Episode notes
From where did J.R.R. Tolkien get his ideas for the world of Middle Earth? For millions of readers, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings are more than just fantasy fiction. Their rich mix of sacred mythology and archetypal saga stories draw deeply into history and legend and profoundly resonate with universal human experience. As with most things, Matt Lewis is determined to claim Middle Earth was inspired by the medieval period, with the help of today's guest, Tolkien scholar Dr. Christopher Snyder. MORE: Beowulf Listen on Apple Listen on Spotify Czech Braveheart: Jan Žižka Listen on Apple…
Podcast
Gone Medieval
History Hit · History · English
<p>From long-lost Viking ships to kings buried in unexpected places; from murders and power politics, to myths, religion, the lives of ordinary people: Gone Medieval is History Hit’s podcast dedicated to the middle ages, in Europe and far beyond.</p><br><p>New episodes every Tuesday and Friday.</p><
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E561 · 15 Sep 2026 · 55 min
The Invention of Hell
"All hope, abandon ye who enter here." These words from Dante’s Divine Comedy may shape our modern vision of hell, but did you know that the Bible says surprisingly little about it? In fact, hell as we know it was constantly reinvented during the Middle Ages. Dr. Eleanor Janega is joined by Dr. Stephen Hopkins as they descend into the medieval underworld to uncover how apocryphal texts, localised mythologies, and religious anxieties shaped the terrifying, and occasionally hopeful, realms of the afterlife. MORE How to Get to Heaven: Papal Indulgences Listen on Apple Listen on Spotify Medieval…
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E560 · 11 Sep 2026 · 52 min
Sword in the Stone: Origins of Arthurian Legends
Who first imagined King Arthur pulling a shining blade from solid rock? What do extraordinary Bronze Age discoveries reveal about the legend's deeper roots? Matt Lewis is joined by Amy Jeffs to uncover the surprising origins of the sword in the stone (and other Arthurian legends), tracing them from ancient Welsh poetry and Celtic folklore to medieval romance and Christian symbolism. MORE: King Arthur Listen on Apple Listen on Spotify Prophecies of Merlin Listen on Apple Listen on Spotify Gone Medieval is presented by Matt Lewis. Audio editor is Amy Haddow, the producer is Rob Weinberg. The…
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E559 · 8 Sep 2026 · 52 min
How to Read Runes
**Contains very strong language/Tavern talk ** Were runes really magical symbols used by Viking sorcerers? Or were they the everyday handwriting of merchants, lovers, pilgrims and children? From their mysterious origins and Viking Age memorial stones to medieval shopping lists, love letters and graffiti, runes recorded the lives of ordinary people across Scandinavia, Anglo-Saxon England, and beyond. Dr. Eleanor Janega is joined by Professor Tom Birkett to uncover the remarkable history of one of Europe's oldest writing systems. MORE Origins of English Listen on Apple Listen on Spotify The…
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E558 · 4 Sep 2026 · 58 min
Battle of Grunwald: Defeat of the Teutonic Knights
In July 1410, the formidable Teutonic Knights, rapacious crusaders clad in heavy plate armour, faced a massive Polish-Lithuanian alliance. After an insulting taunt involving two unsheathed swords, the Battle of Grunwald erupted into a bloody, day-long melee. Matt Lewis and Dr. Aleks Pluskowski to explore this epic medieval clash. MORE Teutonic Knights Listen on Apple Listen on Spotify The Last Pagans Listen on Apple Listen on Spotify Gone Medieval is presented by Matt Lewis. Audio editor is Amy Haddow, the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff. All music used is…
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E557 · 1 Sep 2026 · 51 min
The King Who Created Medieval Bohemia
In 12th-century Bohemia, every royal funeral sparked a civil war. Dr. Eleanor Janega discovers how Přemysl Otakar I survived backstabbing brothers, imperial betrayals, and a dodgy divorce to seize power. Find out how this 'spare' prince outmanoeuvred the Emperor to forge a powerful hereditary kingdom. MORE: Pope vs. Emperor: The Investiture Crisis Listen on Apple Listen on Spotify Matilda of Canossa, Tuscany Listen on Apple Listen on Spotify Czech Braveheart: Jan Žižka Listen on Apple Listen on Spotify Gone Medieval is presented by Dr Eleanor Janega. Edited by Amy Haddow, the producer is Rob…
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E555 · 25 Aug 2026 · 1 hr 3 min
Extinct Beasts of Medieval Britain
Why have wolves often been the villains of British history? What happened to them and some of the other remarkable creatures that once roamed medieval Britain? Dr. Eleanor Janega is joined by Dr. Lee Raye to explore Britain's lost wildlife and how extinct species survived long after their disappearance through medieval literature, folklore, religion and myth. MORE Fantastic Beasts of the Middle Ages Listen on Apple Listen on Spotify Monsters of the Medieval World Listen on Apple Listen on Spotify Gone Medieval is presented by Dr Eleanor Janega. Audio editor is Amy Haddow, the producer is Rob…
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E554 · 21 Aug 2026 · 1 hr 2 min
Edgar Ætheling: The King Who Never Was
What if you were proclaimed King of England but never sat on the throne? In 1066, Edgar Ætheling possessed the strongest bloodline claim to the English crown, yet this Anglo-Saxon prince became a mere footnote in history. Matt Lewis and Professor Levi Roach bring this forgotten heir out of the shadows. Discover his extraordinary seventy-year life of rebellions, Norman resistance, and Crusade exploits. MORE Edward the Confessor Listen on Apple Listen on Spotify The Queer Court of William Rufus Listen on Apple Listen on Spotify Gone Medieval is presented by Matt Lewis. Audio editor is Amy…
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E553 · 18 Aug 2026 · 59 min
Great Buildings of the Middle Ages
How did medieval builders create monuments that still leave us awestruck? How were vast cathedrals, temples and cities constructed and embellished? From Canterbury Cathedral and the palaces of Great Zimbabwe and Venice, to Cambodia's Angkor Wat, some of the greatest achievements of the middle ages depended on extraordinary stonemasons. Dr Eleanor Janega is joined by Simon Warrack to hear the inside stories of the exquisite craftsmanship behind these architectural wonders. MORE A Stonemason's Secrets Listen on Apple Listen on Spotify Mythbusting Medieval Buildings Listen on Apple Listen on…
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E552 · 14 Aug 2026 · 46 min
Henry III vs. Simon de Montfort
Was Henry III overthrown by England's first constitutional revolution? How did Simon de Montfort's rebellion change the course of history? In 1258, a revolutionary movement stripped Henry III of his authority, plunging England into a bitter crisis and a brutal civil war. As Henry fought to suppress an uprising in France, his queen Eleanor of Provence emerged as one of the most formidable political figures of the age. David Carpenter returns to Gone Medieval to speak to Matt Lewis about the extraordinary final years of one of England's longest-reigning monarchs. More: How the Plantagenets…
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E551 · 11 Aug 2026 · 54 min
Guinevere: The Queen Who Broke Camelot?
Was Queen Guinevere a traitorous adulteress who caused the tragic downfall of Camelot, or a complex political survivor? Was she even real? Dr. Eleanor Janega and Arthurian expert Dr. Mary Bateman explore the changing faces of King Arthur’s legendary wife. They discuss her early mythological Welsh roots, scandalous 'affairs' with Lancelot and Mordred, and how medieval queens used this powerful romantic legend for their own real-world political influence. MORE King Arthur with Dr. Mary Bateman Listen on Apple Listen on Spotify King Arthur's Sex Life Listen on Apple Listen on Spotify Gone…
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