Medieval Madness
Episodes
113 episodes
Surviving Life as a Medieval Slave...
We often associate slavery with non-Christians and the Romans, but unfree people continued to be owned and exploited throughout Europe for hundreds of years after the fall of the Empire. In fact, slavery was alive and thriving very well in the ...
The Rack: The Most INFAMOUS Medieval Torture Method of All Time...
Many forms of torture were utilised during the Middle Ages. But the rack was perhaps the most popular and most feared. Although it was common for joints to be dislocated during the process, the torture could tear a victim’s limbs apart and rip ...
The WORST Prison in Medieval History...
It was established in 1188, under the reign of King Henry II. What was constructed out of a group of cells housed in London’s city walls above the ‘New Gate’ gatehouse soon became known as a place of darkness and despair. Nicknamed ‘Hell on Ear...
The Most Inbred Family of The Middle Ages...
It all began in Switzerland, with an area of lush agricultural land, and became a dynasty that dominated Southeast Europe for centuries. The Habsburg's rise to power in the High Middle Ages and its descent into extinction is one of the most fas...
Timeline of The Middle Ages Explained in 15 Minutes...
From the fall of Rome to the dawn of the Renaissance, the Middle Ages was an era of history that encompassed massive social change. A time of international warfare, national rebellion, devastating disease, and at times brutal cruelty. Here are ...
Love and Marriage for Medieval Citizens...
When most people think about medieval marriages they are either practical, cold, and loveless, or the idealised “courtly love” of chivalric knights and damsels in distress. But what was married life and love really like in the Middle Ages? Let’...
The Medieval Catholic Church’s Weird Obsession With Incest...
For most, incest is seen as sexual intimacy between anyone who is related by blood, like a parent and child, siblings, or cousins. We could even extend this to anyone who has a position of responsibility within a family such as step-parents, st...
Roger Mortimer: The VERY Naughty Medieval Earl...
It was from a cell in the Tower of London, “in a very high up and confined place … out of sight and hearing of the world”, that Roger Mortimer, 1st Earl of March made his daring escape. A feudal lord, experienced military commander, and twice g...
Medieval Things NOT Considered Appropriate in Today's Society...
It’s easy to look at the Medieval world and see it as completely alien to the one we live in today. Many things that were thought acceptable and even pleasing then would horrify civilised people in the 21st century. Let’s travel back in time no...
The Most Sadistic & Bloodthirsty Man of The Middle Ages…
When most people think about Transylvania it conjures the image of Dracula and the world dreamed up in Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel - a world of gothic castles, shapeshifting bats, and vampires. Some people even think of Transylvania as a mythical ...
Surviving the Middle Ages as a Teenager...
It’s hard being a teenager. Coping with raging hormones, insecurities, and acne while trying to figure out just who you are and where you fit in society is no joke. It’s not really the best time to try and make important choices about your futu...
MORE Reasons Why You Wouldn't Last 24 Hours in The Dark Ages....
Once again we delve into the reasons why you probably wouldn’t live very long in the Middle Ages. For one reason or another death seemed to be waiting around every corner. Having dealt with war, poison, and squalor in our last video we now move...
Blood Eagle: A Viking Torture of UNSPEAKABLE Horror...
Vikings, eh? Bloodthirsty, vicious barbarians, well-known for their willingness to loot monasteries and murder their enemies in a variety of gruesome ways.Including perhaps the grisliest end you could imagine – the blóðǫrn, or more comm...
The Sights, Sounds, and Smells of Medieval London...
14th-century London was tiny when compared to today's modern cities, but much larger than any other English town at that time. In 1300, the population stood at approximately 80,000, all crammed into one square mile. It was noisy, pretty stinky,...
5 Most Frightening Legends & Creatures From Medieval Times...
It’s that time of year again when we want to hear tales about ghosts, demons and mythical monsters. And what better era was there for stories of these supernatural and fabulous occurrences than the Middle Ages? A period in European history that...
The Typical Diet of a Viking...
What did Vikings eat? Let's find out! A smoky longhouse, the sound of a fire crackling and fat sizzling off a haunch of venison, mugs of mead being quaffed and sagas being recounted.Every day was a feast day in the world of the ave...
The Most Famous Man of The Middle Ages... But Was He Real?
Most of us have heard the fairy story of the Pied Piper of Hamelin. What many of us don’t know is that the legend is based in truth. There is very little evidence as to what actually happened in the German town of Hamelin during the 13th centur...
The Harsh Life of an Adult During Medieval Times....
Just suppose you could travel back in time and experience life as a Medieval. Maybe go back to the Middle Ages and live there, in England as an adult, (now why the hell would I want to do that, I hear you shouting, but just bear with me, it’s q...
Here's Why You (Probably) Have Viking in Your DNA…
Having Viking DNA doesn’t mean that you should automatically construct a longhouse and start planning your ship burial – although you’re absolutely free to do that if that’s what your seafaring heart desires. And actually, having Viking DNA doe...
Dark Arts in The Middle Ages: 6 Mysterious Medieval Curses You'd Never Want to Face...
For thousands of years, people have placed curses on their enemies and wished them misfortune. Many of these hexes have involved pleas to the forces of the occult with prayers and rituals. Sometimes it might be an actual object or ...
Getting Your Period in the Middle Ages...
Menstruation is a milestone in the life of any girl or woman. A biological phenomenon that changes her body and her social standing. But what about women who lived during the Middle Ages? Knowing what we do about Medieval hygiene it’s hard not ...
These Are My Favourite Viking Occupations!
Honestly, Vikings were pretty much the same as any other medieval people – they were farmers and handymen most of the time. Most Vikings lived on a farmstead and they would have had to have been able to grow crops, tend livestock, and create al...
Surviving The Middle Ages as an ill Person...
What would the Medievals want with a burnt owl, a chopped-up cat, or dove faeces? How do you help a bald man with gout? Or a woman with ‘blocked menses?’If they weren’t too complicated, most medicines in the Middle Ages were homemade. M...
A Day in The Life of a Medieval Solider at The Battle of Agincourt...
It was a spectacular win for the young English King Henry V on St. Crispin’s Day 1415. And everybody loves to see a win for the underdog, a victory for the common soldier over the well-armed knight. It felt like every moment of the Hundred Year...
Why You Wouldn't Want To Commit A Crime As A Viking...
Being a criminal in the modern age really doesn’t have quite the same thrill anymore – you get caught by the police, tried, and then sent to prison for a certain amount of time. The Vikings on the other hand... Well, they knew what to do with a...