Skip to content
Melo Podcasts Home
CategoriesLanguagesFollowing

Episode notes

In 1381, a highly organised civilian army marched on London, demanding an end to generations of unfairness. Matt Lewis and author A.K. Blakemore explore the human stories behind the Peasants' Revolt. They discover how Chaucer viewed the uprising from his home within London and uncover the forgotten women of 1381, including widows seeking the king's justice, who navigated the chaotic London streets searching for freedom. MORE Peasants' Revolt on Film: The Uprising Reviewed Listen on Apple Listen on Spotify Richard II vs. Henry IV Listen on Apple Listen on Spotify Gone Medieval is presented by…

Gone Medieval

by History Hit · English · History

<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><

More from Gone Medieval

  1. E566 · 2 Oct 2026 · 59 min

    The Story of 1066

    Is 1066 just the Battle of Hastings? Far from it. The war for the English crown was a year-long apocalypse. Matt Lewis and Dr. Eleanor Janega dissect history's ultimate succession crisis. Follow King Harold as he crushes a Viking armada at Stamford Bridge, only to face William the Conqueror’s brutal heavy cavalry just weeks later. From shattered shield walls to a Christmas coronation that literally went up in flames, Matt and Eleanor relive the ruthless reality of 1066. MORE 1066 New Discovery: the Myth of Harold's March Listen on Apple Listen on Spotify Harold Godwinson Listen on Apple…

  2. E565 · 29 Sep 2026 · 54 min

    How to Make the Bayeux Tapestry

    What connects the Bayeux Tapestry and a Cheshire silk-producing town? Dr. Eleanor Janega makes a special visit to Macclesfield to uncover its medieval past as a royal borough associated with Edward I and Eleanor of Castile. To celebrate the Bayeux Tapestry's arrival in Britain, the community has crafted a stunning "Macclesfield Tapestry" using traditional Bayeux stitches and natural dyes. Listen in as Eleanor explores a medieval dye garden, weaves on a historic loom, and meets the passionate local embroiderers bringing this incredible collaborative artwork to life. MORE The Bayeux Tapestry…

  3. E564 · 25 Sep 2026 · 57 min

    Richard II & Richard III: Shakespeare's Version

    Did Shakespeare shape the way we remember England's Plantagenet kings more than history itself? How much of his plays Richard II and Richard III are fact, fiction, or Tudor propaganda? Professor Emma Smith joins Matt Lewis to separate the history from drama, and discover how Shakespeare balanced historical truth, theatrical brilliance and the political realities of writing under Elizabeth I, to create plays that still shape our understanding of medieval English history today. MORE: The Bishop who Took Down Richard II Listen on Apple Listen on Spotify Richard III Listen on Apple Listen on…

  4. E563 · 22 Sep 2026 · 1 hr

    Henry IV & Henry V: Shakespeare's Version

    Did Shakespeare teach us about England's greatest kings, or fabricate its greatest historical myths? How much of what you think you know about Henry IV and Henry V is actually true? Shakespeare's history plays continue to define our understanding of medieval England, the Plantagenets, the Hundred Years' War, and the rise and fall of England's warrior kings. But Dr. Eleanor Janega separates history from drama with Professor Emma Smith to reveal how Shakespeare transformed Prince Hal from a wayward youth into England's greatest warrior king, invented the legendary Falstaff, and immortalised…

  5. E562 · 18 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 3 min

    Peasants' Revolt on Film: The Uprising Reviewed

    How accurate is Hollywood's take on the Peasants' Revolt? It is 1381, and England is at breaking point. A civilian army of thousands stormed the capital, making demands of King Richard II. Now, Paul Greengrass’s new film, The Uprising , brings the revolt to the big screen, starring Andrew Garfield and Cosmo Jarvis. Matt Lewis and Dr. Eleanor Janega give their review of the film and separate cinematic fiction from equally exciting historical fact. MORE Richard II vs. Henry IV Listen on Apple Listen on Spotify The Black Death: A Global Apocalypse? Listen on Apple Listen on Spotify Gone…

  6. 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…

  7. 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…

  8. 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…

  9. 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…

  10. 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…

Every episode of Gone Medieval →

Take it with you

The Melo app keeps playing with the screen off, works in the car and on your watch, wakes you to your station, and browses the whole catalogue offline. Free, no ads, no account.

Get it on Google Play