost a thousand years. It holds many mysteries, including the famous Aelfgyva scene, where an enigmatic woman is portrayed alongside a curious priest. Davi ... Show More
44m 24s
Aug 27
Did Britain really 'keep calm and carry on' in WW2?
'Keep calm and carry on' has long been held up as the defining spirit of wartime Britain. But was the nation really as united, stoic and unquestioning as popular memory suggests? In this episode, Steven Casey takes Isabel King through the often surprising reality of Britain's war ... Show More
46m 11s
Recommended Episodes
Sep 2025
Ballads of Love and Death
In this enchanting episode, Dr. Eleanor Janega dissolves the boundaries between history, folklore, and music to explore the haunting world of medieval ballads. Joined by author Amy Jeffs, illustrator Gwen Burns and composer/singer Natalie Brice, Eleanor uncovers the timeless stor ... Show More
1h 1m
Nov 2023
Highwaymen
For centuries, stories have been told about highwaymen - dangerous rogues who attacked unsuspecting travellers in the dead of night, demanding their money or their life. These robbers have been romanticised into myths, plays, films, and songs. But what’s the truth behind the lege ... Show More
57m 6s
Sep 2023
The Middle Ages in Five Facts
<p>Where is the grave of King Arthur? What was the worst year in human history? Who were the most fractious royal siblings? What were the origins of humble pie? Which monsters pre-occupied Medieval minds?</p><br><p>In this episode, <em>Gone Medieval</em>’s co-hosts Matt Lewis and ... Show More
39m 34s
Jul 2021
Lovers and La Maupin
<p>A bisexual, sword-fighting, opera-singing, 17th century arsonist... no wonder there are so many stories about her. [Side note: I wrote a book! It's a gothic love story about 19th century Edinburgh, and you can pre-order here: <a href="https://read.macmillan.com/lp/anatomy-a-lo ... Show More
21m 14s
Aug 2024
Medieval Life During Plague & War
When so much of history is written by men, Margaret Paston's letters offer us a rare insight into the life of a woman and the world around her in 15th century England.How did she cope with waves of plague wiping out her town? What did she do when the War of the Roses reached her ... Show More
40m 42s
Oct 2024
Medieval Writers, Extraordinary Women
<p>**This episode contains some strong language**</p><br><p>Few women had the luxury of writing down their thoughts and feelings during medieval times. But remarkably, there are at least four extraordinary women who did. Marie de France, a poet; Julian of Norwich, a mystic; Chris ... Show More
39m 5s
Apr 2023
318: Hundred Years' War: A Game of Thrones (Part 1)
Dynastic turmoil, inconvenient treaties with Scotland, tales of knights, longbows and the golden age of chivalry. In a time of chaos across Europe, England, a minor power of the time, takes on the mighty kingdom of France. Join Tom and Dominic to learn how the Hundred Years' War ... Show More
51m 18s
Nov 2024
Gladiators' Sex Lives
Who really were the gladiators of Ancient Rome?With them once again hitting the big screens this month, we wanted to take you back a couple of thousand years to find out more about the people who fought and what their lives were really like.What rights in society did they have? H ... Show More
44m 35s
Nov 2022
Heartthrobs
What makes a heartthrob? Is he brooding, flamboyant or a bad boy? And what qualities translate to sex symbol status in society?Which men have made the hearts of young (heterosexual) women flutter over the centuries? And why?Today, Carol Dyhouse joins Kate to talk about the histor ... Show More
43m 58s